Going out on a limb

[JennieJo]

I've decided to attempt a realistic landscape. The image is from an animal and Landcare group in Tasmania. For now, I'm trying out different composition, light options and framing to get an impact. Any thoughts, ideas, and wisdom will be greatly appreciated. The birds will be larger, and include distinguishing detail.

The first image is the master photo.

 

[Artyczar]

Looks cool. Excited to see it. Maybe post some progress shots.

 

[Enyaw]

What’s the plan? Are you going to paint it or use digital manipulation to reach your goal?

 

[Bartc]

I like the fourth variant down for the tilt and the B&W.

You could consider moving the elements from the literal to something more lyrical to your view, such as moving the mountains behind or partially behind the birds. But it's your choice of what you want to emphasize and how and nobody else's opinion matters quite as much as your vision for your artwork.

 

[JennieJo]

What’s the plan? Are you going to paint it or use digital manipulation to reach your goal?

Painting. Acrylic base then oil is the plan.

 

[JennieJo]

I like the fourth variant down for the tilt and the B&W.

You could consider moving the elements from the literal to something more lyrical to your view, such as moving the mountains behind or partially behind the birds. But it's your choice of what you want to emphasize and how and nobody else's opinion matters quite as much as your vision for your artwork.

Thanks for responding. Really appreciate your thoughts. My problem is I don't have a local arty group to mull things over. People to sketches to etc. I will always follow my hunches, but chatting tends to bring me new ideas. I like the idea of moving the elements. Will do some sketches and try to sort something out.

 

[JennieJo]

Looks cool. Excited to see it. Maybe post some progress shots.

Thanks. I will try to post as I go.

 

[snoball]

I second Bart's idea of moving the elements. The cloudy sky is great, the lightened grasses look best and the mountain can be anywhere you want it, same with the birds. Do some quick sketches and see where everything looks the best.

 

[Enyaw]

Thank you. So basically you are playing digitally with a photograph to get an idea of how you want your sketch to look like snd then sketching and then painting. I do that at times. Another tweak you can do if your application has that featre is to posterize the image and doing that allows you to break it down into values so you can have a value study at the same time. I know Adobe 7 has that feature .

 

[Bartc]

Thanks for responding. Really appreciate your thoughts. My problem is I don't have a local arty group to mull things over. People to sketches to etc. I will always follow my hunches, but chatting tends to bring me new ideas. I like the idea of moving the elements. Will do some sketches and try to sort something out.

JennieJo, that last B&W version tells me a lot using the scene as it existed or photographed. There you have a great notan and it gives me ideas as to how you could translate that into color variations or tonalism or whatever. The lines (the "bones") are strong and lead to your central focus, the birds on the fence. Wayne's idea of posterizing also works for me at times, and if you posterize both the color and the B&W you may get what you're seeking as the best starting point for your personal vision. And you can still move the elements around too if that suited you.

In the color versions my brain wants to move the mountains more into the close third or half of the fence, but in the B&W my brain wants to leave them where they are.

 

[JennieJo]

I've started. Just about to add some details.

 

[snoball]

Oh I think it will be a winner. You're turning it into your own.

 

[JennieJo]

I've started. Just about to add some detai

Oh I think it will be a winner. You're turning it into your own.

Thanks Sno. I am having a good feeling so far.

 

[Bongo]

Love your lyrical approach to this, and the freedom you take to use the reference as a jumping-off point rather than a destination.

 

[JennieJo]

Love your lyrical approach to this, and the freedom you take to use the reference as a jumping-off point rather than a destination.

Thank you. Not sure about the how or why. But, I love the way you put it.