Brixham harbour

Hi Malcolm. Thanks for asking for comments. We are all different in style and approach but If I were tackling this scene I would consider adding a few touches of darker pigment gently placed to help give just a touch more tonality - possibly the harbour wall as you sugest - also maybe some of the near shop windows and the shadows under the eaves of the front line of buildings but I wouldn't go any further and I wouldn't touch the far trees as it might bring them forward too much and make the picture top heavy. If you do make any changes please do post it - it will be interesting to see - but whatever you do (if you do anything) don't overdo it as it is a great picture in its own right and so well executed.

Hi Malcolm. This is a lovely whistfull watercolour, very delicate. I would normal say -yes add some darks for shadows and particularly for the harbour wall to make the boats stand out. BUT would you then lose some of the delicacy of this work? Could you take a copy of this onto watercolour or other strong paper and try adding darks to that to see how it looks? As (the other) Malcolm says please post us the results, I would be interested to see.

Hi Malcolm. A lovely painting and one i would be really pleased to produce. However i do agree there is a lack of tone. Darkening the harbour would absolutley improve it by brining it forward giving depth. I think I would leave the foliage as it it as you want it to stay in the background. For my own taste, i would love a small splash of colour - red probably, just give it life. I can see there isa touch ofn red on one of the figures, but its still wuite a dark red. Perhaps echo that on one of the shop fronts or in a window?

This is really well drawn and painted. My eyes were drawn to the shop fronts, so I agree with Michael, just another "glaze" over the focal point will make the foreground stand out - but no more than one tone, I think. Very good painting, I like how youve "filled" the page with interest.

I like it as it is, Malcolm. No doubt there are areas that might be changed but that's the case with many paintings, and everyone sees things differently. Personally I like the mysteriousness of the scene as it is - a true representation would have greater tonal differences, but I don't think you ever set out to make this totally representative; it's an interpretation, and lovely as it is...in my humble opinion...

If it was my painting I would darken the harbour wall slightly. Possibly the shop fronts and very slightly the foliage. There again, I expect that you've already decided :)

I prefer it as it is as I really like the misty look as if you had painted the scene in the very early morning light. For me, the little touches of emphasis - roof lines, people on the dock, are enough to give the painting depth - I don't think you need to hit the darks hard to give the painting impact. Painting in the mid tone is fiendishly difficult to get right but you have achieved it in spades with this painting.

thanks for all your advice- I still dont know what to do- so its into the unfinished boxf for this one. We are off to North Norfolk for a weeks sketching- famed for its big skies or is it little landscapes.