Rookie gallery - Learning by doing

[Mordred]

Starting this thread as a place to post my future paintings, instead of starting a new one for each little piece.

I am mainly here to learn, so any and all constructive criticism, input and suggestions are very much appreciated.
Please have a look, and let me know what you think.
Thank you.


The main points of this one was to:

• Try out a new brush of painting grass/undergrowth
• Play with the light

(click for bigger)

[eighty+]

HI Mordred i like it very good but don't take notice as I'm only an old Bodger

[Enug]

I'm not qualified to critique but in my eyes, you achieved what you wanted with the lighting and grass brush. I'll be knocking on your door for lessons.

[D Akey]

Color's great. Lighting too. And all the various textures and effects.

All that would obliterate the need for a critique, but since you requested something, I will comment that the main tree is either one of those trees from imagination or someplace exotic or it's not right to my eye. You attention to detail everywhere else is so attentive that I figure you meant it to look like that. But that tree trunk looks more like the way someone would do rock that has been eroded by rain water over time. Were I doing it, I would round the overall form to make it feel like an overall cylindrical tree trunk shape with some texture on it rather than the fissures stealing the show. I would turn it a bit more gradually.

Anyway, the scene resembles an old school Disney style animation background like from The Sword in the Stone. And it's more than a little successful overall. If you're a beginner as you claim, you're a prodigy. Just remember Modred, lad, it's always hard on the kids when mom and dad have a falling out.

Really great work. Masterful on so many levels.

[HwyStar]

Nice work Mordred!

[Caesar]

... apparently little to learn left ... Great!

[Mordred]

Thank you for the encouragement everyone.

@D Akey because he always leaves genuine useful advice:

I agree the center tree is definitely the weakest point. I'll excuse myself with my inability to paint believably textured trees. I think my next painting will focus on trees. I could most certainly use some practice, and need to play around with different techniques for bark and tree trunks. Foliage as well to be honest.

I very much appreciate your input, and hope you will take the time to comment on the piece I post today as well as a future more serious attempt at a realistic tree.

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This one basically started with the idea "How about something red?". Unfortunately I think I painted myself into a corner composition wise by starting with the foreground arc and rocks. I was unable to save it without basically starting over, so i just went with it, and tried a few new things, like the mist. How does it look?

(click for bigger)


As always, I'd very much appreciate input, advice and critique. I am doing this to learn how to paint, and having other people help finding the mistakes/weak points is a great way of improving.

Thank you.

[D Akey]

The composition looks good. I like the way you did the colors and how it separates the planes.

An area of improvement might be how you design the rocks (and textures of bark on trees and so forth). It might be good for you to collect some reference of textures like rocks, rock formations, tree barks, and so on so you could design and fake it better around whatever compositional design you create.

It's challenging, but with rocks it's usually most interesting is where you can break up the areas in interesting size relations -- large areas with directional lines and small accents. The endpoint you probably want to get to is where you have at least one go-to way to do them convincingly and artistically that you can plug in. Think design principles about grouping in various ways with variety to a clever relationship and so on.

And after that you can play around with dramatic lighting, where you're staging it.

Anyway, hope this makes sense.

Still doing great work with just a few weaker areas that once you get your head wrapped around it, you're going to be doing everything spectacularly.

[Caesar]

Another good sketch able to become a wonderful fantasy scenario.
The composition and aerial perspective seem to work. since it takes the eye around, but keeps it into the painting in its elliptical path and gives some sense of depth.
To enhance the latter You may either define better the close range features (more details and resolution, which is possibly the best option) or focus more on the far field ....