some expert advice, please.

[DLGardner]

Oils
9x12

How do I get the tractor to stand out? That's a shed behind it with wisteria on it. I know I need to work on it some and brighten up some of the lilacs etc. Any suggestions?

By the way...the plein air group that I started is up and running. We are part of our local art association and there are about 6 of us so far. We had our first outing this morning and everyone loved it and we look forward to our next! The lady whose lilac garden this is even took pictures of us. We are official!

So-if you want a group in your town just start one!

Hope you had a good weekend.
Dianne

[Phyllis Rennie]

Hi D, I'm not an expert but if you want it to stand out, you need contrast. Maybe color, maybe value, maybe intensity, maybe..........whatever.........but contrast! Probably not a really helpful answer but maybe someone more expert will have a better one.

[DLGardner]

Thanks Phyliss,
I knew I needed contrast. I wasn't sure how to get it. I made the shed red and that helped.

hmmmm

[CarlyHardy]

The tractor needs light on it to make it shine since its in the middle ground. Love your close-focus on the lilacs. I find that kind of plein air really hard to do!

Congratulations on getting your group started! So far there are two of us who meet each week....but we have about 4 others that drop in and out!
carly

[paintfool]

The colors of the tractor are nearly identical to the foliage. This will make it hard to distinguish. Making the shed a redder tone probably did help a bit but i'd go a bit farther by replacing some of the greenery below (in front) of the tractor with lighter shades and more browns. Add some shiny highlights to the body of the tractor, as Carly has said, put some light on it, and you should see it pop out a bit more. This is really pretty BTW!
Cheryl

[Phyllis Rennie]

Originally posted by d_garden
Thanks Phyliss,
I knew I needed contrast. I wasn't sure how to get it.

hmmmm

Told ya it wasn't the best advise:D :D Actually it was sorta like telling you to figure it out yourself--but I didn't mean that.

[CarlyHardy]

I just took another look at this....if it were me...I'd forget there is a shed...there's no real outline of one so the color thru the flowers sort of blends into the flowers.

I'd change the color of the tractor to red! Put some hightlights on it and on the ground in front of it...then it would be more prominent thru the greenery of the plants.
carly