Plein air stream at evening

[sidbledsoe]

75% done the other evening then finished this morning, pics in afternoon.
Raw umber and sienna, napthol red, cad yellow hue, cobalt blue hue (utrecht) and happy little thumbox. Sid

[cjorgensen]

Gee Whiz, that looks like a fun session. I wish I had been there painting too.

[sidbledsoe]

I can be pretty ruthless with painting so I changed a couple of things about
this sketch to see if I would like it, reduced the sticks and changed the sky a bit, no biggie, still learning, you know, Sid

[MichaelR]

This has an atmosphere of being a damp and creepy place with elves and goblins never far away! I can see what you mean about being ruthless, but if I might be permitted to make a small suggestion? Your reworking has made the trees look even more stunted, almost burned as if by a forest fire?

Trees that have their feet in water often grow vigorously and reach strongly towards the light and it is often better to paint them reaching straight out of the top of the canvas than to truncate them.

I was told a long time ago by a fine outdoor painter never to make a mark on the canvas unless it showed that I had noticed something and I thought that was very good advice. If one's outdoor work is overly imaginative it loses that identifiable "this was painted in front of the subject" authority and truth that good PA work always has.

[sidbledsoe]

Thanks Michael, I consider that an very insightful critique and agree, in particular about the trees. I am a bit flattered by the mood comments because that is what I wanted and not something I normally paint, btw I highly regard your work and criticism, thanks, Sid