Early autumn: Quiet light

oil on canvas, 50 x 60 cmm

Got my brushes out - after some time! Maybe I could develop it - dull down the reds and make the background (hill etc.) more violet. Hmm, I'd also better change the road more into a cart track. Any comments/ideas, folks?

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Comment by Jon Main on February 24, 2016 at 7:15: Thanks, Michael! I think that's right - I've found a few painters with 'quiet' foregrounds - Schmid seems to do it fairly often

Comment by Michael J. Severin on February 24, 2016 at 5:10: Hi Jon. I don't think I can give an honest answer, Jon ... I really don't know .. have not given much thought to that. When you think about it, though, what do you mean by "empty space"? Your revised version of this painting has a large foreground area .. no particular elements in it .... but it has great shadow shapes, rhythm, and mystery ... it is your "passive" area. I think that if you tried to fill up that foreground with something ... it would have not added anything to the painting .. It would have actually messed with the delicate "feel" of your large expanse of foreground. Of course, if you have a large expanse of empty foreground, and an equal amount of empty middle and background ... you might have a problem.

Comment by Jon Main on February 23, 2016 at 19:40: Good thinking! OK, maybe I'll try a restart - another version of it...

. I always wanted to ask you what you thought about large 'empty' foregrounds, Michael - can one have them and, if so, what pointers are there to handling them? Cheers. Jon

Comment by Michael J. Severin on February 23, 2016 at 11:07: Hey Jon, If you do decide to do a do over, May I suggest that you move the the building over to where the poplar tree is? .. a much better location then way over there to the left edge of the canvas. Also, be alert for tangents .. you have quite a few of these going on.

Comment by Jon Main on February 23, 2016 at 7:07: Yep, thanks a lot, Michael - really appreciate you giving your time - I struggled on with it - unfortunately before I read your more detailed explanation - guess I need to start again, oh dash - maybe I should do more prep work!

Comment by Ningning Li on February 23, 2016 at 5:19: Michael, thank you very much. I also learned from your teaching.

Comment by Michael J. Severin on February 23, 2016 at 3:49: Hi Jon, mostly I was concerned about those hard edges in your distant plane shapes. Maybe indicate some lost and found edges along the road .. maybe soften those shadows going across the road .. especially where they enter the picture. The edge of the shadow on the right knoll could be softened. Jon, you have a few shapes that could be more interesting if they had a little more abstract qualities. The two squares of the building, the tree next to it ..which is competing with your tower, the half tree shape on the right, the geometrical negative shapes between your cast shadows. As I mentioned earlier, your composition and values look good ... I guess that's the most important thing ... just go around your painting and check your edges when you think you're finished .. that's the last thing I do ... I really have a tough time with edges. BTW, a hard or soft edge does not always mean a physical manipulation. Hard and soft edges can be optically handed with value .. a high contrast between shapes will produce an optical hard edge .. and visa versa.

Comment by Jon Main on February 22, 2016 at 21:11: Hi, Ningning and Joy - good thoughts, thanks! Wish me luck!

Comment by Ningning Li on February 22, 2016 at 18:04: Jon, the colours are harmonized well. The texture of the after harvest field is very interesting. If I were you I would emphasiz the differences of the value of the light and shadow a bit more. If I am not wrong, that red roof house is the center of interest. If so, I would make it and ground lighter value to show more sun on it and around it. I follow you idea to make it greyer but not dark , just show how the air and light filtered the fresh red of the roof. Right now, this painting is very soothing, beautiful. Very nicely done. I asume that more value contrast would make it more dreamatic if you like that way. Just a thought.

Comment by Jon Main on February 22, 2016 at 10:49: Thanks a lot, Michael (I love to hear your ideas!) - I was thinking about edges (could feel I need to work on them) but I'm not sure what I could do - soften the horizon line of the hill - those trees against the sky? For the shapes, I hadn't thought of that! - what could I do? unite the darks more? downplay the little leftmost building... ?