Some are Winners - Some are Not!

[CarlyHardy]

yesterday afternoon at the park
11x14 oil on stretched canvas

My image isn't very true to the colors...don't know what happened but this one needs work anyway! LOL

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/30-Aug-2002/lakeafternoonWC.jpg

Any suggestions on how to make the land come "up" towards me would be appreciated.

[CarlyHardy]

If this looks pink on anyone's screen...just replace that color with a warm orangey color....our dirt here is really red!

JO, I took another pic...this one has that glare! but the color is better. carly

[JustjoGA]

Well, Carly, considering your usually bright happy colors, I have to say this one's a little drab... is there any way to brighten up the water and foreground? It seems so dark and still...

[hblenkle]

I would have to agree about the colors in this painting being more muted than in your other paintings. After it dries a little, a final layer of more saturated vibrant colors, like you usually use, will perk up this sleeper. I always check for your paintings when I log onto WC. Love your style and vibrant colors.
Harold

[ramjo]

carly,
I like the trees..maybe make the water more life into it. seems like too stiff..I thought it was grass.

____________

Ramjo

[blondheim12]

Carly,
I like the subdued colors in this painting, proving that we are all different and like different palettes. It is fine to me. It is more subtle than some of your other works, which appeals to me. Paintings don't have to shout to be good.
Love,
Linda
http://dougie.net/epotw/

[Ruth]

Hi Carly,

I've been enjoying your park paintings. Sorry I haven't had time to post comments. You asked for suggestions on this one, and I have a couple I'd like to share, FWIW.

I love what you've been doing with backlighting of the trees. In this one, the purples and yellows work well together as contrast, making the trees come forward with that back-lit look. The near tree is shorter than the far tree, and would seem more in perspective if it were taller. I think the distant tree would cast a shadow, also.

The water-shapes are rather odd, and they come to a point at the left side and the right side of the canvas. Maybe the pond was actually shaped like this, but it doesn't quite "read" right, and you have artistic license to change it, of course.

The area in the middle where there are ducks isn't reading quite right either. I can't tell if they're on land or in water. The foreground land-shapes are a little odd, too. I think it has to do with the roller-coaster-like line where land and water meet, and the feeling of rolling hills between water and near tree.

I made some PaintShopPro changes to show one way you could change it, to illustrate what I'm trying to say. I hope you don't mind! :D I love it when somebody does this for me.

Ruth

P.S. I see a smiley-face in the near tree :D

[Phyllis Rennie]

Hi Carly,

I like Ruth's suggested revision of the shape of the water.

About making the land come up toward you, I think you could raise the base of the near tree and make it taller--even extend it out of the picture. Then create a slope going down from that toward the pond and shape the pond so you are looking down on it instead of across it.

[CarlyHardy]

Thanks everyone. Since this one will take so much of a change to make it an okay painting, I think I'm going to scrape the paint off and use the canvas again! I like being outside so much that I'd rather paint the scene using what I've learned rather than try and salvage this one...but I really do appreciate the ideas. Ruth your redo looks great!

And one of these days, I'm going to make those geese and ducks look right!! LOL

carly

[ramjo]

Carly,
I like the reflections from the water..very nice

_____________

Ramjo :clap:

[CarlyHardy]

Update for everyone!

I scraped all the paint off this one....and took a look at the canvas with just the stained colors from my first layer. It actually looked pretty good...LOL. I should have stopped painting when I was ahead!
carly