Sedona

[JStarr]

I promised myself if I finished the Iris piece without unceremoniously binning it I would try another landscape. I do that to myself every so often as a form of punishment; I *suck* at landscapes because I want the scene to look like the scene- THAT tree, THAT cloud, THAT valley. Landscapes, however, do not work that way; I can edit 'things' in a still life, but not a landscape- it's just weird and wrong.But, a friend went to Sedona and took some spectacular photos, and I asked if I could try one and chose one which was mostly simple shapes with complex colour passages, and worked on it today.

I have not binned it, which means much as I despair at its stiffness, it doesn't suck as much as usual. Which is saying A LOT about how much they usually suck.

 

[CaliAnn]

You are much better than you think - this is quite lovely - I like the colors very much - great job!

 

[Artyczar]

You don't suck! This is good. The sky is most excellent. The colors work very well and give out the mystic feeling of Sedona, me thinks. If there were a bit more details in the rocks/mountain, it could be slightly improved, and I know you can do that based on your floral pieces. Maybe the reference pic you had, it was dark, so the details weren't showing. But I bet this looks an awful lot like your reference image as far as that goes. What's important is what's communicated here and it is gorgeous and it's pure Sedona. You should be very proud of it and keep doing more landscapes. I think your affinity for the place shows in this work. I personally love it. So happy you created this and shared it!

What size/media is it?

 

[JStarr]

You are much better than you think - this is quite lovely - I like the colors very much - great job!

Thanks- it's a bit stiff to me, but that is my whinge about almost any landscape I attempt (sometimes with four-letter words as descriptors!) I may have to start doing 30 minute limited palette sketches- which is not my idea of a good time- I don't enjoy scribbling just to meet a clock.

But, I can see the good, too- and the thumbnail is really good. Open it, not so much, but that thumbnail is terrific!

 

[Donna T]

This is really nice! I think it takes awhile (at least for me it did) to accept that a landscape is not a photograph and you are free to do whatever needs to be done to make a compelling composition. I think there's a saying about no one getting a prize for making a scene look just like it is. This kind of photo is hard to work from and you've done a great job of describing those land masses and creating the feeling of that time of day.

 

[JStarr]

Oh, I think it is @8" x 16", soft pastel on UArt 500 grit.

Thanks- it's just stiff- really stiff. Might go in and soften it up- not the cloud, the mesas and bluffs.

The ref is actually darker- I had to lighten the crap out of it before printing so I could see into the dark areas. Dusk- the sun was down, and Arizona gets seriously dark really quick once the sun is down.

We ended up putting Christmas lights on the inner fence around our front yard- we'd lose the dogs fifty feet from the porch in the dark without 'em!

 

[JStarr]

This is really nice! I think it takes awhile (at least for me it did) to accept that a landscape is not a photograph and you are free to do whatever needs to be done to make a compelling composition. I think there's a saying about no one getting a prize for making a scene look just like it is. This kind of photo is hard to work from and you've done a great job of describing those land masses and creating the feeling of that time of day.

Thank you, Donna- I know what you said is true: photo realism or even regular realism is rarely done with landscapes because a landscape doesn't need every bitty bit to describe it.

But I can wish I felt good enough to let go of control- they are such knotty things to me.

 

[Donna T]

Thank you, Donna- I know what you said is true: photo realism or even regular realism is rarely done with landscapes because a landscape doesn't need every bitty bit to describe it.

But I can wish I felt good enough to let go of control- they are such knotty things to me.

Baby steps. Challenge yourself to leave one thing out of your next painting. One tree, or one cloud. You'll feel such power!

 

[Arnie]

This is a fine painting JStarr. The square thumbnail dosnt work for me as the cloud looks odd, but in the wide format the composition is very pleasing, with the eye being drawn along the crossing diagonals to the gap between the rocks. Like the feathery clouds, and touches of light on the brown rock. I like the spots of light on the fg scattered rocks - just enough detail to suggest a desert of scattered sand and rocks which has been blown up into screes against the brown rocks.

 

[JStarr]

This is a fine painting JStarr. The square thumbnail dosnt work for me as the cloud looks odd, but in the wide format the composition is very pleasing, with the eye being drawn along the crossing diagonals to the gap between the rocks. Like the feathery clouds, and touches of light on the brown rock. I like the spots of light on the fg scattered rocks - just enough detail to suggest a desert of scattered sand and rocks which has been blown up into screes against the brown rocks.

awwww! Thank you, Arnie (and please, just call me J or Jae; Starr is my last name) I find the furthest mountain too stiff appearing, even though, here in Az, a mountain in that time of day is quite hard-edged**. Doesn't mean it works on paper, though. The right side mesa is actually darker in the ref, but a square red-brown block is... nope- doesn't work.

ummmm, the dots of colour/light in the fore are actually houses; the view point for this photo was taken from up on another mesa looking down and across- but mostly at the cloud.

I really appreciate your compliments.

**We normally have a good 10 miles (16-ish km) of clear visibility.

 

[Bartc]

Put aside the self-flagellation. This is a lovely piece. I have no idea why you think you suck, but you don't.

 

[Jo Castillo]

This is a very beautiful piece. It says Sedona to me.

 

[JStarr]

Thank you, @Bartc , I appreciate your encouragement. Oddly enough, one of my brothers wants this, so I will wing it to him as an early Christmas gift- and he can have fun in his shop making the frame and all.

I have a terrific ref pic for a very simple landscape that I took at a nearby vinyard (vinyards in Arizona! Never would've thought it in my life!) and it is in the stack for nexts- we'll see if I can pull one off without that exciting colour contrast going on!

 

[MurrayG]

Hi JStar. I came on this later as I was similarly distracted. This is great. I know what it like to get the mountains and sky just so, you did a super job. If the painting doesn't quite match you photo, I cant compare, so all good. I know at even this size, fitting detail is something we want to do cos we know it's there, BUT, at this scale in a majestic scene - nope. Does it meet your idea of composition and value, I think yes, again you didn't bin it. Works for me and something rings for you.
Nice piece of drama.

 

[JStarr]

Thank you, Murray! I'll send it to my next younger brother- he can make a frame for it....

 

[Arnie]

...............

ummmm, the dots of colour/light in the fore are actually houses; the view point for this photo was taken from up on another mesa looking down and across- but mostly at the cloud.
..............

Ah sorry Jae. I just interpreted your painting against what I was expecting, and that didnt include part of a city! I find buildings at a distance impossible - all the rectangular detail roofs etc. which are difficult to suggest. Still a beautiful painting tho.

 

[Bongo]

very good, just now saw this - happy I did.

 

[snoball]

This is beautiful Jae! Quit putting yourself down. I opened it up and it is gorgeous, love the colors, they complement each other very well.

 

[JStarr]

Ah sorry Jae. I just interpreted your painting against what I was expecting, and that didnt include part of a city! I find buildings at a distance impossible - all the rectangular detail roofs etc. which are difficult to suggest. Still a beautiful painting tho.

You're right, I didn't, as you say, bin it. I could wish I did better, but part of it is those bright colours- too many artists here will tell you, sunrise and sunset are sometimes so lurid, it is unbelievable to paint it.

Ah well, I mostly don't look for the colours, but the comp and balance.

Thank you, Arnie, and please, call me Jae it's easier.

 

[Artyczar]

Ah! I didn't get that you were "Jae." Beautiful name!