These are 5x7 color studies.  Which composition do you like best?  I'm going to do one as a 12x16 and am having trouble deciding which.  Thanks.

Michele

Hi Michele,

I like the third one.  I like the path and the colors are more balanced. 

I just had a beautiful tree scene on display and after the show we all got a professional art critique.  I was surprised when she commented on how peaceful and lovely my painting was.   But her comment that stood out for me was "wish it where bigger".  Now I am thinking big and want to do some large pieces 16 x 20. 

I would consider making these that size also.  All are very beautiful.

Thanks for posting,

Deb 

Hi Michelle,

Although I am by no means an expert, I couldn't help but comment...I love the studies...the colors and shadows are absoutely beautiful.

Like you, I like the second composition, but the third is probably the most classically composed. By that I mean that in it you have set up the dark cools on the lower left played against the warm lights on the upper right.  I do not agree that the path needs to be moved.  As you have it the focal point (that intersection of the golden sector) is right where the path disappears.  And the value differences are dramatic...the shadows versus the light filled upper right giving the impression that you are looking out of the shade into a glorious light-filled area. 

So having critiqued #3, let me go on to why I like #2 and what you have done with it.  Starting with the original color study... Here you have set up the cool darks on the lower right and the warm lights on the upper left...equally effective. But the transition is sharper...which I think makes it not as harmonious.  I feel that mass at the right is too dark and so does not work as well as the dark on the left of #3. I would lighten it and perhaps the far shore of the lake should be lightened too if the light is coming from the upper right behind the viewer.   The trouble I see with the composition is that I don't see a strong focal point.  Obviously it is the red trees which do occupy the golden section.  But the base of their trunks is just about the middle of the vertical distance...I guess I would move them down to the golden section corner.  That would decrease the expanse of gray at the lower left as well.  

So that brings me to the rework.  I think you have the sky too dark now....I loved it in that clear blue of the original...definitely the sky color here in CT.  You have now also lost some of the dramatic value differences in an attempt to harmonize.  So now I don't feel that I am looking out of the shade into blazing autumn sunshine which I felt was a strong point of the original.  So I guess I would vote to keep the brights of the original study but make the value change that I suggested. 

The reason I wouldn't chose #1 is the lack of an interesting focus.

Well, bet you are sorry you asked for comments.  I hope I haven't offended you.  I do love the studies and think that either #2 or #3 will be great in a larger size.

Barbara

Hi Michelle,

I see what you mean about the larger painting.  The road area has expanded and I thought it might be too much in the original.  And unfortunately as you added the reflection of the sky (a nice touch) it lined up with the major light area on the road.  I don't think adding the tree in the foreground worked.  Blocks my "entry" into the painting too much.  I still think the dark mass on the right is too dark.  Making the distant shore more distant might work if the road takes up less of the space.  But I have to tell you that the shape composition of the first sketch was in my opinion right on.  And although I made the earlier comment about moving the trees down, now looking at it again,  I don't think it should be very much because the beautiful shadows on the road contribute to that wonderful autumn sunshine feeling.  My only other comment is that the "finished" piece doesn't have that wonderful freedom of strokes that you achieved in the study.  This happens to me too as I strive to take my sketch further.   I prefer the looseness of the sketch and so I am constantly trying to keep that freedom of stroke.  An example of that is the red trees which in the sketch just look helter skelter contributing to the exuberance of their red orange colors but in the larger piece are more defined and to me more controlled. 

I really like the colors you achieved.  What kind of pastels did you use?  I am just starting and so I have a fairly small supply of pastels and often don't seem to be able to find the colors that I want.  I tend to sketch with new pastels and then try to put softer pastels over it.  Sometimes it works and sometimes not. 

Hope you try again for a larger rendition.  I think it can be stunning.

Barbara