Student’s Comments:
What I like:
- I like the composition and the feeling that your high up, I’m pleased with that.
- I like the colour palette I’ve used and I think I have achieved real depth.
- This is a large painting for me, 1/2 sheet imperial and a real challenge.
What could be improved for next time:
- My technique. I am dissatisfied with how I overwork things.
- I want my paintings to be more expressive and looser. Again I have reverted to my tight style.
- I always end up taking the reference photo so literally. Try as I might, I struggle to free myself from that despite having done a tonal study painting of this first, which was actually much looser! Looking at the Isobel Rae painting, her grass in the foreground is beautiful. Such a large piece of the painting where nothing much is happening in the background and yet she balances it beautifully. My grassy field is so bland.
Dan’s Comments:
What I like:
- Beautiful work. Reminds me of Edward Theodore Compton’s watercolors.
- Great use of atmospheric perspective.
- The feature tree does a great job at anchoring the painting and commanding attention.
What could be improved for next time:
- Bottom right looks a bit incomplete.
- A touch more color variance/contrast might do well with the rocks in the foreground.
- The middleground (just after the rocks) looks a touch flat. Perhaps a few extra details at the front of this area would help.