Sunset at Christmas

oil on canvas 8 x 10 inch

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Comment by Walda Juhl on December 25, 2013 at 15:40: I like your painting, Xiao and I , too, would like to learn how to post the reference photo so that it is with my painting. I posted mine with my photos but it gets mixed up with other paintings and is not next to my paintings. Oh, well, give us another couple years & we'll get it figured out, hey?

Comment by Xiao Li on December 17, 2013 at 16:24: Hi Ann, this is in north central Florida. We are having pretty good weather here, but it is going to be getting cold tonight.

Comment by Xiao Li on December 17, 2013 at 16:22: No,no Michael, I am the one should be apologizing. I am the one who are making this too complicated. You never need to apologize because your expertise is really very welcome here!!

I want to put the reference photo here, but I could not past it. I will post it in Photos.

I do think your suggestion on putting the winder in the center as the focal point is very good one, and to make the sky more bright and warm also very good. I have re-touched the painting a little bit, and I am reposting it following the reference photo. It may still not quite right. Critiques are quite welcome!

Comment by Ann Turner on December 17, 2013 at 15:41: This is a great discussion. I do like your creative thinking on catching a sunset reflection. I'm not sure where this is but it could be a house on my street. All I see are trees and houses not even a pretty sky peeking through this time of year we are having a temp inversion so grey yuck sky.

Comment by Michael J. Severin on December 17, 2013 at 13:57: Hi Xiao. I apologize for my misleading suggestions. I did not realize the sun was behind the house. If that is the case, then forget what I suggested!!! But, if this is the case, your sky would be very light and warm (yellow, white, a little red, a little blue). Your tree and tree trunks would be much darker, and warmer. I don't think I can give any more advice without seeing the original photo? ..I would just be doing a lot of guessing and confusing you (and myself!).

Comment by Silvana M Albano on December 17, 2013 at 10:21: All this discussion is extremely interesting!!!! I will certainly follow this!

Comment by Xiao Li on December 17, 2013 at 6:39: Thank you Michael and Jon for the thoughtful inputs. In this case, the sun was actually behind the house, at 10 o'clock location. That is why the leaves on the tree behind the house were light up more than the house itself and warmer. The sun was not actually on the house, but because it made such bright orange color on the sky, the windows were reflecting the color of the sky not the sun. The trees in the front of the house were in shadow, so the leaves were kind of cool in temperature. May be I should make the leaves behind the house more warmer to contrast the cool leaves in front? I will try to Photoshop it a little to see what should I do to implement Michael's suggestion. Thank you again for the great feedback and suggestions.

Comment by Jon Main on December 17, 2013 at 5:52: I agree with Michael - good concept! Are the windows reflecting sunlight or showing lights lit within the house? Reflecting sunlight, I guess? Maybe you need to make extend the dark areas?

Comment by Michael J. Severin on December 17, 2013 at 3:39: Hi Xiao, A real good concept here Xiao. On this painting, your lights on the trees,ground, and house, could be a little warmer. Keep your shadows cool the way they are now. That is because you are showing warm light in the windows. The window on the right, although I know that reflected light looks good, is too overwhelming and draws you eye to that spot. Better to put that light on the OTHER window ..as your focal point. Tone down that other window with more dark reflections and a few tree branches..and put more light into the other window. Maybe reflect the bright sun into the window ..just under the dark tree .. You have a real good opportunity to showcase WARM against COOL ..with the warm being dominant. To simplify what I am suggesting: YOUR COLOR in the LIGHT: You have correct HUE, good VALUE, but incorrect TEMPERATURE. All of your elements that are being hit by the light, should have the same warm hues as your windows ..the grass, the flowers, tree trunks......everything in the light ...should be warm.