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  • #469577
    tmwilliams
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        This is a local Lutheran Church. The pastor is a friend and I’m going to gift this. That is…if I like the final product.

        C&C most welcome. I not happy with the snow…thoughts?

        I’ve yet to finish the trees, but I think they’re coming along okay.

        Anything else you can see that might help? I go back and forth on whether I have the shadows right but know that I could mess it up quickly by overworking it.

        This is most ambitious project yet. 10×14 on Arches 140lb using DS tubes.

        Thomas

        #787134

        It’s difficult to tell at this stage but you seem to have the light coming from the right. I would darken the shadows on the building and darken the background trees to the left of the building to make the church stand out more.

        Doug


        We must leave our mark on this world

        #787139
        tmwilliams
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            Thanks, Doug. I will work in that direction. Always cautious about going darker…

            #787140
            tmwilliams
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                I know I’m too self critical, but this is tossing good paint after bad. I’m going to abandon it and start anew on another day.

                The building is okay – but the snow and trees are poorly done. I need to just practice trees. I simply create smudges. (I never finished the large tree to the left as it’s way off scale…it looks like a redwood. Yes, it’s a large tree, but not that large.)

                Thomas

                #787144
                VonSmith
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                    I think you did a great job.
                    As a noob myself, I’m having issues with trees too. Not so much the leaves, but the trunk/branches. Trees can make or break the drawing, IMO. Thomas, check out these two videos:

                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igiKs-OPMuQ

                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqZ242IOKu8

                    #787141
                    tmwilliams
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                        Thanks – and thanks for the vids. I’m new to WC myself…started around Christmas. Acrylics for two years now.

                        #787138
                        FrankM
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                            Thomas, don’t be too hard on yourself. I understand the desire to have everything “just right.” Sometimes the most effective trees really are just “smudges.” Remember, if they are detailed to the point of super-realism, they will take focus away from the subject, which is your church building. And, you’ve done a good job on it.

                            I try to be too realistic sometimes when a simple suggestion of surrounding scenery will do just fine. Let the edges blur out of focus so the viewer can really appreciate your strong work on the building.

                            Bottom line: by all means, do what you need to do to present a painting that you’re satisfied with. I’m just encouraging your good effort here. It’s probably better than you believe.

                            Keep it up!
                            Frank

                            FrankM

                            #787136
                            janinep7
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                                I think you did an excellent job, so don’t be so hard on yourself. You are so far ahead of most beginners. Your previous painting experience shows.

                                However, if you are really planning to toss it and start over, go ahead and go crazy with it. Since it’s already deemed “ruined,” now you can really use it as a learning tool. Finish the trees, esp. the big one. Darken the shadows. Try all the things you held back on while you were working on it because you wanted to “come out right.”

                                You might find in the process of “ruining it,” and pushing past some of the self imposed boundaries that you actually save it. :)

                                Stranger things have happened.

                                Worst case, you’ll have a very good idea how you want to start your next attempt of the same subject. And you can always paint on the back side of it.

                                #787142
                                tmwilliams
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                                    like running with scissors :)

                                    #787137
                                    KiwiKate
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                                        I agree with comments from others. Since you’ve used good paper which will allow you to lift paint, why don’t you try to change what you don’t like about the imposing tree on the left. People often say you can’t correct mistakes in watercolor paintings, but it’s amazing what you can lift with clean water and a good brush.

                                        Kate
                                        Henderson, Nevada
                                        C&C always welcomed!

                                        "Never ruin a good day by thinking about a bad yesterday". -- Anon.

                                        #787143
                                        tmwilliams
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                                            I agree with comments from others. Since you’ve used good paper which will allow you to lift paint, why don’t you try to change what you don’t like about the imposing tree on the left. People often say you can’t correct mistakes in watercolor paintings, but it’s amazing what you can lift with clean water and a good brush.

                                            I had already tried that … perhaps too many times! :) It was beginning to make a mess.

                                            I decided to simply add the details it was lacking – and a few touch up details elsewhere – and call it done. Parts I like. Parts I need to develop my skill set.

                                            Thanks for the tips!

                                            Thomas

                                            #787135
                                            pjartwc
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                                                Hi Thomas. I would sign this and gift it. An excellent finish.

                                                C&C WELCOMED

                                                Jan

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