Painted from a photo my daughter sent me. Dusk was falling and even more turkeys were resting on her split rail fence. I decided I wanted to simplify the photo, but capture the mood of the dark shapes in the dusk. I scanned this when I was tempted to quit .... but we are supposed to feel free to experiment!!! So I kept on going.
I added the big tree first -- and then realized it grew right out of a turkey's back. Oops! But then I added the little limb in front of the trunk of the big tree (thanks heavens for a little opaque white)and more trees in the background.
Which one do you like better? Should I have kept it simple? I probably should crop a little off the right side ... too plain. It doesn't bother me on the top one, but the plainness does look unfinished on the bottom one.
Painted on mystery paper -- probably Arches cold press #140. Watercolor with masking fluid and just a touch of opaque white on background trees.
5 comments:
I love these turkeys of yours! I think I might like the first better, in one way, but I really like the second as well. Regarding your sense of it looking too empty on the right...rather than crop it (I like it's dimensions as is!) what about adding a few misty evergreens in the background at right? I think that would balance the picture and bring some subtle activity to the right side to keep your eye moving throughout the space. Beautiful turkeys, regardless!
I love the idea of spotting turkeys on a fence. I like the second one better because it draws my eye deeper and then leeds me around. I also like the space on the right, but maybe toning up the misty evergreens as Katie suggests might make it seem less empty. Nice fix with the tree limb breaking up the trunk coming out of the turkey's back. That was clever.
Am writing without reading (yet) what other people liked best... I prefer the bottom one with the setting for these critters more defined, and the space on the right does not bother me at all -- it gives a sense of stillness and open field beyond. I feel the position of the background tree reaches out to draw the birds into a unit, which I like. The furthest trees, just hinted at through the snowy haze are sublime.
Hands down, I love the second one. Mind you, this comes from someone who hasn't seen that much snow but once in her life and she was less than two years old!
The bottom image has a story to tell and the trees and background give hints as to where the birds might be. The top one doesn't allow for too much curiosity to come into play.
As for the right side...I like Katie's suggestion. I am also curious if the snow did not drop at such a steep angle towards the bottom of the page if it would be as bothersome to you.
Would rather see tree ghosts than a crop. And great save on the tree/bird!
'Tree Ghosts"! I like that term. I think the suggestion to add more of a suggestion of trees to the right is where I will go.
Thanks all for your input!
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