From the Artist: After many years of not painting, my daughter got me to go to a community painting class with her and I rediscovered how much I enjoyed the process and creativity painting brings to me. I had just made a vow to myself that I would make the effort to paint on a daily basis to improve my skills when she had then brought this web site to my attention, and talked me into submitting a painting.
I decided that it would be fun, then immediately froze up! No ideas! I didn't paint or draw a thing all January. So yesterday, I got stern with myself and just took the paints out and started on this garden set up (working from a reference photo) without thumbnails, or even pencil sketching. I got it out and have broke my blockage.... which I think came from 'stage fright' of sharing with strangers. Sharing this with you is my achievement! Although, I am not sure I like how the gravel is rendered and wonder how it could have been better accomplished.
From the Painting Guide: I think it's a very brave thing to do, because you're sharing it with a large audience across the world, not just quietly to a friend or two, and you've no way of knowing what comments I might make (though my intentions are to be constructive and helpful, I don't know that it always reads that way). Anyway, I'm delighted you managed to overcome your stage fright and got your painting in just before the deadline. Next time will be easier!
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Gravel: I think this is almost there, the problem lies in that the size of the gravel pieces don't vary enough between the foreground to behind the chair (i.e. get smaller). Also, compare the size of the gravel pieces to those of the leaves of the plants in the pots; they should be proportional.
Gravel is something where using a toothbrush can work very well, to spray little dots of paint. With a composition that has as many elements at this you'd want to do it early on, because masking off everything would be a mission. But if you glazes subsequent layers where the gravel was to show, you could do the splattering very early, and the effect would show through.
Composition: I like the composition, the mixture of elements creates a very tranquil garden feel, and their placement leads the eye across. I wonder if there should be a little less foreground, or something in the right-hand corner. And if there should be more texture in the top left-corner. Also, watch the ellipses on the pots' tops/bottoms.
I decided that it would be fun, then immediately froze up! No ideas! I didn't paint or draw a thing all January. So yesterday, I got stern with myself and just took the paints out and started on this garden set up (working from a reference photo) without thumbnails, or even pencil sketching. I got it out and have broke my blockage.... which I think came from 'stage fright' of sharing with strangers. Sharing this with you is my achievement! Although, I am not sure I like how the gravel is rendered and wonder how it could have been better accomplished.
From the Painting Guide: I think it's a very brave thing to do, because you're sharing it with a large audience across the world, not just quietly to a friend or two, and you've no way of knowing what comments I might make (though my intentions are to be constructive and helpful, I don't know that it always reads that way). Anyway, I'm delighted you managed to overcome your stage fright and got your painting in just before the deadline. Next time will be easier!
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Gravel: I think this is almost there, the problem lies in that the size of the gravel pieces don't vary enough between the foreground to behind the chair (i.e. get smaller). Also, compare the size of the gravel pieces to those of the leaves of the plants in the pots; they should be proportional.
Gravel is something where using a toothbrush can work very well, to spray little dots of paint. With a composition that has as many elements at this you'd want to do it early on, because masking off everything would be a mission. But if you glazes subsequent layers where the gravel was to show, you could do the splattering very early, and the effect would show through.
Composition: I like the composition, the mixture of elements creates a very tranquil garden feel, and their placement leads the eye across. I wonder if there should be a little less foreground, or something in the right-hand corner. And if there should be more texture in the top left-corner. Also, watch the ellipses on the pots' tops/bottoms.