Left side trees are refined

They are not as good as I want them to be. But I would say ok and don't want to touch any more. Because it would lose consistency of colors if I overworked this area.

Next, I need to work on the trees on the right side. And then the tallest one.

Another 'Ah-ha' Moment

   This is not something you can get without attending a workshop like the last one. After somewhat satisfied with the shapes of cows, I boldly mixed the highlighted colors of the front cow. I originally thought they were quite off from the actual colors, but they weren't. I used a lots of cad orange and applied the mixture with bold short & straight brushstrokes, just like Ned's. This is what I wanted to do for quite some time! As the result, the cow is more lively and the painting is vibrating. I think another important point was these strokes/colors were applied in wet-in-wet fashion. This is another key point.

Background is almost done

  Worked on the background. It's almost done. I wanted to finish this part before forgetting what I've learned at the workshop last week. I might come back and make things darker or lighter depending on the balance with mid/foreground. But it would be at the final stage. Now I need to work on the main subjects.

A couple of color adjustments

One more update for today. After Ned's workshop over the weekend, I looked at this piece first time tonight. Then the yellow grass in the foreground annoyed me a lot. I needed to knock it down by painting over with a little less bright/intense color. Then made the barn a little darker. And then made the mountains in the background much more grayer with lighter values. I touched the front hill as well but it's still greener that I wanted it to be. Finally I added more shadow part to the center-lower-yellow-green tree, next to the barn.

Ned Mueller's workshop

Ok, I did it again. This time it was hosted at Rockwater Art Center in Poulsbo, WA, Fri-Sun. Totally 7 students attended to his 3 day workshop. As usual (like last time) landscape with and without figures and portrait were subject matters. The Photo above left, I started drawing then painting the face but he took over and mostly finished. The one above right is however all by myself. I still couldn't determine the right value relationship for the areas. Also brushstroke was the problem.

The next two photos below was the most interesting part and what I've learned through this workshop. The photo on the left is a little unfocused but still can show what I've done myself on the second day. I think I got values mostly right. Including shapes and colors. Then on the last day after his demo, I asked him how he would finish this piece. The result is on the right. He enhanced color of the cow in the center and put clear shapes of ears, eye and nostril. He also touched the foreground and added more colors and brushstrokes. This is something I wanted to steal from him. As you can see, although not much big changes were made, the right side is more "completed". Right? I'll try applying this to "Family Time" :)

 

 

I changed the colors on the background mountains/hills, sky, and the highlighted trees. I know they're a little bit over exaggerated. But I'm experimenting something I haven't done before by taking some risks. It might give me an opportunity stepping forward. I hope....

Worked on the pasture and touched up a little bit on cows. I don't think I can improve much more on this part. I need to get back to the background mountains/hills and trees next.

 

Filling up canvas with values

Trying to fill out the entire canvas with similar to final values except for lightest light. At the same time adjusting shapes of the front cow. It's already started showing the depth. I probably need to push a little more the shadow part darker on the ground.

First of October

This is the first update of this month, October. I'm trying to determine how sharp the contrast between lighted area and shadow area should be in this painting. Behind the cows, the middle ground are in the shadow. Then further back ground is in light. And the cows are right in sunshine. Also I'm wondering how I could paint the atmosphere surrounding the cattle.