Pathway to the Cove

[Flycatcher10]

Oil Pastels: Holbeins, Neopastels and Senns
11 x 14: gessoed hardboard

This is from my own photo collection of Maine. It's a picture of the end of our street we lived on in Maine. The island across the way is close in proximity called, Sturdivant Island. There was a path to the beach but it was hiden, so this is my attempt to paint one in for interest.

Many painting firsts for me - from new type of landscape subjects, to color combinations, shadows and techniques. The pathway doesn't excite me feel free to offer a suggestion or two.

Looking forward to your feedback and comments. Thanks, Mary

[reeta]

Hi Mary,
This looks like it must be a pretty spot, and some nice things going on in your painting. I especially like the sunlight on the grass and the shadow of the tree on the left. Nice work.

Ree

[Flycatcher10]

Thanks Reeta appreciate your comments. I have a lot of work to do in learning landscapes, so thanks for providing your feedback.

It is a beautiful spot, luckily I have it captured during the various seasons and will try another painting later.

[Pat Isaac]

This does look like a lovely spot and so typical of the Maine coast. The path to me seems a little too uniform, but that sunlight is very nice.

Pat

[PJjr]

This is great Mary... I like the tree on the left and the rocks on the right ---
If you muted the path in the farthest part after it goes over the hump it might look more natural or taper it a little more as it moves away from the foreground , so it gives an illusion of depth.

[halthepainter]

Mary Lovely painting. The pathway leads the eye in and makes the viewer want to know what might be just around the bend.

[Flycatcher10]

Thanks everyone for posting your comments.

Pat: Thank you for your feedback, glad you like the scene - just a little slice of heaven. I almost thinking perhaps a browned area of grass for the path would have been a better choice instead of one as obvious as what's here, the land is actually very sandy there.

Pj: Thank you and so appreciated. I really enjoy painting rocks and boulders - thanks for pointing them out. Nice suggestions on the path, which I'll be considering for the next time.

Hal: Thanks so much. There is a bench, that everyone usually gets their picture taken, and then steep steps down to the beach. So you are spot-on and thanks for noticing, my goal was for the viewer to wonder what's beyond the end of the path.

[UKrookie]

Hi Mary, I am brand new on this website, and have no right whatsoever to comment on your work, but I have to say that Pathway to the Cove is precisely the sort of picture which I would most like to be able to create - it is both precise and yet informal all at the same time, and I just love it.

The perspective is superb, with the path leading downhill to the level sea, and the island in the distance - there is little difference between the sea and the sky, and the island could very easily have looked like a UFO, or a crocodile or something... but no, it is clearly an island!

I understand your doubts about the path itself. On that terrain, it is unlikely that such a path would be so narrow and clearly defined (which is probably the reason why the path does not actually exist, causing you to invent it). You mentioned a bench - maybe instead of the path, you could have justified your picture's excellent title by including a suggestion of a bench to one side or the other of what might or might not be a well-used thoroughfare

[TamaraB]

I can't offer any suggestions, but you know I always have plenty of praise! LOL. The shadows under the trees are really good. Mary have you considered doing a WIP thread?

[Flycatcher10]

Hi URookie: thank you for commenting on my painting. You actually have every right to provide feedback, that's what this site is for. So thank you and I appreciate the specifics you mentioned.

Hi Tam: Thank you for providing your comments. I'm working on learning shadows - never knew they could be so involved.

Thanks everyone.