-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Wings Over Winecountry, Colleen's place (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter colleenc
- Start date
Tis looking very good Colleen.....!
ps...i even loved the first rendering in post 278 of egrets...[there's something about that color combination which i liked]...:smoke:!
Reminded me of a Carlton Moorepark illustration somehow...i have an old book of his B&W prints somewhere in my flat...[published in 1853...or thereabouts]...?
ps...i even loved the first rendering in post 278 of egrets...[there's something about that color combination which i liked]...:smoke:!
Reminded me of a Carlton Moorepark illustration somehow...i have an old book of his B&W prints somewhere in my flat...[published in 1853...or thereabouts]...?
colleenc
Well-known member
I know Nick always a danger, but technically whites in oil get more transparent over time, so I'll have to pile on thick strokes at the end to keep it white, since this painting is about that in some ways, the nature of white I mean....My biggest worry is that the ground color at the edges is really helping the contrast( just discovered this) and not covering it too much is an issue of delicate balance.
Listening to a wonderful program with the great pianist Murrry Piera (sp?) playing Bach, he said that Bach is emotional but not a Romantic. meaning there is lots of planning and structure, but done with feeling and lightness of touch. So that is somewhere in my attempts here. If I was Romantic, I would just do an impressionist "reactive" painting as mentioned below. Some how like an Olympic iceskater, all the practice and drill should come to an apparently effortless performance where there is just the beauty of the moment as the subject. Something to aim for anyway...we'll see:eat:
Listening to a wonderful program with the great pianist Murrry Piera (sp?) playing Bach, he said that Bach is emotional but not a Romantic. meaning there is lots of planning and structure, but done with feeling and lightness of touch. So that is somewhere in my attempts here. If I was Romantic, I would just do an impressionist "reactive" painting as mentioned below. Some how like an Olympic iceskater, all the practice and drill should come to an apparently effortless performance where there is just the beauty of the moment as the subject. Something to aim for anyway...we'll see:eat:
timwootton
Well-known member
Very lovely. The process and the paint - looking forward to the conclusion.
colleenc
Well-known member
Putting in more detail of the water, which has two aspects, the very still that laps up close, and a small bit with current that was farther away. Also adding texture to the sand spit. Yesterday went out and in the same light closely inspected the spot where they stood. It's full of little mounds, made by the clams underneath the sand, which stick up and are darker than the surrounding sand....this little bit of flickering strokes pick up the bit of moving current making the surface more interesting, at least to me. Also adding the warm tones now to the birds and water and sand. In this shot, the right half has the new work the left half has the underpainting. Still haven't put in feet, they are a strong yellow and those toes and the beaks will be last to go in
being careful not to overwork it, on the brightest whites of the windblown fine feathers, I will glaze down the shadow parts when it's dry. I'm getting happier with the results and learning some restraint too.
being careful not to overwork it, on the brightest whites of the windblown fine feathers, I will glaze down the shadow parts when it's dry. I'm getting happier with the results and learning some restraint too.
Attachments
colleenc
Well-known member
dang reflections got the better of me today so late tonight I got out a big brush and a mess of paint and whipped them back in line a bit.
Getting near finished now...need some eyes on one of the birds the 4th from the left do you think it's too big or is it just me? Legs are not done yet on that one, starting to put in the yellow feets on some of the rest...I'm getting happier now that the big brush did it's job. I've warmed the whites on some of the focal birds. Tho you can't see it in this photo, I am at last starting to get the etherial silver mauve light that happens out there, but the camera can't seem to see it, this photo is way off due to night studio conditions.
Getting near finished now...need some eyes on one of the birds the 4th from the left do you think it's too big or is it just me? Legs are not done yet on that one, starting to put in the yellow feets on some of the rest...I'm getting happier now that the big brush did it's job. I've warmed the whites on some of the focal birds. Tho you can't see it in this photo, I am at last starting to get the etherial silver mauve light that happens out there, but the camera can't seem to see it, this photo is way off due to night studio conditions.
Attachments
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
Hi colleen I don't think the 4th bird is too big, I think you may have lost the shoulder line if you look at the birds either side .
A bit of shadow or slightly part the wings may do it and you can still keep the line. hope this helps.
A bit of shadow or slightly part the wings may do it and you can still keep the line. hope this helps.
nickderry
C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.
this is always the problem with groups of birds - keeping them to scale, luckily birds can change their apparent size by stretching, fluffing up and all other sorts of things which means that even if the scale is off, you can still say, it's fine. I'm not sure if the 4th one along is too big, or the third one is just weedy next to it in comparison. These issues of scale become more apparent the longer you look. For a good example, get Jonsson's Birds of Europe, go to the page with the peregrine on and stare at its feet for a minute. You convince yourself that they are too big and look ridiculous. (they're perfectly to scale with the rest of the bird).
timwootton
Well-known member
Ooo - very nice!
colleenc
Well-known member
thanks Arthur, I did a little rework in PS, think I lost the shape a bit...the slimming down and tilt of the tail helps I think
this is coming very close now to what I saw and the emotion it produced, but I wonder, do you all think this is a strong enough work to make impact as a painting, not that I would change it, as it is true, and I feel good about what I've done here... but maybe not right for a competition. So be honest, even if it's not the usual encouragement we usually give here.
This photo is a bit better color, but still too blue, even fixed in PS, cant get the color of greys it has.
this is coming very close now to what I saw and the emotion it produced, but I wonder, do you all think this is a strong enough work to make impact as a painting, not that I would change it, as it is true, and I feel good about what I've done here... but maybe not right for a competition. So be honest, even if it's not the usual encouragement we usually give here.
This photo is a bit better color, but still too blue, even fixed in PS, cant get the color of greys it has.
Attachments
solitaryVSong
Well-known member
I've always felt that there is a huge element of chance in any competition. So the best thing to do is to submit what you feel is your best work, what you'd like to be judged by. I think if you use any other criterion, like good for a competition, then you may regret your decision.
And I should know. This will be year number four for I assume the same competition! I've never gotten in but I've always submitted what I thought was best. So even though I was disappointed not to get in I at least didn't second-guess my choice of submission. If I'd put something in that I thought was best for the competition and then didn't get in I think I would have been more bothered.
On the other hand you could rightfully say: well what does he know? He never got in!!
I do think your paintings seem to portray your own personal vision. And that is the most you can ask of art I think. And then hope the judges will see it and value it when they do. Never any guarantee of that, but I think you just have to assume that they will.
My .02.
And I should know. This will be year number four for I assume the same competition! I've never gotten in but I've always submitted what I thought was best. So even though I was disappointed not to get in I at least didn't second-guess my choice of submission. If I'd put something in that I thought was best for the competition and then didn't get in I think I would have been more bothered.
On the other hand you could rightfully say: well what does he know? He never got in!!
I do think your paintings seem to portray your own personal vision. And that is the most you can ask of art I think. And then hope the judges will see it and value it when they do. Never any guarantee of that, but I think you just have to assume that they will.
My .02.
colleenc
Well-known member
very true I feel the same but having done this locally and some beyond, it does seem some images transfer into digital media( how they all are vetted to start) better than others, so tho I'll decide in the end, I'm asking you who are not involved in my personal vision, does this have impact to you?
This goes beyond is it a good painting or not, in to a place asking does the image itself connect enough?
For instance from another thread I just found this artist, and I went bonkers over this watercolor, awestruck!.....but it is very quiet, not one that stands out among his work.
Edward Seago
This goes beyond is it a good painting or not, in to a place asking does the image itself connect enough?
For instance from another thread I just found this artist, and I went bonkers over this watercolor, awestruck!.....but it is very quiet, not one that stands out among his work.
Edward Seago
Attachments
Woody
Well-known member
I think it's an honest piece. Just as seen or at least as interpreted from what was seen. Lovely silvery light and atmosphere created by the rippling water surface and the windblown plumage. Reminiscent of Degas' ballerina paintings.
As for competition, who can tell what the judges will or will not see? Who can say what they're looking for? Ken's got it right, go with what you feel, if you feel it's right then it is right. It's a bit like painting for 'the market', what you think is commercial might hang around for years but something done on the spur of the moment or done just because you can, might sell before it even gets on the wall. I've given up trying to second guess things like that.
Mike
As for competition, who can tell what the judges will or will not see? Who can say what they're looking for? Ken's got it right, go with what you feel, if you feel it's right then it is right. It's a bit like painting for 'the market', what you think is commercial might hang around for years but something done on the spur of the moment or done just because you can, might sell before it even gets on the wall. I've given up trying to second guess things like that.
Mike
colleenc
Well-known member
that's an honest answer thanks,.... it won't be selling because no one knows I paint these. Last year at the BIA show someone asked me where I had my art, I answered honestly "under the bed" before I got he meant what gallery I was in.:-O
Of course I want to go again , who wouldn't, and everyone here has as good a chance as me because you never know what the jury will like, so I'm not trying to paint to win, but I am trying to see what work I have that is strongest. I have a couple of other things too, so maybe before I send I'll ask for a straw vote here, just to have some other points of view.
It's nice to know that at least someone gets what I was trying to show here:t:
Of course I want to go again , who wouldn't, and everyone here has as good a chance as me because you never know what the jury will like, so I'm not trying to paint to win, but I am trying to see what work I have that is strongest. I have a couple of other things too, so maybe before I send I'll ask for a straw vote here, just to have some other points of view.
It's nice to know that at least someone gets what I was trying to show here:t:
timwootton
Well-known member
Submit - Colleen; it's a beautifully executed and composed piece. I'd vote it in - absolutely.
nickderry
C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.
who knows what goes on in the depraved minds of judging panels, all I can say is I've submitted my very best work for it to be rejected and mediocre work for it be applauded. Submit all you can, and if you're thinking of submitting a piece for something, you KNOW it's good enough.
solitaryVSong
Well-known member
It's an honest piece, as Mike says, and who knows what goes on in the depraved minds of judges, as Nick says. Put those together and it says, submit it, and just hope for the best.
I think it's hard enough to guess what one judge might like. When you consider that there are three then it's just like three chefs making one meal. Nearly impossible to predict.
At my most cynical though I would say: submit a flamingo, or some other exotic bird, preferably all white or pink/red, that takes up most of the canvas. At my most optimistic I'd say: hope that they will recognize honest pieces when they seem them and then choose the best of them.
I think it's hard enough to guess what one judge might like. When you consider that there are three then it's just like three chefs making one meal. Nearly impossible to predict.
At my most cynical though I would say: submit a flamingo, or some other exotic bird, preferably all white or pink/red, that takes up most of the canvas. At my most optimistic I'd say: hope that they will recognize honest pieces when they seem them and then choose the best of them.
colleenc
Well-known member
thanks guys....that's food for thought,.... and Ken hit it right on....last year there were 5 spoonbill paintings. Style was all over the map tho, and some very subtle works but mostly bigger splashier things....or very intricate. A lot of the places are taken by the Masters, so that keeps things broad, as there are some in their 80's and even Reese in his 90's so lots of eras represented
