Three craws sat upon a wa' by Fiona Phipps

I like your acrylics Fiona. A lady at our art group switched from watercolour to acrylics a few years ago and has gone from strength to strength, perhaps you should persevere with them? From a composition point of view, you could do with a tree or something to break up the long stretch of wall on the left. Or crop off a few inches from the left.

A snow covered wilderness Fiona, you're going from strength to strength with these acrylics and a knife, love em.

Very clever and very elegant piece of work. Beautiful texture in the stone wall.

Beautiful work, I too like your acrylics, a lady of many mediums!

So, Fiona, why were you using up the acrylics? Buy some more!

Yes, buy some more acrylics. This is, as Thea says, elegant. It's got a wonderful atmoshpere; that kind of breathless, altitude feel of a mountain in winter. I could be between Fort William and Mallaig somewhere in this one. What a great translation of an idea.

Stephen thank you for the tip, I can see that a tree would help on that side of the picture. Composition isn't my strong point.lol. Val, Thea, Glennis, Amanda thank you for your support, I don't know if I could make acrylics my permanent medium though. Thank you all once again.

Gudrun, thank you for your lovely comment!

You don't need to make it your "permanent medium", Fiona - just one of several strings to your bow. I rather think that changing medium occasionally benefits an artist's main work.

I like this very much, Fiona. I am not at all sure you need to alter the composition, although using acrylics makes it possible. If you feel you do want to add "balance", I cannot agree that a tree would do it. My suggestion would be a change of interest in or on the top of the wall, just to the right of the tree line that can be seen in the background. Or, indeed, the introduction of a variation in the height of the tree line itself - perhaps a taller one two-thirds of the way in. Anyway, I like it as it is! Regarding the support, I buy 10 x 12 inch canvas board because it is inexpensive, and because it fits a standard photograph frame that only cost a few pounds from Wilkinsons and elsewhere. However, I like the above format and have been working on something of similar shape lately but without much success. I find it quite difficult after the more conventional shape. OK! I'll stop now! Regards, Lionel

Hello Lionel, I had thought, refering to the 'change of interest' part of your comment, of adding a line of posts on the other side of the wall so just the top part was showing. There are many examples of this kind of thing around where I live; the farmers add a line of posts and top it with wire to stop the cattle being able to reach over the wall.....knocking the top two layers of stone from them! I will probably leave it as it is though. I have various sizes of supports, canvas and canvas boards but I tend to save them for best...lol. The one I've used here is an old piece of hardboard that has (under several layers of gesso) a very bad oil of a birch tree! I don't know why but I quite like using old bits and pieces I find around the garage that my husband has discarded. He broke up an old oak church bookcase the other day and I've got my eye on one or two boards from that. Lovely to hear from you, my regards to both yourself and your wife. X

I have a tiny feeling that you start to like acrylics Fiona! And no wonder, these are getting seriously good. This painting is excellent and I like it a lot. The only thing is the length of the wall= composition. Because you have painted it on hardboard it's very easy to cut off one third and voilà, you have got two paintings. At the end it's of course your decision and you might like it best as it is.

Great ! Yet another successful painting.

Satu, two for the price of one, that sounds like a brilliant idea! I think that I have surprised myself a little at the out come of the three I've done, but I don't know the medium, if that makes sense. That comes with practice I suppose. Thank you for your positive advice and feedback.

Thank you very much Sharon, appreciate you taking a look.

Great work Fiona, and I can see that I am not going to get those acrylics!

I thought I might just keep hold of them a little while longer Frank, just in case I get the hang of using them...lol. I think the next attempt with them will be the breaking point, I've done the sketch and already I hear the BIN calling!! Thank you for taking the time to have a look, appreciate it.