Painting # 88. This was an attempt at trying to paint using more naturalistic earth tones. I've always wanted to practice painting with more muted colors. I love Bob's paintings but they are sometimes too vivid. This took me 3 hours and I got pretty tired of it at the end and rushed a few of the bottom bushes in an attempt to finish. However, coming back to it a day later, it wasn't as bad as I thought the day before. Overall, this was a useful experiment. It taught me how difficult it is to paint more natural looking scenes. I created and blended all of my colors right on my palette before applying them to the canvas, often using different shades of browns like van dyke or sienna to mute or dull down oil paints that were too bright. I would really appreciate any tips or advice anyone would have for me. I don't think this is an avenue I will pursue too readily as it is very time consuming and somewhat frustrating, but once in a while. This was done on a 16x20 canvas.
I've added a photo of my reference for this painting, a canvas created by artist R. Wilson. I found a lot of that artist's paintings for sale online. That is precisely the style I was going for. It also happens to look a lot like this one canvas that hung in my family's living room my entire life. This is what I was referring to when mentioning the more natural earth tones.
Well you certainly succeeded in making a really beautiful painting. Love the colors of the sky. There's great depth in the painting. The big trees are really nice, strong and delicate at the same time.
This is a gorgeous, gorgeous painting!! I wonder if you did the very back trees in a lighter shade if it would look more like your R, Wilson painting and give even more depth. I think his is more subtle with more light zinging through too. Also make the water tone more muddy looking if you were trying to make it look like his BUT I love what you painted!!!!
Beautiful colors indeed close to natural colors, also the shape of the trees are close to reality.
Lightsnow, this is beautiful painting! You are so right that subtle colors are so much more challenging! After some time it will get easier and will give you more power. Color mixing on the pallet certainly makes process slower but control is way better! All those muted colors are almost impossible to get without pallet. Bob is more catching as our brains are set to obtain quick results and reward is there in just 1-3 hours, when with more classic approach we are looking at 6-8 hours of hard work. That is normal that sometimes it gets frustrating, this is because skill is not there yet, but this is what learning curve is.
Another thing to note that realistic colors are very much more connected to the value control to obtain that depth and volumes. You will be alright as you conquer challenge after challenge.
Very good painting you got, very nice greens.
By the way green is the most challenging color in landscape, it is always a mix on the pallet as no tubes can give you exactly the green you want. I suggest use phtalo green as base and do the mixing exercise to mix and see what shades you get. Most interesting greens for trees and grass you get with orange color, red, brown and for shadows with alizarin and blues. Get burnt sienna (PR101) and burnt umber, forget about Van dyke this is dirty brown because it has black pigment added and it shows in mixes.
Another trick for greens is yellows and black (black pigment I mean), nice extra range of greens, very muted and real.
One more thing - ochre is very important color in realistic landscapes. Many color mixes can be done with it - clouds, leaves, highlights on trunks.
Thanks to everyone for taking the time to provide me with this very helpful feedback. I will try as hard as I can to integrate this advice and continue working on this new quest of achieving realistic tones. I think I will pursue this path on a once in a while type basis as I do like the freedom and fluidity of painting quick, Ross-inspired paintings. The possibilities are truly endless.
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I always enjoy your creations, and this one did not disappoint. That is a really nice multi-colored sky back there. I like the wispy foliage on the trees up front, too. I tend to get carried away and fill up all the gaps. Great painting.
As I was getting ready to click the submit button, I took another look at the background trees. I wish I could get mine to look like that. You can tell it's a distant forest, but there's just the right amount detail. 👍