Sunday 13 January 2013

Latest Challenge

Back to the regular series of monthly challenge pieces that I share with my painting friend, Peter Ward. This last couple of months had me setting the subject and I selected a photograph from a recent trip to the States.


Red Rock Country - Photograph

The picture presents a couple of problems, the representation of vegetation and the strong shadows. I feel that I've dealt reasonably well with the shadows on the rock but less well with the vegetation with insufficient variation to make interesting shapes. I'll be able to do something about that in a later session. The final image needs some compositional intervention to break up the middle ground a little. There you go, doing the thinking after the event rather than during the process. Another little prompt to oneself.


Red Rock Country - Watercolour on rough paper 16" x 12"

11 comments:

Sharon Whitley said...

I like this very much Mick - lovely sense of light

Polly Birchall said...

This looks more majestic than the photo, I prefer your painting.

Unknown said...

Sharon - I appreciate the kind words. I love the fact you feel a sense of the light.

Unknown said...

Polly - I think this is the first time you've left a comment here and I am flattered by your generosity.

Ray Maclachlan Art said...

You have nailed it Mick, it does look majestic with the colours well chosen. Very good effort.

Unknown said...

Ray - Thanks a lot. There are elements of it that please me.

Peter Ward said...

I'm about ready to post mine but I like yours very much - prefer it to mine actually. The mountain is majestic.

Unknown said...

Peter - That's a very kind remark for which I'm very grateful.

Nora MacPhail said...

Fantastic Mick. You captured the light perfectly. Also, that sand colour is not easy to paint. Awesome.

Unknown said...

Nora - Thanks. The sand colour was achieved with some judicious glazing and just about works. The light was the big thing for me in this and I think it works.

Ron Guthrie said...

Hi Mick,
This came out great! I think if you added some larger plants in the mid ground it would really help to define the plants at the base of the butte better and reinforce the painting compositionally. Nice to see you paint something from your trip out west. I enjoyed the photos on the other blog from your trip. I like this one!