Fishing Oil 22x 16

[Cap]

This is my son, it needs more work ..I am frustrated with it! Took me an age to get his head right. I have more to do on the face and I am not sure about the legs, they are not in the ref photo.
Distant trees? should I define them more or leave them?
Thanks to anyone who can help me finish this.
<IMG SRC="http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-Apr-2001/fishing.jpg" border=0>




------------------
Something exciting is about to happen! ( I think I cap I think I cap?)

[Fagan]

Hey Cap! I love your water reflections!!! I would change the shirt color to something light...like white with blue/lilac shadows. This will help set it away from the bushes behind him. This is one of your best paintings so far Cap! *SMILE*

------------------
Beverly
http://www.faganstudio.com

[Jimbo68]

Wow Cap, this IS the best of your work I have seen also! I think the legs look fine already. Speaking of which, you did a great job pianting denim, the jeans actually have denim-looking texture.

I think your distant trees are defined well enough.

The only thing I can possibly think of is maybe defining your son more, like Fagan's suggestion of a lighter colored shirt. I tried darkening the area around him (and the rest thats close to the viewer) but I'm not sure if that defines him any better. *SHRUG*

GREAT JOB! Oh yeah, for what it's worth here is the version I was messing around with.

<IMG SRC="http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-Apr-2001/fish1.jpg" border=0>

[This message has been edited by Jimbo68 (edited April 04, 2001).]

[Impulse]

So thaaat's where you've been all this time! Great composition. I love the tree trunks over the water -- fantastic!-- and the water treatment. I very much like the plant life in the foreground. I think your distant trees do not need a ton more definition but perhaps a touch more volume so that I know they are there. I think your son's clothes need a bit more light and dark work for contrast and your problem with the face maybe solved on the same basis.

Good to see your stuff again. I a am certain you Cap!

------------------
Whatever can find room in the human heart, as emotion, idea, and purpose, whatever it is able to frame into a deed ... can constitute the many-colored content of painting. Hegel.

[Cap]

Thanks Fagan I am considering your suggestion on the white T. I went to the oil forum? not there will try again.
Jimbo I like how you darkened the foreground!

Impulse Thanks! I will work on the trees some more!


------------------
Something exciting is about to happen! ( I think I cap I think I cap?)

[TeAnne]

Way cool Cap http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif I too love the reflections. WOW. I was at you site briefly yesterday, had to bookmark, had to go to work. Will have a good look around on the week end. http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif
BTW, I have left replies to your question about doing your portrait. http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif So I will answer here.>>>>>>>>>> YES, I would love to try you, but please, your best photo. http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif BIG.

------------------
ART by TeAnne (http://members.iinet.net.au/~fireice/TeAnneArt.html)
I must make a piece of art everyday for my own well being.

[cleo]

Distant trees are very nice, most of your
concerns are fine. high lights in the shirt
and pants will pop them out and of course
finish the face and something more with the
rod and reel.

Really fine!

cleo

[Cap]

Thanks T ! There is not that much at my site I have been very lazy about adding anything. I will see what I can dig out as far as a good photo goes lol don't think one exists. Thanks for the nice comment on this.


Cleo ...You really think so? I have no faith in myself. I will post when I finish it. Thanks for your comments and help.


http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
Something exciting is about to happen! ( I think I cap I think I cap?)

[This message has been edited by Cap (edited April 04, 2001).]

[bbbilly1326]

I like the painting Cap but I think you could change a couple of things and make it better, as you're suggesting.
I like the way Jimbo darkened the right foreground.
Warmer colors in your son's figure(face, arms, and clothing) will make him draw the eye more.
I like the design of the white trees very much but I think they're too light, and need to be toned down. Also, the trees touching the left edge will need toning down even more lest they lead the eye out of the picture.
The water starting above the lower tree doesn't look as much like water as in the foreground, where it looks exactly like water, due to your excellent rendering of the reflections.
This will be one you'll want to keep once you've got it to your satisfaction, I'm sure.
Hope I haven't been too critical, but just helpful http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif

Bill

------------------
Bill
"Paintings are never finished, only abandoned" (source unknown)
index.html (http://hamiltoncarroll.homestead.com)

[David Acres]

This looking GREAT CAP! http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif It could even stop at this point if one wanted! http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif But I can never leave the damn thing alone! http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif

Your growing every day! http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif


------------------
Dave Acres...
Merely a student of life!:)

'The artist is no more than a receptacle for sensations, a brain, a recording apparatus. But if it interferes, if it dares, feeble apparatus that it is, to deliberately intervene in what it should be translating, its own pettiness gets into the picture. The work becomes inferior.... Paul Cezanne...

[Cap]

Billy, sorry I have taken so long to answer your comments. http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif
I see what you mean about the water beyond the white branch. I am posting the photo I based this on, so you can see how bad I am LOL<IMG SRC="http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/09-Apr-2001/fishing.jpg" border=0>

I was not going for a photo copy , I wanted much more color in my painting.
I will post an update when I get around to it. Very busy with the spring break! Boys off school!


Thanks David! yes I feel like my art is growing , this place has helped trememdously!

------------------
Something exciting is about to happen! ( I think I cap I think I cap?)

[This message has been edited by Cap (edited April 09, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Cap (edited April 10, 2001).]

[henrik]

Hi, you have a very nice start.
Here are two images to show some compositional things:
<IMG SRC="http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/11-Apr-2001/fishing-hl1.jpg" border=0> <IMG SRC="http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/11-Apr-2001/fishing-hl2.jpg" border=0>
First there are many elements that pull the eye towards the left and off canvas. The rod, trunk, grass, the way the boy is looking etc. There is nothing there to pull the viewer back.
The second image shows that the green is a diagonal thing that cuts out a piece making this area live its own life disconnected from the rest. The pull is now somewhat of a good thing - without the pull out of this area, the viewer would be stuck there completely. Do you see this too?

The second thing is easy to fix; just balance all that green with more green on the other side.
<IMG SRC="http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/11-Apr-2001/fishing-hl3.jpg" border=0>
Here is an image where i did that. I also opened up around the boy - this way he crosses several planes and becomes are more prominent visual element. Opening up beind him makes this area less dead. I tried working some movement into the water and the grass area in front of the boy to createa bit more pull back towards the figure; I increased contrast in front of the boy, and poked some holes in the grass.
As you can see, I changed the distant skyline so it makes a counter diagonal towards the green diagonal - it sloeps towards the head of the boy thus emphasising it even further. I made the dark behind the boy lighter as I thought that the viewer should not be pulled there. I blurred the trunk at the far left and some areas where there was high contrast to make the trunk less prominent.

Finally, I could not resist removing the trunk altogether to see what that would look like.
<IMG SRC="http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/11-Apr-2001/fishing-hl4.jpg" border=0>

I hope you don't mind all the changes - see them as options. One direction that I started to explore was to go in the other direction and add more green - but I stopped as I thought it became overwhelming; but it would be possible to make that work too.


------------------
Visit my gallery at Artistnation (http://www.artistnation.com/members/paris/henrik)

[jerryW]

this thread is a lot of fun, and shows you can go just about anywhere.
Love that actual photo.

[tammy]

I kind of like it as is.

------------------
Don't worry, its gonna be all right....
Tammy's Home for Artists (http://tammy.artistnation.com)