This is a large (for me) oil painting I started on a two day course with Louise.
I decided to paint a scene from memory, using only a smaller, more careful, studio painting made while in the New Forest, a year ago, and some rapid sketches.
I like it, and enjoyed creating it, but I don’t know if it’s good or not?
I love trees and forests, and paint them often, so am trying to be more intuitive than I used to be as a plein air artist, standing in front of the subject. What do you folks think? I want the truth – even if it hurts – do you see weaknesses, in colour choices, warm and cool, tonal differences, paint application.? It is 3ft x 2ft in size.
Thank you
This is a large (for me) oil painting I started on a two day course with Louise. I decided to paint a scene from memory, using only a smaller, more careful, studio painting made while in the New Forest, a year ago, and some rapid sketches. I like it, and enjoyed creating it, but I don’t know if it’s good or not? I love trees and forests, and paint them often, so am trying to be more intuitive than I used to be as a plein air artist, standing in front of the subject. What do you folks think? I want the truth – even if it hurts – do you see weaknesses, in colour choices, warm and cool, tonal differences, paint application.? It is 3ft x 2ft in size. Thank you
Louise Balaam - Monthly Landscape Painting
Thank you Louise,
I love to paint trees so spend weeks at a time in forests and woodlands, sketching and painting.
This was painted mostly from memory and only casual reference to earlier sketches. You are so right about trees being difficult to paint intuitively.. I’ll post a collage of some sketches made in the new forest last year.
Hi Julian, thanks for submitting your painting after the workshop, and apologies for the delay in responding. You might like to submit this painting for a more in-depth feedback from me? but in the meantime a few brief comments. I like the way the warmer yellow colours are glimpsed through the tree branches, and the darker tones in trees and undergrowth to the right. The pattern of branches is visually intriguing but it might be good to have some more open areas as well. I’d love to see your quick sketches Julian! – trees can be a tricky subject when working in right-brain as our left brain tends to have firm ideas about what they look like, which can get in the way of painting intuitively.