First landscape attempt.

[Maryeve]

OK, So, after doing nothing but portraits for years, I gave myself a small sheet of paper and 20 minutes to see what would happen. Not real impressed with myself.

[bnoonan]

Not being a landscape painter either - I don't feel right in commenting but I think as a first attempt it's pretty good. You're doing it!!! Keep it up.

Oh - I know you were interested in Susan Ogilve's work. I saw that in a recent show she's working with oil pastels on board. - In the past it was only soft pastels.

Best of luck on this fabulous adventure!!!


Barb

[Dark_Shades]

lol, they are a completely different and bewildering concept arent they lol ....
Bravo to you for making an attempt...... and I think it is rather nice actually..... really like the colours...... like the red, but not sure about being placed in the foreground.... I know nothing of landscapes, so take no notice of me lol ..... I think you show a lovely style and good imagination for colour which makes it all interesting..... you will go from strength to strength the more you do

well done

[SweetBabyJ]

You can do this, Mary- you have the knowledge and the talent- you just have to figure out how to use both in a slightly different way.

You're a portrait painter by choice- but what is a portrait but a still life of a person? And what is a still life but a landscape in tight focus? See? Use what you know of portraits to translate what you need to see and do in a landscape.

I *think* (being no great shakes at this my ownself) you're throwing colour at your scene a bit too soon- concentrate on the values, first, just as you would with a portrait. Leave those luscious colours till the last layer or two- then you can see how to make them all sing against each other. Plus, this way, since you're an inveterate blender, you can blend those tonal-value layers to your heart's content, and then use the colour to make it all Impressionistic strokes.

You can do this- trust us.

[jackiesimmonds]

Could you show us your reference photo, if you used one? I am sure we could help a lot ...there is a lot of good stuff going on here.

One problem is that there are two compositions here, a harmonious top half, and a lively bottom section which doesn't relate that well to the top half. Also, the composition is divided absolutely in half by that dark diagonal. Now Look at this:



and this, with much more red elsewhere in the pic (rather poorly done, as I did it digitally, not good with those digital brushes! Squint like mad at the screen,it improves it!) Also, the very very dark has been lightened into colour.



course, you may not like either ... but no problem there.

If you spend a bit more than 20 mins, I am sure you will come up with the goods. Perhaps do a thumbnail before you start, next time.

[Maryeve]

[quote=jackiesimmonds]Could you show us your reference photo, if you used one? I am sure we could help a lot ...there is a lot of good stuff going on here.

This was completely made up, no reference, 15-20 minutes of piddling.

[Dyin]

I don't think it's a bad start at all....it's hard to go from detail to non-detail though...not that there aren't details in landscape but they're not individual leaves, grass etc... I like the way you did the colors in those background trees...and maybe if you were more of an orange tone on the front part the whole thing would sing!

[MKathleen]

Hi Maryeve, I like to see what you can do when you give yourself more than 20 minutes! Because I think given more time say two hours you could create a lovely landscape. Also how about try using a landscape photograph or go outside (or look out the window) and create from mother nature.
Kathy

[jackiesimmonds]

oops, lots of posts before I edited my long one above and put two pics in there - Maryeve, do pop back and have a look.

I too am sure you could come up with something very worthwhile, if you gave yourself more than 20 mins, and if you sorted out a really good composition first.