I am trying to get back into painting and have chosen something from my neighborhood - an autumn scene- I love the abstract patterns in the water, the pop of sienna in the focal tree, the diagonals that move the eye through the scene- I am struggling with whether to crop...I think I like the depth in the current view. Onto more thumbnails and then a value study.  I confess, I already started this twice, without the proper process and of course not to my liking.  I must really discipline myself to follow thumbnail, grayscale, color study then painting...AND avoid details in the beginning! I get so caught up in the details (rookie!!) and lose perspective. 

As I'm working from a photo I find myself struggling to identify the color for the yellow tree on the left side ..I think it needs to be YO +BU +W with some YO +W lights..though I also see a bit of green which is why I added a little sap green to the mix in the color study.

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Comment by Lori Ippolito on December 10, 2016 at 5:07

Here's what I came up with over the weekend - planning to try a few more (hopefully within the next few days)

I thought I need a dark tree behind the focal tree for a counterpoint (is that the word?)..The darks create an L shape that leads the eye around the painting ( I added the darks on the right in photoshop..thought it was needed but now I'm thinking it  may interfere with the eye movement - do you get pulled there? If so, those dark need to be toned done (up)..I thought I'd indicate a repetition of the reddish foliage a bit, which actually did occur in the photo and  I found appealing.  I think the "rule " suggests that I add some of that, perhaps in a more grayed down version, in the greens?

Comment by Michael J. Severin on December 4, 2016 at 4:17

Looking forward to seeing the progression of this piece.  I suggested using a vertical format, but now I am not so sure of that!? I do find your horizontal studies interesting.  try a few thumbnails using both vertical and horizontal  format with low and high horizon .. see what you like the best.... whatever you decide, be sure that you do not split the picture into equal halves of trees and water reflections ... your painting will be about the trees or reflections, not both ....BUT, both need to be included in your painting!  Easy stuff, uh?  ... right.

Comment by Lori Ippolito on December 3, 2016 at 22:42
Do you hear me cheering from the east coast? I am feeling very good about this having a plan to follow!! After I wrote about my trouble with thumbnails I thought...well the whole idea is to move things, remove things that aren't needed... get rid of the clutter. I just tend to get stuck on reporting what's in front of me rather than re-creating what's there to improve.. I guess that is part of the learning curve.(I hope!!)
I appreciate the time you've taken to provide a road map for me to follow:)
Thanks my friend!
Comment by Michael J. Severin on December 3, 2016 at 19:41

Yes, that would work.  Think about making an opening of some kind through the background pines so we can see into the meadow.  Now, that thumbnail you have there will not do ...  you have random darks scattered all over the place.  You need to design in such a way that the darks are connected into an interesting pattern .. in your design, you will either have 3/4 more darks, or 3/4 more light ..  not equal dark and light shapes.  Your little thumbnail over there on the left of the color study is actually a pretty good start .. much better then the one you have down there.  In your good thumbnail, you show a dominance of middle value ..good, you have unequal masses .. good.  I suggest you work with that design as a beginning . your on the right track with it.  The first thing you should do is print the reference photo in B/W.  Then take a marker and outline the major masses or major shapes .. they are: The negative shape of the sky, the tree mass on the right, the tree mass on the left .. take out those 2 middle pines .. The meadow that you will now be able to see, the background trees that you will now be able to see, The reflection of the tree mass on the right, the Reflection of the tree mass on the left, the shape of the sky reflection, the shape of the overhanging branch, and the shape of that little red maple? on the left bank.  BTW, try a 10 x 8 vertical format for your study ..bring your horizon down just a wee bit, and not foreground ground .. just water. You can paint a larger version later.  Okay, after you have done this , draw a linear version of your scene .. no shading or anything, just lines.  See if you can use line to give a pleasing design using diagonals to move us INTO the painting ... toward your focal point.  On this linear drawing, you can indicate the various trees on the right ... with just lines.  Make arrows indicating the eye movement along your diagonal lines.  Now, do another sketch .. this time assigning values to your main masses or shapes ...  use only 5 values!!! .. light, mid light, mid, mid dark, and dark ..  Now, try to connect the darks .. they do not all have to physically connected, but close.  Now, paint a black and white study using only the 5 values.  Then paint a color study using your black and white study as your value guide.  In your painting, there will be other values within your main value masses .. just be sure to paint the mail value masses first!  Your color scheme could be ... Violet, green, and Orange; or:  Yellow, Yellow/Orange, Orange, Blue/Violet. or, Blue,  Yellow/Orange, Red/Orange.  In each case, the cool colors would be for the background trees, sky, etc.  The warms for the trees.  Darks would be made from your violet, blue/violet, or Blue + your Yellow/oranges and oranges.  I would do 3 quick color studies trying all 3 schemes .. see which one you like the best?  .. It is not a waste of time because you will be learning as you are doing!! After all that is done, paint your painting!!! ..  Okay, there you go .. good luck and Happy Painting, my friend. :)

Comment by Lori Ippolito on December 3, 2016 at 16:50

Ok I see the light coming from the top left based on shadows from the tree trunks & light on the willow. I HATE thumbnails because to me they all look the same! I need a thumbnail class! 

For background I'm thinking the trees behind the darker firs can be made a pale sap with pale blue edges.  Would that be enough to indicate depth?

Comment by Michael J. Severin on December 2, 2016 at 17:08

Sounds like a plan, Lori!  BTW, the  black and white study is the better of the two ... because it has unequal mass distribution.  Be sure to indicate what direction your light is coming from .. it is a little ambiguous in your photo. Be careful with those dark trees on the left ... to dark of a value .. you will need to impose some atmospheric perspective there.  The problem with this photo is it only has two planes .. foreground and middle ....you will also need to establish the third plane .. the background.  So, get to work on those thumbnails, my friend.

Comment by Lori Ippolito on December 1, 2016 at 18:45
Yes that's the one! Thanks Michael:) (how do you do that?!!!!) trees are so hard for me to paint...I tend to get way too fussy and detailed, so this painting will be quite a challenge. I'm trying to focus on masses of shapes rather than leaves..at least that's the plan!
Comment by Michael J. Severin on December 1, 2016 at 17:20

Hey Lori, I think that yellow tree you are referring to is actually a leaf laden branch from another tree outside the picture plane. It is in shadow .. It is a dark yellow/orange ..Try ochre, crimson, and blue violet .. keep it on the yellow side. Is that the tree you were talking about?

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