Here are the results of the last month's challenge effort with my friend Peter Ward. You can find Peter's version at www.watercolourfanatic.blogspot.com . There are lots of other reasons to visit his blog. His reviews of materials are of interest to anyone who loves to paint.
This month's subject was one that I set, largely as an exercise in drawing. These chairs are so difficult to get right and I spent a large number of attempts trying to get the proportions and angles somewhere near right. I was almost tempted to invest in a draughtsman's board with the whole range of rules and protractors. Frustrating indeed. My concentration on the drawing aspect overtook a more balanced approach to producing the picture. Consequently, planning the paintwork wasn't sufficiently well done with the resultant image being overworked and less that satisfactory.
Adirondack Chairs - Photograph
Adirondack Chairs - Watercolour on Not paper 11" x 9"
10 comments:
Not that bad Mick - but you've made my constant error - overworked the ground area and possibly could have graduated the colour more from back to front. Still who am I to say....
Have you received the May challenge?
Great job! That's quite an exercise, and the trees in the background too!
I agree with Nora and Peter, Good job but the area under the chairs could have had some darker shadows. And maybe some separation of the seat back slats, maybe not, it depends on the angle you look at them.
Peter- Can't help but agree on both counts. At the heart of it I treated chairs and surroundings as separate entities and having masked the chairs they didn't blend into the rest of the painting.
Nora - Thanks a lot, you are too kind. However, I learned a few things by trying this intricate subject.
Ray - Thanks. Your comment about the shadows is well taken. I'll look to making a few discrete changes.
I don't think you overworked the ground area at all Mick, (sorry Peter). I think you have worked it enough; the shadows of the chairs aren't strong enough. They should be darkened--with a bit more darked, truer blades of grass in the foreground--but first the shadows of the the chairs. The trees in the background are wonderful. Leave them alone. I'll be back. Happy painting always.
Hey Mick, nice work! The balance you have achieved in this piece gives it " air" and a feeling that you could breath if you were in the scene. Great ! I agree on the ground but that think some darker notes towards the bottom may make the ground near the chairs calm down a bit.
Linda- Thanks for stopping by. You are absolutely right about the shadows and I like your suggestion about some better foreground grass detail. Thanks again.
Dan- Good to hear from you. Ive had a go at the shadows. A bit sloppy first pass doesn't do them justice.
Post a Comment