09-10-2015, 06:24 AM
The value range that you're working within is not an issue, but what you're doing in the image of your first post involves a couple things.
1. Separate the values of the foreground, midground, and background. The values you're using are great, since more midtones can offer a more foggy/misty situation. However, right now you have similar blacks/grays in the background as you do in the foreground. It makes the image feel flat and without a whole lot of "pop."
2. The perspective of the viney branch arch is a little off. It looks like it angles to the back right instead of coming forward. Also, there's detail on the arch but not on the areas that it connects with. It looks mushy and would benefit a ton from being equally detailed/defined.
3. The storytelling of your piece takes up only the bottom half of the canvas, and only 2/3 of that area. This is not to discount the mountains and foliage and environment building you're doing; but if this was a plate of food and the story was the "steak," legitimately how big would that steak actually be? There's this approach to a castle city deal in the background, which is kind of small, and because of its position in the environment, it looks ESPECIALLY small. I want to focus on that city with this big ass monumental vine arch deal in front of the city like I'm riding on a horse towards it and I have all of this swelling epic music behind me, but I'm kinda left with this underwhelming feeling when I look at how its composed.
What I'd suggest (since I don't have a tablet in front of me so I'll have to word it out).
1. For values, go on pinterest and check out hudson river valley artists, or my favorite plein air painter, Clyde Aspevig. Look at their paintings in black and white and figure out what ranges of value are in the foreground, midground, and background. You'll find over the course of many similarly lit paintings, that they all have a general breakdown (like Foreground=05-15, Midground=20-40 Background=50-80) (or something, don't take my word as gospel here, just look for the trends). Do like 20 little sketches with those trends you find. This is not to make pretty paintings, but to get in your mind that this one lighting scenario has a specific value breakdown that makes the brain immediately like it.
2. Storywise, look at your piece and ask what's really the important thing happening here. get brutally 80/20 about it. What's the 20% of hte painting that's gonna make 80% of the wow factor? Is it the city? Make that city take center stage and take up TONS of room on that canvas. Is it the people and the approach path and the viney arch? Make those take up 80% of the canvas. Big steak for that big plate, the veggies and sauce will fit around it one way or another.
Get bold and sexy with one thing, and make the values and compositions revolve around that. :3
1. Separate the values of the foreground, midground, and background. The values you're using are great, since more midtones can offer a more foggy/misty situation. However, right now you have similar blacks/grays in the background as you do in the foreground. It makes the image feel flat and without a whole lot of "pop."
2. The perspective of the viney branch arch is a little off. It looks like it angles to the back right instead of coming forward. Also, there's detail on the arch but not on the areas that it connects with. It looks mushy and would benefit a ton from being equally detailed/defined.
3. The storytelling of your piece takes up only the bottom half of the canvas, and only 2/3 of that area. This is not to discount the mountains and foliage and environment building you're doing; but if this was a plate of food and the story was the "steak," legitimately how big would that steak actually be? There's this approach to a castle city deal in the background, which is kind of small, and because of its position in the environment, it looks ESPECIALLY small. I want to focus on that city with this big ass monumental vine arch deal in front of the city like I'm riding on a horse towards it and I have all of this swelling epic music behind me, but I'm kinda left with this underwhelming feeling when I look at how its composed.
What I'd suggest (since I don't have a tablet in front of me so I'll have to word it out).
1. For values, go on pinterest and check out hudson river valley artists, or my favorite plein air painter, Clyde Aspevig. Look at their paintings in black and white and figure out what ranges of value are in the foreground, midground, and background. You'll find over the course of many similarly lit paintings, that they all have a general breakdown (like Foreground=05-15, Midground=20-40 Background=50-80) (or something, don't take my word as gospel here, just look for the trends). Do like 20 little sketches with those trends you find. This is not to make pretty paintings, but to get in your mind that this one lighting scenario has a specific value breakdown that makes the brain immediately like it.
2. Storywise, look at your piece and ask what's really the important thing happening here. get brutally 80/20 about it. What's the 20% of hte painting that's gonna make 80% of the wow factor? Is it the city? Make that city take center stage and take up TONS of room on that canvas. Is it the people and the approach path and the viney arch? Make those take up 80% of the canvas. Big steak for that big plate, the veggies and sauce will fit around it one way or another.
Get bold and sexy with one thing, and make the values and compositions revolve around that. :3