The Sea Shack

20 x 20 oil on canvas

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Comment by Stuart J. Gourlay on May 18, 2013 at 16:02: Betsy, the best answer is that if the water is muddy and still, the water would have sky reflections broken by ripples; so you would have brown water but with reflections the color of the sky (from light gray to light blue) and with reflections of objects on the shore. If the water is churning and muddy you would paint lighter colored foam and waves with the thinnest part of the wave somewhat translucent. But as Michael said, jazz it up a little and don't paint it a boring muddy color. I am sure Lori's next picture will be better. Stu

Comment by Lori Ippolito on May 18, 2013 at 15:48: Hi all..I actually tried a new version attempting to keep the colors "cleaner".. Ill post when I can get to my computer..I'm feeling it a bit TOO muted, as Betsy suggested...this is certainly a tough assignment! I truly value and appreciate all the advice here & am going to give it yet another go!! Good thing this is a long month!!!

Comment by Betsy Jenkins on May 18, 2013 at 15:30: Scraping down and sanding is de rigeur around here! I've lately been experimenting with using Portland Gray Deep, Medium, and Light to gray down things, instead of using complements (not always, but sometimes). I use them as a guide for value control, too. I am really pondering now how, exactly, I would paint a muddy river. What combination of colors would I use or how would I lay them down to make it look muddy without making mud? If you can point me to an example, I would be grateful! As I said, I am an abject beginner, so this conversation is terrific for me.

Comment by Stuart J. Gourlay on May 18, 2013 at 15:14: Betsy, Michael was commenting really on the lack of clean color that happens when colors are "grayed down" by adding the complimentary hue to them. This gives grays and browns that are termed "mud". Clean color that has vibrancy is more pleasing to the eye. Also, the water in Monterey Bay inside a breakwater on a sandy and rocky shore would only be "muddy" after an oil spill. The water is translucent with sky reflections and sandy bottom showing through escept during a big, big storm. The presence of the boats sitting calmly in the water and no waves makes the muddy nature of the water read totally opposite to reality. I don't think that Lori wanted the water to come out muddy at all; she just used the wrong color mix. And as you said, it's hard to avoid the mud some days. So when things get real muddy, just scrape off and do it over. Stu

Comment by Betsy Jenkins on May 18, 2013 at 15:04: Michael,

I understand what you mean. Your art is some of the best I have ever seen, and it pays all of us well to pay attention to your advice. I think in this case it might be the computers. I see strokes of yellows and lavenders and greens and blues here. It looks like muddy water with a punch to me.

Someone told me that there was an area of gray in my painting that is an area of lavender-- a mix of purple and white, no gray-- in reality. I wish I really could master color management principles for the computer. I bought a book to help, but I am NOT a techie. I print things out and they don't match the image--not even close!

Anyway, I get what you are saying: I mixed a pile of mud big enough for a bulldozer on my second attempt at this painting, which is on my easel. I had a bad day today with mud! ;-)

Comment by Michael J. Severin on May 18, 2013 at 14:34: Betsy, I was not referring to the condition of the water. I was referring to the color mix. Even if this water is really muddy, a not so muddy MIX would still be in order.

Comment by Betsy Jenkins on May 18, 2013 at 13:57: I like this painting. There is no reason why the water can't be muddy--sometimes it just is that way in the shallows. Muddy water and seaweed aren't necessarily pretty, but they are REAL. On my monitor you have achieved a very good harmony of colors, as I sense that you used the same yellows of the building in the foreground water. It may stray from the way the master has painted it, but I actually like it a lot. I like things to be filled with light. And I like warm colors. That's what you have here-light and warmth. That's what makes this assignment difficult for me--having to mute and gray/blue/green everything down and put values so close I need a second pair of glasses to detect. (Of course, I am older than Methuselah, so hence the need for glasses anyway!) I suppose I will echo the others regarding the pilings. Maybe just a touch more light to give them a little dimension or a little air around them. Very nice. I am jealous!

Comment by Lori Ippolito on May 13, 2013 at 12:20: Thanks very much for the critiques Ann, Vladimir & Michael..you've each touched on issues that troubled me but couldn't quite put my finger on!!! I will take them into account for my next try..off to my paints!!!:)

Comment by Michael J. Severin on May 13, 2013 at 8:57: Hi Lori, your sky and far atmosphere look good, but your water is much to muddy. The rocks (or seaweed?) in the foreground is not very attractive ...better not to have that there at all? The pilings and the shadow are much to dense and dark.....they need some color and atmosphere ..not easy to do......I know. The top floor wall should be close to the same value as the bottom floor wall since it is in shadow. I do not believe the water is fixable unless you can wipe it back down to the canvas ..if you paint on top of the water, you will not achieve the luminosity of that sunlit area. If you do manage to scrape down, repaint the block in with more vibrant color, it will handle the subsequent over painting and not get muddy.