Chinaman's Bluff

Oil on linen panel 12" by 16"

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Albums: Workshop 2

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Comment by Richard Robinson on October 27, 2011 at 10:21: ps. I would have liked to do a longer critique for you but I couldn't think of that much that I would change. One thing I might say is that I tend to look for opportunities to push color a little (or a lot) in one area of the painting, while subduing it it others, I guess in an attempt to capture that special moment in nature when everything coalesces into the 'perfect' lighting conditions for a certain scene. It looks like you've put a very subtle shadow across the foreground which is nice and something I would do but then I would tend to push the colors a little in the rest of the foreground. By pushing I mean raising their chroma/saturation a little and often the value. Right now, to my eyes, you have a very nice scene, capably painted and captured, and the location is very special but the lighting is just your everyday lighting. More and more I'm looking for lighting conditions that are very brief and special and make people stop in their tracks and say 'Oh!, that's NICE!' That's the goal anyway. You're at that point where you can reach for that sort of thing too. Playing with chroma is one small aspect of playing with the lighting and of course there is more to learn about that than we've got time on earth for, but it's an exciting goal to aim for. (Actually, that's a bit longer now eh, so I'll add this to the critique list.) :-) And I'm done.

Comment by Richard Robinson on October 27, 2011 at 9:51: Great to have you here Stuart - you're one of the most active members here with a lot to share, so thank you.

Comment by Stuart J. Gourlay on October 27, 2011 at 9:47: Richard, thanks for your critique. I am really enjoying these workshops and plan to sign up again. The artists on this website are very complimentary and helpful to each other. This workshop competition was a fabulous idea. I think I will fix the mountain and I will post it after the revision. Stu

Comment by Richard Robinson on October 27, 2011 at 9:38: VERY nice Stuart, love the impressionistic brushwork - gives it a shimmering sense of light when combined with all your subtle grays. Also really enjoying your use of soft and hard edges - gives a very subtle call to the center of interest upstream. Can't really fault this one except the mountain pushing against the top edge, which you've subdued well with cloud, but my eye still wants a bit more space there! :-( but, that's a pretty minor thing and easily fixed if you were so inclined. Nice Job!

Comment by Barbara Sawyer on October 24, 2011 at 18:06: I think your going to be a WINNER It Is SO GOOD.

Comment by Matt Sisk on October 22, 2011 at 15:18: Wow! that is really, really nice stu!

Comment by deb hill on October 22, 2011 at 5:04: Let me know if Richard "messes" with your painting. He did an awesome photo shop maniplation on one of mine. Just loved it! It was brillant!

Comment by Stuart J. Gourlay on October 22, 2011 at 3:53: Hazel, I have been painting since I was 9, and I found Jo's painting from photos at the end and bought the whole series. I can't imagine how much easier I would have had it if I had found someone who teaches like these 2 guys earlier, but a lot of this is the internet and new technology. Keep up your good work. Stu

Comment by Hazel Persson on October 22, 2011 at 3:46: I am getting so much out of both Richard's & Johannes classes. I have watched Jo's from the Painting from Photos course. I have only been painting for about a year - so glad I found these two artist as a beginner. They have helped me so much. We even got a bonus from Jo this week. I have to get up at 5am to watch most of his but that is no problem.