timwootton
Well-known member
still looking, admiring and keeping mainly quiet - just the odd squawk of envy and gasp of appreciation.
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Wings Over Winecountry, Colleen's place (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter colleenc
- Start date
colleenc
Well-known member
Thank you all, the group here is so important to my work and sense of some accomplishment.
here is #89 of the long view series
OMG:clap: this almost looks like a real seascape painting...
here is why I'm excited
I finally did a work from only my own place, it's colors, and using only my own resources, I created the composition, working out all the divisions of space, worked to get the values to progress, the water to move, the foam to reveal what it's hitting, and the color of the water closely resembles what is there in the muted light of the Coast. Finally I think I see the beginning of my own "voice" or touch, simplifying and solidifying the composition and forms. All in all this is the very first one that I feel some confidence in...like I can really do this, have the basic skills, and knowledge to reach the top levels of the genre in a couple more years.
Yes there are places to improve this and I will tweak a bit when its dry. ONe of the major parts of the process that worked here is I stopped myself from overworking. So many times I've seen this stage appear during the process of the challenge and then buried by being unconscious of what I had, and then went on too far and lost all the freshness. Right now that's the biggest line to draw. To keep it I worked and then stopped many times, just at the point where I was about to start to lose it. Then came back a couple of hours later, I will have to learn to keep the color clean and the strokes more direct.
Though this is just an average scene, I'm so happy to have made it work, and especially that it really captures the place, and looks naturally done like all is in place,while in truth I made a lot of decisions to move an simplify the scene
here is #89 of the long view series
OMG:clap: this almost looks like a real seascape painting...
here is why I'm excited
I finally did a work from only my own place, it's colors, and using only my own resources, I created the composition, working out all the divisions of space, worked to get the values to progress, the water to move, the foam to reveal what it's hitting, and the color of the water closely resembles what is there in the muted light of the Coast. Finally I think I see the beginning of my own "voice" or touch, simplifying and solidifying the composition and forms. All in all this is the very first one that I feel some confidence in...like I can really do this, have the basic skills, and knowledge to reach the top levels of the genre in a couple more years.
Yes there are places to improve this and I will tweak a bit when its dry. ONe of the major parts of the process that worked here is I stopped myself from overworking. So many times I've seen this stage appear during the process of the challenge and then buried by being unconscious of what I had, and then went on too far and lost all the freshness. Right now that's the biggest line to draw. To keep it I worked and then stopped many times, just at the point where I was about to start to lose it. Then came back a couple of hours later, I will have to learn to keep the color clean and the strokes more direct.
Though this is just an average scene, I'm so happy to have made it work, and especially that it really captures the place, and looks naturally done like all is in place,while in truth I made a lot of decisions to move an simplify the scene
Attachments
Andrew H
Well-known member
OMG....I completely agree with your thoughts...So often Ive overstepped the line, either due to being impatient, or tiredness, and not having my head straight......My pile of things 'not complete' grows stedily bigger and bigger.....One day Ill revisit them Im sure. I love this for its simple view of the coast line, the colours of the breaking waves, and its not over worked (In my view)
RussB
Going for Gold
I've not been able to comment on your work recently Colleen, basically because I know zilch about the techniques you'de deployed here. I'd just like to say, though, that I marvel at the skill demonstrated here, and that if I ever get the inclination to paint I will know who to ask.
Regards
Russ
Regards
Russ
timwootton
Well-known member
A seminal piece - benchmark has now been set. Good luck with what's to come.
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
lovely to be down on the sea shore with you colleen
colleenc
Well-known member
Yes lets hope this is not a pride goeth before a fall kind of thing.
Thanks Andrew Russ and Arthur, I am still working on the gull studies too, and how to best put them in the seascapes....so more birds ahead.
solitaryVSong
Well-known member
As Tim says, a seminal moment. Let's hope that it's a new plateau for your work. I think we all work for that moment when we feel like something is truly our own and we feel confident in pursuing that direction. Not that there aren't those occasional bumps in the road...................
Strandman
Well-known member
many congratulations on that triumphant last 'scape: I am a sucker for them deep browns in rocks, but also more generally the real sense of a specifc place
colleenc
Well-known member
:-O I have pretty well figured out by now I am just not the confident type, and really am never sure of what direction I'm going, even when I do a good work I always wonder if it is a fluke....no amount of success or awards or sales seems to change this...so I've just gotten used to it, and turned it to good as a way of always propelling me forward to do more and reach higher, and see what else I can do. Everything I do always falls short of what I wish I could do...one of the blessings of age is not to care so much any more, and enjoy small victories like this one.
Ed thanks, sense of place is the biggest victory here, I know its an ordinary seascape, but the work its taken to get there is amazing....it's good to finally get this particular light and color of my coast. I remember the day I was out there and some ladies visiting from Hawaii, were painting and all their paintings were bright blue waters....I looked out and saw the green greys and pale viridians and had a little chuckle...they were painting their home waters. It has taken a year to get these local colors down.
colleenc
Well-known member
the latest try at a particular light, its a good step, tho not quite right yet, I also use a very interesting way of composing I found on Virtual Art Academy, I signed up for the Composition block, and am finding it so useful, tho very challenging...he's really put it all together in depth, and even will all my training I'm finding new things.
This one has been very interesting, it will be tweaked some when drier. I'll add a few touches to the bird, and the far horizon....another try for the particular light after sunset dark waves rising from a sea of pale pinks and salmon light...I know it's not resolved yet, but I did make progress after trying out Aliz Crimson, and the a rose lake, I could not mix the right color...so I dug out my Doak Pyrol Red and that at last has the tones and power I need even if I havent got the color quite right yet, I'm in the right family now....just have to find a better balance and contrast to bring out what I see in my mind.
The Comp is created in an informal division of space, too complicated to go into here. What I love is it put the bird in a unique place that really works, yet is not some standard spot of thirds or golden section....I lost some of the places in painting, it was excellent places to put waves, end shapes etc. So I'll try it again, and I can see this method can create a refreshing way to compose. Something that will be useful in seascapes so I don't paint the same way over and over.
The other thing I am getting closer to is getting the bird to be part of the environment...and to use it to create a path for the eye to follow. You see it's headed into the work and its wings connect it to the waves. I could use a little more practice on the reflection in the wet sand.
Long view #91 6x8,
This one has been very interesting, it will be tweaked some when drier. I'll add a few touches to the bird, and the far horizon....another try for the particular light after sunset dark waves rising from a sea of pale pinks and salmon light...I know it's not resolved yet, but I did make progress after trying out Aliz Crimson, and the a rose lake, I could not mix the right color...so I dug out my Doak Pyrol Red and that at last has the tones and power I need even if I havent got the color quite right yet, I'm in the right family now....just have to find a better balance and contrast to bring out what I see in my mind.
The Comp is created in an informal division of space, too complicated to go into here. What I love is it put the bird in a unique place that really works, yet is not some standard spot of thirds or golden section....I lost some of the places in painting, it was excellent places to put waves, end shapes etc. So I'll try it again, and I can see this method can create a refreshing way to compose. Something that will be useful in seascapes so I don't paint the same way over and over.
The other thing I am getting closer to is getting the bird to be part of the environment...and to use it to create a path for the eye to follow. You see it's headed into the work and its wings connect it to the waves. I could use a little more practice on the reflection in the wet sand.
Long view #91 6x8,
Attachments
solitaryVSong
Well-known member
Looks great Colleen! Normally I would run a way from a painting, particularly a seascape, saturated in a pinkish color like that. But it strikes me as true, like the type of color I used to see along the sea. And the bird looks just right in it's placement. All in all I find it a beautiful and very convincing painting.
colleenc
Well-known member
Thanks Ken,
it is a bit over pink right now...and hopefully glazing will put it right....I've found in these 100 studies that I cant reach my goals in a leap but need to take the steps inbetween....I don't expect to get this painting right for some time yet, but each try gets me closer....the light is close but not right yet I may have to put in more fog in the back to cool off that hot sky.
it is a bit over pink right now...and hopefully glazing will put it right....I've found in these 100 studies that I cant reach my goals in a leap but need to take the steps inbetween....I don't expect to get this painting right for some time yet, but each try gets me closer....the light is close but not right yet I may have to put in more fog in the back to cool off that hot sky.
mattybohan
Well-known member
I like the pink!
mattybohan
Well-known member
great! Very lively.
