From the Artist: I had a totally different idea for subject matter initially, but then March did, what it so often does where I live -- it dropped five more inches of snow and covered my subject matter up! So, new ideas, new subject matter, but still I have Spring on the brain. That led me to the idea of riding down, down into warmer climates. Instead of flying off and out of here, I've 'traveled' in my mind to another place altogether.
I think my high country hills got much larger than I was intending, but metaphorically mountains are more dramatic than hills and this last winter seemed to be larger (longer, harder, colder) than the last couple have been. My only complaint about this painting is I feel my mountains are rather stereotypical. Perhaps using a reference photo for the mountains would have made them more interesting? However, I didn't spend any time with a preliminary thumbnail. I just charged ahead with my paints and perhaps just thinking about it more with a sketch would have solved that problem.
I like using painting knives. It's a different experience from brushes! Sometimes the effect is better than with a brush. With more practice, I can see that I could learn to control the knife better.
From the Painting Guide: I think a knife is a perfect tool for majestic mountains, for sharp edges and steep slopes, and that you've used it to great effect. I think all it needs is a little variation in the angles of the peaks; they're a bit similar at the moment. Break some of the straight lines up, as on the right-hand slope.
I like the way you've painted the foreground, the variations in color and mark to create the vegetation. There's a lovely sense of distance to the scene, of a landscape the rider is moving through. I've been pondering whether the rider wants to be wearing a brighter colored shirt so as not to blend into the scene as much. But ultimately I like that it emerges as you look at the painting rather than being prominent.
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Composition: I wonder whether the horse and rider wants to be a little more to the left (something like this). However, this is definitely something to be judged both by your personal preference and by the Rule of Thirds. I definitely have a preference for subjects being a bit closer to a painting's edge than the rule of thirds line. I think it changes the feeling of the rider having just come into the scene rather than riding across it. But it's a personal choice.
I think my high country hills got much larger than I was intending, but metaphorically mountains are more dramatic than hills and this last winter seemed to be larger (longer, harder, colder) than the last couple have been. My only complaint about this painting is I feel my mountains are rather stereotypical. Perhaps using a reference photo for the mountains would have made them more interesting? However, I didn't spend any time with a preliminary thumbnail. I just charged ahead with my paints and perhaps just thinking about it more with a sketch would have solved that problem.
I like using painting knives. It's a different experience from brushes! Sometimes the effect is better than with a brush. With more practice, I can see that I could learn to control the knife better.
From the Painting Guide: I think a knife is a perfect tool for majestic mountains, for sharp edges and steep slopes, and that you've used it to great effect. I think all it needs is a little variation in the angles of the peaks; they're a bit similar at the moment. Break some of the straight lines up, as on the right-hand slope.
I like the way you've painted the foreground, the variations in color and mark to create the vegetation. There's a lovely sense of distance to the scene, of a landscape the rider is moving through. I've been pondering whether the rider wants to be wearing a brighter colored shirt so as not to blend into the scene as much. But ultimately I like that it emerges as you look at the painting rather than being prominent.
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Composition: I wonder whether the horse and rider wants to be a little more to the left (something like this). However, this is definitely something to be judged both by your personal preference and by the Rule of Thirds. I definitely have a preference for subjects being a bit closer to a painting's edge than the rule of thirds line. I think it changes the feeling of the rider having just come into the scene rather than riding across it. But it's a personal choice.