La Battista

You've used wax resist as well, I think - which may be why the salt didn't work; it doesn't, always ... it won't work with resist or masking, it's particular about how damp the paper is, how dark or light the paint. But don't worry, because I don't think you've overworked this at all: OK, maybe you've thrown one technique too many at it, but it still works for me; the only thing I'd do is tidy up the perspective on your building so it sits in the landscape better, and do something about that tree on the left - which sort of stops half-way up; maybe take it up to the top of the paper, emphasizing its structure with some definite boughs and twigs; or alternatively, wash it out, then go back in with some more strong greens. The colour is good - the soft green of the lawn works well in adding recession; the way you've painted the sky gives it a lightness and freshness. It it were me, I'd put it away in a drawer for a week or so, then come back and have a fresh look at it - I'd be much more likely to find out what it needs that way; I think you've got just that much too involved in and bothered about it - trying to "save" it, as it were, without a cooling-off period may lead you to really overwork it.

I think your colours are wonderful and very interesting. However, it may be that there is too much going on in all the foliage in the painting which overwhelms the little cottage. I tried putting a mental frame around the bottom right hand section, from about the cottage's width to the left of the foliage, cropping a little bit of the sky and taking in all the lovely foreground and I thought that this made a lovely vignette. I saw an professional artist do this to one of her paintings recently - she took two halves of a mount frame and moved them around the painting and actually found three separate paintings within the one that were all lovely in their own right. Just an idea. I think Robert is also right that putting the painting away and then going back to it much later often tells you what the painting needs. I have to say, though, that a rarely try and rescue paintings - it is easier just to take another sheet of paper and either try again or do something completely different on the basis that you win some, you lose some. Some weeks, my bin is overflowing!

Many thanks Thea and Robert for these very helpful suggestions. Robert you are of course right and I did use quite a bit of wax resist - it didn't occur to me that the salt wouldn't work along with the wax and you're probably right that I've used too many techniques this time! Thea, I like the idea of cropping it a bit, especially if it means I can lose the tree which I thought was a bit of a disaster. As you both suggest, I shall leave it for a while and see if I feel like doing any more to it when I come back to it. Thanks again!

I tried playing around with it a little in Picasa to pick up on Roberts suggestions and it made a difference but still a great picture in its own right ad posted