From the Artist: I took a photo at the local park with snow on the ground and the quality of light between the branches of the trees was stunning. I decided to try and capture this light.
From the Painting Guide: I think the way you've painted the light between the branches is gorgeous, capturing that intense sunlight and blue sky that can happen after a snowfall.
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Composition: I'm not sure about the dark semi-circle on the left-hand side; it's such a solid, dark tone which doesn't fit with anything else in the painting. But, on the other hand, its shape does tie the foreground to the background. Hold up your hand or a piece of paper to block it out and see how you feel about the composition then. Maybe it should be the same shape but have light showing through the branches/leaves too?
Shadows: Compare the way the shadow of the tree at the back emerges from the base of the trunk to the shadows on the three larger trees. On the latter there's a thin line of white snow between the trunk and the shadow, which to me makes it feel as the trees are floating a little, rather than anchored by their shadows.
Taking it One Step Further: I would consider painting the shadows of the trees in the background as more definite shapes, rather than the soft, diffused shadows they've current got. I certainly wouldn't have the patience to paint a mass of small lines for each branch's shadow, but would use drybrush to create a mass of scratchy, soft-edged marks in a 'tree shape'.
Color? Blueish, like the other shadows, but also because it's the complementary to the oranges in the sky. I'd also paint the sky behind them, at the horizon line, one of the more intense reds or oranges already used in the painting.
From the Painting Guide: I think the way you've painted the light between the branches is gorgeous, capturing that intense sunlight and blue sky that can happen after a snowfall.
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Composition: I'm not sure about the dark semi-circle on the left-hand side; it's such a solid, dark tone which doesn't fit with anything else in the painting. But, on the other hand, its shape does tie the foreground to the background. Hold up your hand or a piece of paper to block it out and see how you feel about the composition then. Maybe it should be the same shape but have light showing through the branches/leaves too?
Shadows: Compare the way the shadow of the tree at the back emerges from the base of the trunk to the shadows on the three larger trees. On the latter there's a thin line of white snow between the trunk and the shadow, which to me makes it feel as the trees are floating a little, rather than anchored by their shadows.
Taking it One Step Further: I would consider painting the shadows of the trees in the background as more definite shapes, rather than the soft, diffused shadows they've current got. I certainly wouldn't have the patience to paint a mass of small lines for each branch's shadow, but would use drybrush to create a mass of scratchy, soft-edged marks in a 'tree shape'.
Color? Blueish, like the other shadows, but also because it's the complementary to the oranges in the sky. I'd also paint the sky behind them, at the horizon line, one of the more intense reds or oranges already used in the painting.