Moose under Northern Lights

[VeronicaRadd]

Hey guys, I finished this moose painting this morning but for some reason it just doesn't feel finished to me. I feel like it needs more depth.. I don't usually paint landscapes or animals so this was an interesting piece for me. Would love any feedback or comments!

[Amit Dutta]

Hey Veronica, just some quick thoughts.

I feel that there is way too much contrast in general. The aurora looks blown out at the top, and the extreme blacks really don't help. The mountains go from black to white over a small transitional space which really accentuates this contrast. The moose don't really stand out from the background because the value range in them is similar to the surroundings, especially around their silhouettes, so they don't become a great focal point. Depth in paintings is created through atmospheric perspective, changes in contrast and overlap.

I made this video a while back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7vAAArS...GB&index=4

The principles need to be applied even if you are going for a more stylistic approach. (actually are you? or is this meant to be more realistic?)