I need help 😭
- Thread starter BlueBean
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BlueBean
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Bartc
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OK, to start, your composition might be one problem. You have centered the focal point, and generally that makes for a duller composition. If the arch opening is your focal point, you may want to move it up/down or more to one side or all of that. Look up "rule of thirds" for example as one compositional choice many people make.I'm trying for realism
It would be a pleasure to get tips
Second, it appears that your drawing is from your head, an idea of what a stone or brick structure looks like, rather than the more likely shape and size of the bricks/stones. Same for the water. I have no idea what you're trying to do with the sky nor your foreground foliage.
I'd suggest that you try learning to draw this from a photograph. Copying more what you see, than what you think things look like.
To be honest, what may be baffling you most is how to draw realistically. If realism is what you seek, then work on drawing skills first without adding the complexity of painting skills. That's the way most folks do learn, in my experience.
For realism it is not truly that important that you get everything "right" or detailed or exactly like life. You can suggest all that once you learn the basics of drawing.
Another suggestion is to view a lot of "successful" paintings of your subject. For example, you could use your browser or a pictorial program like Pinterest and use the prompt "stone bridge painting." You'll see how others achieved what you seek. Copy those to learn. In time your work will improve. You'll get something like this: Stone Arch Bridge Painting on Google or this: From Pinterest
As to satisfaction, much of the time even with great skills and experience you'll discover artists are critical of their own work. Doesn't matter.
Claude J Greengrass
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add: direction of light source
BlueBean
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I'm using acrylic paint on a canvas..
Grapes
oil painter
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I would try to mix a lighter green paint with more, much more yellow mixed with blue or other color you have and add it to the front greens but without loosing this beautiful dark green. Just to have some more light.
I realized Monet (not my fav painter but it just occurred to me) has painted his bridges directly from front. I noticed he has some lighter (greyish/blue?) reflection coming from water to the inner small arch of the bridge. You have the arch quite dark which is good but maybe adding little bit of reflection from water there and once more without loosing that important dark you have there already.
If you decide to work more on the sky .. maybe just some more brush strokes vertically or something then at the same time you could try to soften/loose the hard dark line of the upper arch of the bridge a little bit. I know it's difficult to do and I can't remember how to do it with acrylics because it's too long time ago I painted with acrylics.
Of course, in the end you could add a possible pole or two or something else (if possible) to break the bridge line .. just a thought.
I think you have chosen a difficult subject to paint. I've tried to paint this kind of view en pleinaire several times and I've realized it being very challenging. Good work on this one so far
.
I realized Monet (not my fav painter but it just occurred to me) has painted his bridges directly from front. I noticed he has some lighter (greyish/blue?) reflection coming from water to the inner small arch of the bridge. You have the arch quite dark which is good but maybe adding little bit of reflection from water there and once more without loosing that important dark you have there already.
If you decide to work more on the sky .. maybe just some more brush strokes vertically or something then at the same time you could try to soften/loose the hard dark line of the upper arch of the bridge a little bit. I know it's difficult to do and I can't remember how to do it with acrylics because it's too long time ago I painted with acrylics.
Of course, in the end you could add a possible pole or two or something else (if possible) to break the bridge line .. just a thought.
I think you have chosen a difficult subject to paint. I've tried to paint this kind of view en pleinaire several times and I've realized it being very challenging. Good work on this one so far
.
txomsy
Apprentice of amateur
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Generally speaking, that's not all that bad. But some details seem unruly. You rarely see a white sky with bow-like lines. There are many things that could be improved, there always are, but for me, the most important is the sky: if it had a little more space above (I know it doesn't) and was "interesting", say rainy or tempest clouds with a strike of light breaking through, all the rest would fall in place. Truly, everything can be improved (what not?) but for me the main drawback is the sky. Get that right and you'll get something cool. IMHO, of course.
