Venice

[lori99320]

I'd really love some fresh eyes on this. I've been working on it for so long I'm not sure if it needs more/less or what! Thanks so much for any feedback.

[jmac]

This is very well done. The only "critic" I might offer is it looks a little flat. But this may be the look you want in which case my comments don't matter. You may want to deepen the shadows a bit and brighten the highlights to add a little more contrast and a sense of the time of day. Or not, and leave it as it is. The colors are very nice. I like the attention to detail and the skill you show in presenting the architectural forms.

[Enug]

Wow! What attention to detail. Looking at the large image I can see I could learn a lot from your rendering of the water. It looks perfect to me.

[lori99320]

Thank you both, Enug and jmac, for the kind words! I think I will try some more contrast, highlights and lowlights. That may be just what is needed to bring this a bit more alive. Again, thanks! After looking at this for so long it was difficult to get any perspective.

[Victor Osaka]

Beautiful. It sounds like you would like a bit more impact. I'd like you to try adding a layer blend to add sunset glow from the left. and a shadows layer. be sure to reflect in the water.

[lori99320]

Beautiful. It sounds like you would like a bit more impact. I'd like you to try adding a layer blend to add sunset glow from the left. and a shadows layer. be sure to reflect in the water.

I'm sorry to say, I have no idea how to really work the blend layers. I just don't use them much. My painting has a bunch of layers so I picked the water layer and tried the blend modes, both highlight and shadow. Highlight didn't do anything and shadow turned it totally black. Guess I need to study up on that. But I've been painting in some highlights and darkened the shadows some.

[Enug]

I think Victor had a good idea with the blend modes. To experiment with them you could work on a merged copy of your painting. You can apply a blend mode to the whole image or using the selection tool with feathered edges, you could apply the bend mode to parts of the painting. I hope you don't mind that I used your image for this example - I duplicated the image and applied a Soft Light blend mode to the top layer only. It gives it a bit more 'punch'. You may not want that effect but it's a suggestion on how blend modes can help.

[lori99320]

I think Victor had a good idea with the blend modes. To experiment with them you could work on a merged copy of your painting. You can apply a blend mode to the whole image or using the selection tool with feathered edges, you could apply the bend mode to parts of the painting. I hope you don't mind that I used your image for this example - I duplicated the image and applied a Soft Light blend mode to the top layer only. It gives it a bit more 'punch'. You may not want that effect but it's a suggestion on how blend modes can help.

Hmmmmmm...I merged the painting (saved it under another name) went to Layer Options, Blend Mode, Soft Light and it turns my painting completely white. Well, there are some textures there but no color at all. I tried it using the selection tool and still the entire painting turns white. Obviously I'm not doing something right! Even tried it on a layer on my unmerged painting and got the same thing...a totally white layer.

[Enug]

Did you duplicate the image so that you have two layers and apply the blend mode to the top layer only? Some blend modes work better with another layer below - in fact, when playing with abstract images I will have a different image as the second layer to get some interesting effects. I went thru all the blend modes and none turned the image white.

[lori99320]

Did you duplicate the image so that you have two layers and apply the blend mode to the top layer only? Some blend modes work better with another layer below - in fact, when playing with abstract images I will have a different image as the second layer to get some interesting effects. I went thru all the blend modes and none turned the image white.

That was the problem...needed to do a top layer. YAY!! Also, I think I needed to shut down and reboot the program because it isn't turning layers totally white today. Anyway, I went back to my layered painting and did "soft light" on some layers, and darkened one. Went back in and erased some of the "soft light" to add a little more texture and here is what I came up with. I think this is where I will leave this painting (finally) and may print it on canvas.

Thanks again for all critiques and help!!!