My ideal retreat. by Lynne Matheson

No, I don't think you did: you should see some of mine if you want "too realistic"; I'm a "high myope", ie very short-sighted - it means you peer at things; probably at very close quarters my eyesight is actually better than most (anything beyond close quarters - forget it!); so it's so easy to get bogged down in detail. But you haven't here: I think I've nagged you before on this front! Don't let the fast and loose brigade bully you out of the way you want to paint: there's a market for highly detailed work, and apart from any market considerations, if you want to paint detail and enjoy doing it - go on and do it! You have a fantastic blue; foreground detail and darks adding depth; and I wouldn't at all have minded that clump of grass on the right being mirrored by as much detail on the left bank. I like loose, as it happens, but then I like painting - loose, tight, detailed, abstract. I'll stop nagging you now, as I'm sure your judgement of such things is just as good as I like to think mine is......

Robert is right, Lynne. This is a magnificent painting. I love all of it: composition, colours, ... and the realisme!!!! Super!

I agree with all of the above and it's a great advert for Scotland. Beautiful.

Super light and atmosphere, Lynne.

No I don't think you have tried to be too realistic, its really lovely Lynne. I love the stream leading your eye to the little cottage.

Lynne this is lovely and no, I don't find it 'too realistic'. I would've loved to have sat next to you as you painted it and see how you did it, the order you did things in etc. I think the light is great; I especially like the darks and lights in the water in the foreground, and what I imagine is some purple heather on the left, creating an area of different colour to keep it interesting and which balances nicely with the stream and the mountain.

Great composition, Lynne, lovely colours, excellent sky, the cottage is in the best position.