[Aquanet] help, eh

[Barry D. Lindley]

Hi, Pat-

It is a very interesting painting, with unusual and effective color harmony.
The orange-yellow clump to the right is a little hard to read.  I assume it
is distant rock formations lit by warm sunlight, with the foreground
intended to be in cool shadow with mist or fog obscuring the lower part of
the foreground.  Since warm colors tend to advance and cool recede, the
reversal here contributes to ambiguous reading, and I think it would help to
add some value contrast, a little vague "detail", and some echo of the red
rock in the closer parts of the scape.  The intermediate cliffs could also
use some sharpening or indications of facets of rock.  The 3 elements of
atmospheric perspective- compression of the value scale, cooling of color,
and loss of detail - can be used judicially, with some "rule-twisting", but
here you have more detail, warmer color, and as much value range in the far
middle distance as in the closer ranks.  I think you can get some dramatic
improvement by indicating some rock texture and value contrast in the two
closer ranks  - use the scale of the detail for "linear" perspective to
enhance the distance cues.  Don't use fussy detail, just "rock-y" stuff with
some value contrast.

Barry

Barry D. Lindley
Paintings and Drawings
www.BarryLindleyArt.com
 
-----Original Message-----
From: aquanet-bounces at thedigitalbraintrust.net
[mailto:aquanet-bounces at thedigitalbraintrust.net] On Behalf Of pat davis
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2008 3:36 PM
To: aquanet
Subject: [Aquanet] help, eh

Hi, gang.

I am suffering major frustration trying to get back into painting after 
a layoff of about 5 months. I returned to the easel with many ideas, 
esp. one to portray a badlands area near Drumheller. (Yes, that is the 
real name of a town) I have created some visual abominations, but I have 
one painting that offers some promise. I have uploaded it to my Flikr 
page, and if anyone could access it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30425828@N04/

... and make comments, I would be most appreciative. I'm mainly 
wondering if this has enough detail to stand on its own or does it need 
more? My main worry, of course, is that if I add detail, I'm in danger 
of messing it totally up, and I have done that before for sure!

Your cowardly friend
pat

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