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Spare Time Art, Full Time Frustration (1 Viewer)

This is a painting a did quite a while ago, in fact quite a number of years, always bugged me the texture of the rocks and the foreground so with this new found energy going to revamp it, more moss to the surfaces and more effort to try capture the algae (pale bit). Any thoughts about it gladly welcomed as still a bit unsure about composition.

that's a classic portrait

my amateur sixpenn'orth would be that the green needles on the pine branch look less sharp, contrasting, richly coloured than the dead needles to the left of the cat (left as we look at at it) and the moss below it

so I would be thinking of juicing up that branch to bring it forward a bit, maybe also toning down the needles just to left of the cat, so they don't out compete the cat's face
 
Thanks Ed,
Yeh the pine branches will need sharpening up, was contemplating putting shadows underneath them to push them forward wanted to give the impression the cat was up on a ledge, the painting was done about 10 years ago, i remember thinking how it was a bit of a slog painting all those needles and that the ones near the bottom looked so much better, than the ones at the top after all the practise as i worked down the canvas, now i want to change it all, funny how your opinion changes i was quite please with it at the time.
Inspiration behind it was reading one of Mike Tomkies books (Wildcat Haven) who i thoughly recommend. had an old b/w photo of a Wildcat head which i had to superimpose on a body. The rocks etc come from some ref photos i took locally form a place called the Roaches which is on the edge of the Peak district, have retaken some to help with things.
Thanks for the comments again Ed,

(i think algae should be Lichen)
 
that's a classic portrait

my amateur sixpenn'orth would be that the green needles on the pine branch look less sharp, contrasting, richly coloured than the dead needles to the left of the cat (left as we look at at it) and the moss below it

Not sure what half of sixpenn'orth is but I'm offering that much in the way of advice. As Ed says it's a classic portrait. I wonder about just starting a new painting and leaving this as is? But only you know what seems comfortable to you. Sometimes you just want to rip into an old painting that you're not happy with. But other times it seems better to start fresh, and hopefully with less of a slog than the last time........... It will be interesting to see what develops.
 
Hi Ken,

Thanks for the comments, yeh starting a new version has crossed my mind, need get a better photo of it really, and Jill my other half likes the cat so i had better finish it now i've slapped all this new paint on.

It roughly means humble opinion - sixpenn'orth

Chris
 
Love your work Chris. The SEO plumage and the rusty wires against those muted greys - fantastic. Like the gesture sketches of the lapwings and barn owl too.
 
Wood Duck finished, being only 10'' square managed to scan rather than photo it , more true colours.

Chris
 

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Thanks Tim, Hanna,
Hope to improve my life drawing through the forthcoming months, if i'm honest not always sure what i'm painting anatomically when i'm copying my photo's and there's only one way to solve that, so roll on the light nights.

Great paintings on your thread Hanna, Tim the book's fantastic best in its genre wish it was printed on slightly heaver paper though with how many times i go back to it, going to wear it out.

Talking of books if anyone's interested Keith Brockie will have a new book out in April - Return to One Man's Island: Paintings and Sketches from the Isle of May , pre-order price on Amazon is £16 (rrp £25)

Chris
 
Hope to improve my life drawing through the forthcoming months, if i'm honest not always sure what i'm painting anatomically when i'm copying my photo's and there's only one way to solve that, so roll on the light nights.

Chris

I'm well familiar with that situation Chris. It just about stopped me cold when I started. I always felt guilty about painting what I only knew as a blob in a photo and with no real knowledge of what it was and how it connected to the rest of the bird.

I think this forum more than anything else convinced me of the virtues of working in the field and getting to really know the birds. I"ve thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wood duck looks good and thanks for the info on the Brockie book.
 
Love the work, Chris. Wood duck is superb. The digital creations are of particular interest to me because I'm thinking I could use this technique as a learning tool to understand various color combinations, contrasts, and values to enhance my watercolor artworks. Thanks.
 
Chris, what a duck! To take a photo of a dark painting is not easy. I feel with you O:)

But where's the reason for the frustration here?

Greetings,
Ulrike O:)
 
Hi all, thanks all for the kind comments sorry have'nt answered earlier been away for a few days.

Ulrike, my main frustration is not having more time to devote to it all i suppose, thanks again for the compliments.

Chris
 
Hi All,

Haven't posted for little while been doing a bit of doodling, not as I'd like, recently got a few nice photo's of some pheasants up the Peak District and compiled this, got a few more bits on the go will upload as soon as possible.

Regards

Chris
 

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Chris - This is a great composition and a really good start. Hope this doesn't sound crass - but I really like the way you've approached the background. Will this remain as it is or do you have plans ffro a bit more realism regarding the setting? Great stuff.
 
Hi Tim,
Thanks for the comments, probably keep it pretty vague but foreground needs a bit of texture i think, so they 'bed in', picture is inspired by a Harris Ching study of a Golden Pheasant, where the background colours and tone, seem to have been picked to create maximum contrast.
Chris
 
Hi All

Managed a few hours last night on the painting, been trying to get this one of the Otter i've mentioned before finished as well.
Not really get a good photo of the otter, its a lot darker in real life will have to have play around with the camera.

Chris
 

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