Oregon Coast 30x40 inches (76 x 102 cm) oil

My largest painting so far. Darn spot on the camera lens!
Comment and critiques welcome.

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Comment by Richard Michael Taylor on May 5, 2014 at 8:39: I agree with your husband that the large center rock being the current focal point. The ledge of rocks and the line of waves on the left leads your eye to it. Plus the nice broken color in that particular rock if very interesting and its juxtaposition of the lighter values against the darker values behind that rock sort of arrests my eye movement.

Over all this is a very pleasing work and I would be like you and would be a little afraid of overworking it.

Comment by Britt Greenland on May 5, 2014 at 8:02: Thank you all for your encouraging comments, Saghi, Colleen, Mahsa, Richard, Stu, and Olivia! Stu, it's funny you mention that because Michael Severin had a similar question for me. I'm not sure where my focal point is....and it's one reason I'm asking for critiques and ideas. My husband (excellent photographer and honest critic) says that as it is now, the central area of rocks seems to be the focal point that he comes back to after eyes going around the painting. Severin suggests that the large farthest rock could be a focal point if punched up a bit (by adding more surf breaking on that rock and by higher contrast of value) or that the nearest wave in the bottom left corner could be a focal point if punched up a bit as well. Part of me wants to make a clear focal point and part of me is too afraid of messing up the emotional element of the scene by making a dramatic change......other opinions appreciated! Stu, see title for size ; ).

Comment by Stuart J. Gourlay on May 5, 2014 at 3:11: Very nice Britt. If some of the most distant rocks are focal zone or your focal point is the most distant group of rocks, you might want to restate some of your highlights on the rocks leading in and water splashing on the rocks and really pop the lights on those rocks. You have a very nice lead in with the rocks and your composition is very dramatic with the dark shadows. You have really done a good job with this painting. How large is it? Stu