Surreybrooke Garden Children's Cabin (MD,USA)

[starryonder]

Spent the afternoon at Surreybrooke Garden (MD, USA) in the sunshine.
Handmade rag watercolor paper that can only handle a little bit of re-working. Changed the window size on cabin...not sure whether that was good idea or not! Approx 8X11
C&C welcomed.



photo of site...view a little different


Thank you for looking and offering suggestions!
Kendal

[Yorky]

Your photo looks a little dark. Is the sky blue in the original?

Doug

[noge]

Its a nice scene
but you should finish the strong shadows under the eves

another problem : Its called "Kissing the edges " it doesnt look good if two contures meet on one level - the hill(?) behind and the roof -
you can fix it
if you paint the green hill a little higher

[kayakartist]

Agree with both Doug (sky) & Egon (shadow under eaves & hill & roof). Like the scene & painting looks good to me!

[MtLookout]

Good comments so far. I might not have copied the horizon line to be so close to the line of the roof. I would have just left it to be the tops of the closer trees. The distant tree line doesn't add anything.

Tom

[starryonder]

Thanks Doug, Egon and Maribeth~~for taking time to look & comment.

Yes Doug -- sky is blue in painting, but not as blue as it was yesterday. On the paper it looks like a nice smooth wash...but not in the photo! Should I brighten it? I was afraid it wouldn't recede enough, but I can add glazes to darken/brighten...I think the paper will take it.

Thanks for the advice re shadow and hill/roof, Egon. I'll move a mountain

Kendal

[starryonder]

Hmmmm...perhaps I should try lifting the mountain instead, Tom? (thanks for taking a look)

I'm wishing now I would have used other paper! It was pricey stuff, but I should just save it for quick sketches, I think.

Kendal

[hancyartwork]

I really like your style and subject matter. It is well done.

hancyartwork

[starryonder]

Thank you Hancyartwork. Welcome to WC -- I hope to see some of your work soon. I also recently came back to watercolor and pastels. The folks here at WC are so willing to share their expertise -- great place to learn and be inspired!

Kendal

[fatbrush]

This is a pleaseant, soft and restful painting. The sky is a little dull and rather muddy I feel but I can understand that perhaps you wanted to keep the colours here rather demure and of soft hue. It might, just as an experiment, be good to try a section of the same subject with the colours much brighter and with a nice bright blue sky. Just a thought. Or perhaps even go the other way and remove all the colour and try the same section in graphite pencil. Ady

[starryonder]

Thanks Ady -- I was actually going for bright, but I find I can be very timid with watercolors! I haven't had much time until this weekend to try and remedy the challenges. Posted below is the update with several washes added to the sky (and I'd say it is pretty true to the actual lovely day I was out painting). The paper wouldn't take removal of the mountain, so I gave it a bit of variation in cooler green tones to break that echoing line behind the cabin. Also extended my shadow below the roof.
Thanks for the help and comments. They were appreciated and I am happier with the results.
Kendal

[hancyartwork]

llschultz@zianet.com
August 11, 2012 @2:43PM

Dear Starryonder,

The improvements you made does bring out the feeling of the sunny day. The colors are still nice and soft and the contrast you added brings things forward.

hancyartwork