Help please. I'm stuck.

[JennieJo]

I've been looking at this, testing colours but haven't been able to get the right mix of yellow and green tones for the leaves on the right. I can sketch them with pencils and pastels and get close to what I want, but can't transfer it to this. And, I can't work on the rest of the image until I get the colours right. My plan is to just paint over the leaf interiors with a light yellow and build it all again. I'm worried that I'll need thick paint, and the layers I'm using now are thin.

 

[Donna T]

I think I see what you’re saying, JennieJo, and I wonder if it’s more of a contrast issue than a color issue. What about something like a thin, cool wash of blue or blue-violet to the area behind the leaves to push it back and make the leaves stand out? Some kind of neutral transparent layer behind the leaves might work if you don’t want to introduce more colors to your palette. I like the flowy yellow greens in the foreground!

 

[Artyczar]

Donna has better advice I could give. But I love this piece!

 

[JennieJo]

I think I see what you’re saying, JennieJo, and I wonder if it’s more of a contrast issue than a color issue. What about something like a thin, cool wash of blue or blue-violet to the area behind the leaves to push it back and make the leaves stand out? Some kind of neutral transparent layer behind the leaves might work if you don’t want to introduce more colors to your palette. I like the flowy yellow greens in the foreground!

Wish I read this yesterday.l have played a bit will try your ideas tomorrow. They are so helpful.

 

[JennieJo]

Donna has better advice I could give. But I love this piece!

thanks. First non-abstract as anything other than a sketch for at least 3 years. I have 7 days to finish it.

 

[PaintBoss]

Maybe it’s too late now. But I ran into this problem with a landscape I did. I ended up changing it. The big leaves at the front on the right side need to be darker. They are closer to you in the back landscape looks like you want it to be lighter as if it’s in the sun. It’s a little bit like looking out through the bush or the tree where you’re standing out onto a field or onto the landscape that’s lit. Otherwise it’s gonna be very confusing if it’s very close to the same colour as the mid ground and the background. So more greens less yellow don’t be afraid to go darker. It’s gonna help frame the background.