Well, I am not proud of this effort. I was trying for a simple, monochromatic painting of trees. But those trunks! Awkkkk!!!
And the color? Well, perhaps it's where the wee leprechauns hide their pots of gold? No excuse.
Some you win, some you lose.
Glad I didn't use much paper on this one (in my Arches travel pad 6 x 10).
This next one is somewhat better, but it is still just a copy from the Gordon MacKenzie book, using his instructions on how to paint this one. Again, mine didn't turn out the way his did, but it's still a copy of the composition and techniques he used (although I didn't use masking fluid on the canoe), so can't take much credit for this one. (Remember, it's okay to copy work from an instructional book and even make your painting look exactly like the book painting - but it's only for educational purposes. Don't go out and try to sell anything you do this way as your own!)
I sponged on the background "leaves" and overworked the water (doesn't look bad in the photo but in real life, pretty ugly).
I think I'll go back to using one of his finished paintings as a starting off place and then put the book down and continue on my own and see what comes out of that.
8 comments:
Hi,Rhonda,
Not bad! The paintings look like picture book illusrtations.
What about going for sketch in a group? Today, Sydney sketch club had a fun! Take it easy.
Cheers,Sadami
Rhonda, dry brush strokes using a rigger or wrung out round works great for realistic broken tree trunks and keeping your mind on feathering out the edges of foliage with clean water also helps me a great deal. why not try again using Winsor and Newton Neutral tint ( warmer than Paynes Grey) or Sepia...
Mask off a quarter sheet with tape to create four or six oblongs or squares, and go from one area to the other....work on the next one as the first washes are drying. Sketch horizon line or water and tree placement if you need to.....hope you don't mind my suggestions!
Thanks, Sadami :) You are being too kind about these two! ha ha I might do a landscape sketching class this fall...will have to see what comes up then and if I'm still interested in the landscapes :)
Maggie, I appreciate your suggestions! I don't have WN Neutral tint but do have Sepia I never use. I've not been drawing these (or, just lightly sketching things in), trying to draw with my brush, but...not always working. I like your idea of doing several at a time but wanted to keep these all in my Arches travel pad for future reference (and laughs, I hope!)
No advice from me but I must say your words sure made me smile! I like the pieces, frankly.
Hi Rhonda,
It's easy for me to take myself out of your process and intent. I love the effects achieved with the trees... especially the trunks. The entire piece reminds me of photographs that have been tweaked in photoshop with digital effects. I'd save this with lots of notes for when you want to achieve this look again :)
I like your idea of jumping off of a finished piece and putting your own spin on it. I too have dificulting following a step by step process.... let me loose, let me be free :)
Thanks, Autumn and Pam :) If nothing else, I made you smile, Autumn! ha ha Pam, I guess I'll have to let this one sit a long time before I see the beauty in it - but not every one can be a winner since I'm still very much in the learning mode.
the top part of the tree is really good, and you left it alone (thumbs up emoticon here). the trunks - one stroke, make sure there is perceptible narrowing (usually), and never go back to fix or you get the worked look and all the superfluous edges. thought we covered that in that workshop! (or was that the lesson where Ms. Charming started to mutiny? insert different emoticon, heh)
LOL! Thanks, Nick. You are one super busy man right now - are you getting any time to paint for yourself? Hope so! I appreciate the comments. Don't recall anything about trees in your workshop BUT I could have been brain dead by the last day - so much information to process and so much fun and activity. Yeah, I think maybe that was your day of mutiny, too :( I'll have a better little landscape to share next time. This one - well, sometimes you just have a few mutts in the pack!
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