Bala Lake 2 by Terry Roberts

Well, they're two very different paintings, and I'd be more than happy to have either of them on my wall; on the whole I prefer this one because of the fresher sky - I think it just shades it in terms of atmosphere, although there were some lovely foreground touches in the grasses in your other version. This is how I like watercolour: not necessarily how I like to paint them myself (is that a bit odd?) but what I like to see in others' work. And not a hint of masking fluid, which always gets my vote..

I think I prefer this one as regards composition and also like the sky here. Both are beautifully simple which I know from experience is not easy to achieve! Lovely colours also.

I like this one too. The sky is beautifully rendered. Excellent.

Lovely depth and washes.

I have been at this for only two months, so you can take my yabber with two flinged grains of salt. I prefer this one for many reasons. It has a more upbeat luminous mood than the other version in my opinion. The white touches in the sky add a more plesant air (the other feels like impending rain with moody gray). The light field strokes nicely mirror the horizontal flow of the clouds. Although there are diagonal strokes in the other to suggest perpestive, I feel that the color hues are sufficient to impy distance- I prefer mood over fact- a personal bias.The additional yellow trees add a happy supportive rhythm to the major tree. The grass flicks contrast strong and beautifully to the light areas, and make the highlights and lighter areas have more umph and spark. A lovely impression :-)

I much prefer this ...your foreground is more interesting, also the sky has more light and depth in it. Understated, clever brushstrokes. Lovely.

Thank you all for going to the trouble to reply. Your comments are, as always, very much appreciated.

I absolutely adore the colouring in this picture. The subtle green grey grass coupled with the autumnal tree foliage is spot on.