Tree Study 2

[Robert]

Same trees at a park below my house.

Two-hour plein air oil with three primaries/white on linen/board.

[Phyllis Rennie]

Maybe need a couple of trunks, branches, twigs in the trees on the right side??? Looks a bit unfinished.

[Patrick1]

Yup, I agree. It's a solid foundation, it's 3/4 done. Now it just wants some highlights to make the shapes stand out and give some warmth and sunshine. A bright yellow-green color is great for foliage highlights. If you're brave, you can even add the highlights non plein-air, just by trying to imagine where they should be. And maybe some reflected purple or blue on the shadow side of tree trunks, like the previous version.
I like the touch of magenta/purple you used in the clouds. It was only last year, after looking at cloud formations that I learned that clouds near the horizon are indeed purplish.
Patrick

[Robert]

Thanks, Phyllis, Patrick. I touched it up a little last night.
Is it "cheating" to studio finish a plein air?

Bob

[Phyllis Rennie]

Diane told me that MINOR adjustments in the studio are acceptable. There is a PleinAir Society web site that also says that. I'll look to see if I can find it.

[Phyllis Rennie]

Hi Bob, try this -- http://nhstudios.com/NAPPAP FrameSet.html

It's the National Academy of Professional Plein air Painters. (if I got it right--I'm techno challenged)

[Patrick1]

That looks awesome now. Great foliage highlights.
If only I could do foliage hilights like that.
Patrick

[Robert]

Phyllis, Patrick - thanks for looking. I'm familiar with PAPA, Phyllis - what an awesome group of painters! Several of them do workshops, including Frank Lalumia, who was recently in Asheville.

Patrick, appreciate the kind compliment! I have to say I sort of wince when I look at this painting. I saw the way Margaret Kessler handles trees while reading through one of her books last night and I had one of those "aw - cr##" moments. She uses green sparingly and heightens its effect with complimentary colors. The result is convincing, even though if you really study it, you realize a tree doesn't "really" look like that.

I might hang out with these same trees for awhile. They're conveniently located in a park at the end of my street. There's usually enough light to do a small oil sketch of them at the end of the day after work.



Bob

[bbbilly1326]

Pretty good Bob, but you might want to vary the greens more with other colors. The trunks on the left are rather uniform; you could vary the colors or the markings to rectify that.
Very nice sky.

Bill

[Robert]

Appreciate the comment, Billy. Hope to get better at this in time.
It's very challenging.

Bob

[animal]

I especially like the highlights on the trees and the colours you have used.