Help me finish, Please!

[tammy]

Hi,
As most of you know I am doing a Bridge series. I've got this one painting that I started and I just out and out got upset with it, put it on my shelf and didn't finish it. It is done on hard board. (I hate unfinished trash!)
The more I look at it the more I like it, but it has a lot of composition problems. I'd like to finish it but just don't know where to go from here.
Could you sweet people help perhaps? Photoshop recreations won't hurt my feelings at all. I know you see sticks in the sky but as I said I stopped in the middle of it.
Any help appreciated or should I really scrap it? Thanks
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Tammy "I MUST be an Artist, artist".

[bruin70]

tam,,,,i think you need a more dynamic composition. it has a dramatic subject matter. the bridge should be more prominent. it is "hidden" for a couple of reasons. 1,,,,it's almost the same value as the surrounding area, so it doesn't pop,,,it gets lost. 2,,,,,its placement on the canvas and maybe even the canvas format doesn't enhance help its dynamic.

so i would....change the values of the trees, brush, sky and ground.

...and i would crop the canvas.....{M}



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"it's alright to be judgmental,,,,,,,,if you have taste"...MILT

[tammy]

Thanks Bruin,
The values I can do something about. The position of the bridge I'm having trouble with. I've already one going one end of it looking down to the other end of the bridge so I don't want that. I'd rather have a side or angle view of it. I don't have room for the entire bridge on this one and the way it is I know it runs right out of the painting. If I do it this way, I'll need some kind of eye stop at the end.
Tree branches or bushes in front of the end of the bridge perhaps? I just dont'know.
Should I run it side of board to side? Corner to Corner?

Ps where would you crop it?


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Tammy "I MUST be an Artist, artist".

[henrik]

Tammy,
I have made some edits to show one option that I could think of - to make the bridge shorter. Maybe you like this... IMO it looks a a bit odd, and would need to be made narrower (i.e too make it longer and furher away.

I also added some more foliage (some very close up and blurred)...

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[henrik]

Here is one more option where I changed the perspective of the bridge.
<IMG SRC="http://www.wetcanvas.com/Critiques/User/atry-hl2.jpg" border=0>

[tammy]

Thanks Henrik, I think that will help. I could push the far side of the bridge back farther and make it smaller too. It was the end that flows out of the painting that was a problem for me and the view you give on the second one I think helps alot. I think I will try it.

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Tammy "I MUST be an Artist, artist".

[KaTee]

Tammy,

I like the suggestions that Henrik has offered.

When I looked at your original, I felt that something was needed at the top right corner to help lead the eye back down into the painting, and I think that Henriks suggestions solve that.

Don't give up on it, and let us see it when its finished.

Take care

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