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Subject: Up In The Woods

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Theriot

Posts:57

04/19/2008 2:42 PM Alert 

Hello everyone, My pay'n job has kept me away from painting but I managed to finish a couple of pieces today. This is an 11 x 14 oil on canvas. critiques & comments welcome of course.

Robert







Live your dreams
klippie

Posts:1880

04/19/2008 3:32 PM Alert 
This is stunning.

What colours did you use here.

Retha

If at first you dont succeed.........don't ever give up!
Theriot

Posts:57

04/19/2008 3:56 PM Alert 

Thank you. you are very kind...

the colours? well, the water is based in Thalo Blue. The right tree has Alizarin Crimson mixed with some french ultra-marine. There is Thalo Green in some of the background. I made my orange with Lemon Yellow and Cad Red then mixed Yello Ochre and white to get that tint. Of course Sap green shades and tints are in there and a lot of it was very ad lib colours.

Robert


Live your dreams
mikec@pols

Posts:865

04/20/2008 9:13 AM Alert 
Nice work, Robert!
Very inviting...
Mike

"You either grow or regress...nothing stays the same...." (unknown)
"A man may fall several times in life, but he is not a failure until he says that he was pushed..."




www.portraitsoflifestudio.com
2d
Posts:8

04/20/2008 9:25 AM Alert 
While a tree may grow out of the side of a hill, the tree would still grow upright such as the tree on the right.

Other than that, you've used beautiful colors and made the most pleasant woodland scene.
billmahler

Posts:207

04/20/2008 9:17 PM Alert 
I like your storybook feeling. The centering of the stream might be cutting the picture in half, tho


..send ye not therefore to know for whom the bell tolls- it tolls for thee. John Donne
Theriot

Posts:57

04/21/2008 10:25 AM Alert 
Thank you Mike, 2d, Bill for your replies.
Bill, could you please elaborate a little for me about the composition. I sort of understand the rules against symetrical composition and I guess that's why I put the orange tree higher up the hill and growing angled as some trees really do.
I suppose I am wanting to know what placement of the crick would you like to have seen? I want to do more paintings like this and want to make them more appealing to the viewer. I love your work Bill, and any advice would be appreciated.
Jump in anybody please?

Live your dreams
billmahler

Posts:207

04/21/2008 5:14 PM Alert 
Well, this is purely my theory, not Rembrandt's or anyone else's so please take it with a large box of salt.

Balancing a composition, I think, is like balancing human activity

Put two countries of equal size next to each other and they tend to compete and cause trouble because neither agress on who is dominant.
Let one of them get a powerful ally and that group becomes clearly dominant and there's a better chance for harmony.

I think that music, painting, poetry and all art form need that kind of imbalance, where the viewer is clearly directed to the dominant element while enjoying the subordinate elements along the way. If no element is dominant, the viewer is confused.

I think that's the source of the notion that a still life should contain an odd number of elements. The viewer will instinctively create a dominant group if the number is odd, but can't do that if the number is even.

With that long-winded preamble let's look at your picture.

Niether side of the water can be considered dominant. We might try to consider the water the dominant element, but those beautifully painted large trees won't let us.
One answer might be to give one of them a weaker partner. I'm thinking out loud about a lower tree closer to me on my right. Maybe the viewer would enter on the lower left, follow the stream to that lovely orange tree, turn right at the large tree across the stream and settle on its smaller partner in front of it.

Redirecting the stream is another choice, but I think I might try unblancing the composition first.


















On the one hand, a third tree, placed on either side of the water might make that side dominant and solve the problem.
On the other hand you might want

..send ye not therefore to know for whom the bell tolls- it tolls for thee. John Donne
Theriot

Posts:57

04/22/2008 10:53 AM Alert 
Wow. I do understand better what things I should consider more. Thank you for indulging me. I probably won't touch this painting with the improvements but the next should be better. Composition, perspective, shadows, light, balance, imbalance, line, texture, form, tone, values,...etc. It's funny,
The more I paint, the more I have to learn!
Robert

Live your dreams
lindaroc
Posts:24

04/22/2008 7:37 PM Alert 
I just want to say three words "I love it"! Love the colour and the layout/ expecially the overall expression of the picture.
Theriot

Posts:57

04/23/2008 8:55 AM Alert 
Thank you so much Linda. Your reaction is why I paint

Live your dreams
BecArt
Posts:79

04/30/2008 3:19 PM Alert 
Your painting is so beautiful! I love it!
Theriot

Posts:57

05/06/2008 12:13 AM Alert 

thank you. I found a nice frame for it and donated it to our church's Live Auction  this past weekend and it sold for $300. I was very pleased with that price for my art. And! I got two commissions to do some big landscapes for their homes. A first for me. Below is my 11x14 with it's frame.

Robert







Live your dreams
billmahler

Posts:207

05/06/2008 7:07 AM Alert 
Congratulations, Robert!!!!

..send ye not therefore to know for whom the bell tolls- it tolls for thee. John Donne
mikec@pols

Posts:865

05/07/2008 2:33 PM Alert 
Congrats, Robert!!!! Looks fantstic framed...
Mike

"You either grow or regress...nothing stays the same...." (unknown)
"A man may fall several times in life, but he is not a failure until he says that he was pushed..."




www.portraitsoflifestudio.com
luvtopaint

Posts:12

05/10/2008 7:00 AM Alert 
Your painting looks fantastic in that beautiful frame.

shrl
BecArt
Posts:79

05/21/2008 10:02 AM Alert 
Just when I thought that your painting couldn't be any more beautiful, it looks great in that frame, I really like it.
gene
Posts:1245

05/21/2008 3:25 PM Alert 
Good for you! I love your choice of frames, although I usually wouldn't have thought to have it such an ornate one. But, I think it really enhances the painting
Good luck with the two commissions!
Maggie429

Posts:441

05/22/2008 10:52 AM Alert 
I love frames, it makes the painting that much more! You did a great job on the painting and the framing choice.


Mgi
www.hoviscreations.com
rjoannah
Posts:3

06/12/2008 2:49 AM Alert 
Thats great theriot.... its like a real nature... your painting made me realize how nice an art is... thats wonderful..

"An artist needs to take many tiny baby steps to achieve and maintain quality and continuity."

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