LESSON #30 - Mountain

[Happychappy]

    Lovely mountain painting Sharon.  Patricia

[Fencepost]

After wrestling with the mountain for too long, I decided to call it finished. Each thing I tried to do made it worse, so warts and all, here it is...sigh. Yes, I realize the green strip going up the mountain is totally wrong but is unfixable. Must have done that in my sleep. 

Details

[lynn p.]

 --I like that you don't fiddle.  This is clean and sorta impressionistic.  Also have always liked that brighter blue color in the shadow.  Pretty.

[MaryAnne Long]

Nice mountain, Judie.

I've been struggling with mountains this week.  Yours look so well done.

aloha

mea

[njnjgirl]

I like this Judie.  I think it is well done.

[Fencepost]

  Lynn! Not fiddle? This painting is the result of the  fiddle symphony! Glad you can't see that.

  mea

  Mary Lou

Such kind words...much appreciated.

[Happychappy]

     Lovely Judie, if I could paint mountains as good as yours, I would be ecstatic.  Patricia

[jrhall036]

Judie, I think you can stand proud with this one. It really is very nice!   

You're a lot like me, I think. You get frustrated if your painting doesn't match Dennis's or the reference photo. What I've come to realize is that it's not about matching what you see; it's about allowing yourself the freedom to express what you see on your terms with the knowledge and skills you have at the present time.  In other words, none of us here (besides the Clark boys, maybe) are Rembrandts or di Vincis. But we are all wonderfully unique!

 

[Fencepost]

  Jani. You're spot on. I go between trying to replicate Dennis' painting and trying to use the reference photo. It all gets way too confusing and I get lost. On the next one, I think I'll watch the entire video first to understand techniques, then use the reference photo exclusively. We'll see if that helps. Thanks!

[polliwag]

Sharon, very good painting!  I do like the grayed down version better, I think.  However I think some touches of the blue would be nice too.
Judie... you did a great job as well!

[dennis]

What I've come to realize is that it's not about matching what you see; it's about allowing yourself the freedom to express what you see on your terms with the knowledge and skills you have at the present time.

This has always been the criteria that I judge a painting with, and how well you have grasped the techniques demonstrated.

Nice painting Judie. You should be able to soften that green in the mountain by lift some of the colour out.

[Fencepost]

  Dennis. I tried lifting that green with a damp brush, then with a damp short-bristled brush, then a wet scrub with the bristle brush. When I reached for a razor blade, I realized that it was time to stop. 

The green was actually a layer over two previous attempts to create a subtle shadow. First was the purple/blue, very light. Then came a bit of burnt sienna followed by a bit of green. They all fused into an impenetrable mass of green. Learned something there...hmmm where did I hear it...don't fiddle... 

[dennis]

Did you perhaps use Viridian in the green?  - it is a staining colour.

[Fencepost]

You got it!  I think until I have a little more confidence, I'd better stay with non-staining colors, eh?

[NHC50]

Judie you got the technique down. Nice job 
Nina