willows

[MALARKEY]

learning watercolors by working on postcards http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Critiques/User/willowssk.jpg

[cagathoc]

Really nice mood. I like how you painted the willows by the water; that's where they always grow!

Nice branches and drybrush effect for the foliage!

good work!!



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Cindy Agathocleous

"What if imagination and art are not, as many of us might think, the frosting on life, but the fountainhead of human experience?" - Rollo May from The Courage to Create

[CarlyHardy]

Mal! this looks so fresh and alive! Nice colors especially in the trees and the water!

Keep up the good work!
carly

[bruin70]

hi mal,,,,i think the river bank dominatesthe picture. is this your intention?....the reason is that that is where it is the most contrasty. the trees almost blend into the background.....miss you guys in chat. when i'm done i'll be back,,,,,milt

[shelewis]

Very nice!! postcards are a great way to practice watercolors, I also cut up bigger sheets of watercolor paper into 8" x 10" pieces. Keep it up, watercolor is fun isn't it??? http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Paula

[oleCC]

Mal....Willows bring back special memories to me from childhood. Wonder if you could emphasize the drooping effect of the branchs a bit? This might also take some of the emphasis from the ground area. Weeping Willows really look like they are weeping.
Love your color choices - Keep Going ! http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif

PS: We miss you too bruin, in chat. Good luck on your show !

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http://www.artistnation.com/members/lofts/olecc

[MichaelRH]

Mal...I like it. Colors..handling of the medium...I like the mood/atmosphere.

[kemshmi]

Hi Sandy.. http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/cool.gif
I can see that you are really learning this!!..the "greenery" looks great..very good watercolorly way with them in/with the background..maybe more blending in the right half of the shore.. is it meant to be like a sandbar there..is a bit confusing..
where water comes in contact with the shore the soil or sand is darker from being wet..depending on the terrain it soaks the ground for up to several feet back from the water..(of course you know that..but may have not thought about that as you were painting http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif
my suggestion is to make the sandbar color the same as the other land color..or..just a more gradual change from each of the areas..sand to soil..soil to water.. (hard to go back in and rework on the card stuff though..strathmore cards??..are not as heavy of paper stock)but maybe do a few of these http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

can I play with it in my paint program??

Kemshmi

misses bruin70 too http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/tongue.gif

[This message has been edited by kemshmi (edited March 24, 2000).]

[MALARKEY]

Thanks all! The willows were really fun to paint. One of those moments when everything works out the way you want it to. Kemshmi, please critique away, and I love when you do the digital re-works... makes things understandable at a glance. I am ready to try the same scene on a larger sheet of watercolor paper. The light area is suppose to be light colored weeds..some of the light brown directly behind the dark weeds at the water's edge didn't show up well. OH! one question... on a larger size does this picture need clouds? Thanks, Malarkey

[kemshmi]

Mal..very good question!!..yes..when you change size..from a smaller piece to a larger one you may find that some of the areas need something more, so there wont be great big patches of one color http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/wink.gif you dont necessarly need clouds..but that would be a good solution in this case..

can you do some kind of enlargements and print..just in greyscale??..if so then you can enlarge this to the size of your larger paper and you will see the difference that occurs when resizing..

I often do thumbnails for my work..and have this kind of a "problem" to work out when I enlarge..but the thumbnails are really great for placement of the main features of a picture..and values..

Kemshmi

[kemshmi]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Critiques/User/mal.JPG

I used a "smudge" tool..to soften/remove the line in the water in front of the trees..and to pull a bit of the soil color into the sandy color..
where I tried to pull some of the weeds in to the lighter area it got a little blotchy (lost the nice brush work you did)..and I see you said there is more to the weeds that did not come out in the photo..

see you in chat.. http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif
Kemshmi