Maybe gone too far -- something brooding about this one. There are several things I would do differently with this if I were to do it over -- less grey mixes, cobalt rather than cerulean in several places , the list could go on! I'm going to scrub out a little of the splatter at the bottom of the waterfall, and take another look at it tomorrow. Any suggestions for small fixes would be much appreciated, but I'm ready to be done with this.NOW I'm ready to do something bright, and fun, and cheerful, and silly!
(The technical schtuff: 22" x 30" watercolor on 300# hot press paper)
24 comments:
The cerulean is great! Why not add some to the outline of the form of the plant at the right edge, about midpoint in the piece, the one with magnolia-shaped leaves--just a quick, loose, almost dry brush around the plant, to add energy to that edge of the painting. I'd think about making a counterpoint to that cadmium red area at the bottom, to the left of the spray, with another goodish touch of that red somewhere else. The water is beautifully done---the whole piece is lovely. If you have 2 or 3 paintings going at once, you can let each one breathe while you leap to the next. Helps to keep you (me) from overworking. You're an excellent painter, Linda! How about some pastry portraits now ;D?
Linda, it is GORGEOUS!! I love everything about it already. The water is awesome!!!
Sometimes brooding is good. I looks like an inviting place to be.
MY GOSH, LINDA!!! I can SO see myself on the edge of one of these rocks, cool, serene, a momentary pause in a place set perfectly for thinking!! It is one STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL painting, Linda .....!!! My admiration for you and your work is 'overthetop!!!'
Gosh, it's so amazing, I can't see anything 'wrong' with it at all! It's just awe-inspiring!
Beautiful. I like the little orangey spot (cerulean?) on the bottom but I'd add some of it other places so it doens't stand out. It really looks like a fairy is about to leap from rock to rock and that waterfall - really good.
I think it's fantastic! I love the depth in it. :) So rich, too.
Linda, thanks so much for your encouraging words. Hell, if I could paint anywhere as well as you I could die happy. Will be looking in here (and learning) on a regular basis. May I link you?
Thanks to you all! Laura --I'm keeping pastries out of the house right now, but will perhaps do a painting of the most divine chocolate bar I've ever tasted -- (organic orange spiced dark ... YUM!) I am, however, going to do as you say with the dry brush, and take yours and Janey's advice about strengthening some oranges to counter that spot in the lower left! Terri, Lin, Felicity, Zee -- thanks for the support! Lydia-- of course you can link -- I love YOUR work -- so creative! And Annie, thanks for reminding me that the woods sometimes ARE supposed to be a brooding kind of place :-)
Ken, you are so right! These are the colors that one sees in the old forests in the Smokies, too. Thanks for reminding me of that!
:-)
Linda, this is fabulous. It's interesting to read Laura's comments - instructive to someone like me, who looks at your painting and thinks, "Wow ... some day maybe I can do something like that." You both have a very sophisticated eye.
Linda wonderful ,wonderful!
If it were me I would leave the cerlean but add a touch of the greens to the water to reflec its surroundings. I also agree about adding more of the red to balance the lower left corner.
So if you do any touch up please post agian so we can see.
Linda this is a great painting. I think we always have a list of things we would change when we 'finish' a painting. I tend to disagree with the others about the sienna (or whatever it is) in the bottom left. I wouldn't add more of it elsewhere, I'd knock it back a bit.
Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog - I needed them!
I'm looking forward to doing something light and silly now too. (Even though I've been doing clowns!!! - It's the intensity of the work for the ones we think are 'important', isn't it.)
Linda I think you are being too hard on yourself or perhaps you just need a break from this so you can then look at it with fresh eyes. Personally I love moody pieces and in this one I love the contrast between the light-hearted bubbling waterfall and the moody environment it is breaking through. I think Laura's suggestions are great ones. The only thing I thought of immediately when I first looked at it was that the red needed to be echoed somewhere else in the piece for a bit more balance, but I wasn't sure where.... Well done!! I think it is GREAT!
Beautiful job, Linda! And I like the moodiness very much.
Really, REALLY nice. Job. I think Laura's comments are spot on. If I were to suggest anything it's to loosen up a bit. The water effect feels a bit just that - an effect. Like you let the technique of painting the water take over from what was really there.
But I am being really picky. I asked myself if I would hang this in my home and the reply I got was yes.
wonderful to me Linda! I haven't a clue how to do this, amazing skill and work in this!
You are done with it now Linda! It's georgeous! I would not change a thing. Love the koi fish under the water! Nice touch!
A quick "howdy" -- saw your "South of France" comment on Laurelines, and laughed myself silly.
And really like your softly architected painting here. Brave woman using all those massed forms -- working without lines for me (but then, I draw and am mostly a stranger to paint) is like working without a net!
I really like this and I think that you should probably resist the temptation to fiddle with it too much. Every time I do that I usually make it worse. I don't think I have the patience to do something so extensive but I think it really came out well.
Note: Linda, I couldn't find your email -- but wanted to say THANK YOU for your suggestion about drying between glazes and a way to get darker blacks ...!!!! Much appreciated!
Linda,
I really like this. If I remeber correctly many of the creeks in the area are somewhat brooding and mysterious, that is one of the things that makes them so beautiful. (ok maybe I read to much SK and am a little dark). I can feel the moisture hanging in the air and smell the woods around. Great job!
BS Karen
Very nice painting. Great mood.
This is just beautiful. Perfect in every way.
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