October moods on the West River

[sundiver]

Well, I guess I've taken 20 pictures of this darn thing, and spent time manipulating the colours and values, but can't get an accurate photo. It's either too dark, too red, or too pasty.
But here it is, of a fall day with a moody, mostly-cloudy day with some flashes of colour. This is a less-manicured spot of PEI, and there was moisture in the air. Is it too gloomy?
8x10 on wc paper

[Pat Isaac]

Gloomy? not at all Wendy. I always feel the color of the trees are heightened on those gloomy fall days, and yourpainting feels just like that. Really like the contrast of the birches.

Pat

[redclare]

Very nice, Wendy. I agree with Pat, not gloomy at all. I love the delicate tracery of birch branches in the upper part of the painting, as well as the evergreen branches in the lower right.

I can feel the moisture in the air.

[Barbara WC]

This is nice! I agree, not gloomy at all. It does look like a partly cloudy day, partly due to the fact there are no strong shadows. I really like the birch trees, and the way you textured the front grasses with yellow. It really does look like one of those cool, partly cloudy days in fall.

Barbara

[robertsloan2]

Wendy, it is not gloomy! Fall is a romantic time of year to me, so it seems peaceful and by my life experience, whispers of romance -- of someone special out in woods with me talking deep and telling our life stories and snuggling when it's only slightly chilly, but just chilly enough that a snuggle feels very good. I've always wound up lucking in love in autumn, not springtime.

Maybe it's the colors in the world, the colors in this are so rich and you even caught the way a burning bright landscape can reflect on the cloud layer and warm the overcast light. This is not a gloomy winter chill but a warm bright soft overcast autumn day full of possibilities, sweater weather rather than bitter cold, pleasant rather than overheated, wind carrying a scent of leaves and the light blazing warm everywhere I look.

Beautiful painting, Wendy. Exactly right as it is.

[Kerch]

I like it alot - wish the photo was better.

[christinemlr]

Did you mean muted? And its not even that, I would say soft and gentle.
This is such a lovely, lovely painting, and I'm totally in concord with Roberts poetic response to this.

I'm imagining it as a bigger painting, and I'm imagining it on my wall so I can go to that place and fall in love too! That little burst of orange by the birches is perfect.

So this is what oil pastels can do.

Everyone else probably knows, but please tell me what OPs have you used here?

Xina

[fishfan]

Wendy, I think I can tell you had problems photographing this one. On my computer it still looks a bit over-exposed. Gloomy? Are you serious? It's a wonderful scene and beautifully rendered. The flashes of color come through. I think fall colors look better on overcast days.

[Peiwend]

This is beautifully done, Wendy, and I hope to see it soon in real life. It's a lovely surprise to see paintings of an area close to where I live.

_______________________________Wendell

[sundiver]

Pat, Rebecca, Barbara, Brian, thanks for your comments.
Robert, how nice that it can conjure up happy romantic feelings in you! Lovely words.
Xina, I use mostly Holbeins, lots of CDs, too, and there's a watercolour underpainting with Liquitex Clear Gesso over it.

Fishfan, there are 3 computers in this house. On the pc it's very red, on my work laptop it's dark and dull, and on DH's laptop it's almost right, sort of, but not golden enough.
Wendell, thanks. I know what you mean about the nice surprise because that's what happens when I see your paintings of the Island.
(and not to hijack my own thread, but if you folks want to see some examples done in soft pastels, check out his thread here. But grab a Kleenex because you'll be drooling on the keyboard.)

[Herb]

It looks terrific on my monitor, Wendy. I agree with the others that fall colors seem brighter when it's overcast, although I would have thought the day only partly cloudy from what I see on my monitor.

You and Wendell portray PEI as an almost story-book like place full of sunshine and bright colors and, of course, at least two very nice people.

I think I'd like to visit some time.

[christinemlr]

I'm glad I asked about the OPs Wendy, thank you for your explanation of the process you used. I'm going to get some of that clear gesso/ primer. It looks like a very useful 'tool'. I could go back to some not very happy watercolours and see if I can make something new with them.
Xina

[Scarefishcrow]

All I will say Wendy, if this is gloomy I'd like a warning before you post spectacular since I might want to view it through a welder's mask lest I damage my retina!

How can autumn color every be gloomy!! I love that ambiguous season. So bright, often overcast, crisp nip in the air but nothing that really chills. I can sense those things in your piece.

(Oops. That's more than I was going to say wasn't it? WELL, that certainly doesn't happen often, now does it?)

See how caught up I was in the beauty of your work?

Bill

[E-J]

Not gloomy at all, Wendy, though I sympathise with your frustration at not being able to get an accurate pic. I love the warm glow and your stroke-work (if that's the word) is superb!

[wildart129]

This is a beautiful landscape, I love birch trees, and I don't think it's gloomy.