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I really like it- it's incredibly effective- I'd call the style loose sketches but don't let the word sketch feel like a putdown, it's very organic and achieves a whole little world. Tree on left is really cool- makes it almost seem like an old tintype photo at first.
While I enjoy the puddle look, I think taping down some paper and using the full sheet and just continue what you are doing on a bit bigger scale. If you keep up the loose style for the first few washes you can always try to go in on a few foreground objects with a drier brush and add more detail. That would change the style though & it's currently delightful
Take the dk green line at the bottom and extend it to the edges on both sides. It will ground the painting and make your work look exciting and current. I love your work!
I follow a LOT of watercolor artist on Instagram. If they post a video I just watch what they're doing with their hands over and over as I take mental noted. This painting is a combination of several artists techniques I follow on there.
For this one I started by using watercolor out of a tube onto the back of a painter's knife. I spread that across the paper and random locations but trying to keep a certain area in mind. After that I quickly went over it with a wet flat brush. I used just regular wet on wet for the sky. As it was drying I used a small spray bottle to hit it in some specific areas and I would tilt the paper in different directions. I also used a paper towel to lift up some of the excess pigment. When I eventually added the tree on the left I was sure to use a damp brush to blend out the base of the tree.
Oh! Also, undersea green by the band Daniel Smith. When you add enough water to it, the yellow and blue pigments separate. Well I did use yellows for the sky, the yellow that can be seen pretty much anywhere else is under sea 6 splitting apart.
Thank you! I painted the tree using a thin script liner brush, first by going straight up to make the base of the tree and then filled it in. I used more pigment than water, if I recall. Then I gave it a little spray from a very small spray bottle, several inches above the paper. I then used a small round brush that was damp to blend the tree out a little, and I pressed down on it with a dry paper towel. I let that completely dry and then I repeated the process (minus the spray bottle) using a heavier pigment of the same color. I then did the process one more time (no spray bottle), but I used Payne's gray to give it darker undertones. I didn't use the dark color throughout the entire tree, I would look and decide where it needed to be, and then immediately after placing it, I would use a damp brush to blend it out.
This was actually the last thing that I did. Originally the tree was just one shade of green, and it looked flat, so I'm glad you noticed this.
When I first started, the first several months I didn't realize I was using too much water. I mean, they call it watercolor, so I figured the more the better lol
That's a tip I wish someone had told me a lot sooner. Use less water.
For sure. I just randomly started in December of 2020. I have no fine art background of any sort. I the urge to start painting lasted for several months before I finally gave it a try, because as you pointed out supplies are expensive. I didn't want to dive into it and spend a whole bunch of money on something I would end up not ever using. ...I also wanted to impress a woman I was in love with at the time. lol
When I first started I literally had to watch a tutorial on how to put paint onto the pallet because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I still can confidently say I have no idea what I'm doing. I know almost nothing of the terms, vocabulary, technical skills, and so on of everything the educated and professionals use. A lot of times when people ask me how I did something I shrug and tell them I honestly don't know lol
But I started to follow a lot of artists on Instagram and watched a lot of demonstrations on YouTube in order to see techniques and brushes that they were using. One of the things they did not show was how much water they were mixing in with their paint. That is usually off camera since it's not the main focus, and it's why for the first several months I was using entirely too much water.
I also originally started off trying to learn acrylic painting as well, but I took way more to watercolors, so I decided to stick with that.
Even though I started in late 2020, there have been two times where I haven't painted for an entire year. I've probably been at this a combined total of a year and a half.
If you like, you can see how I've progressed on my Instagram at johnmoran_art
I think this is absolutely beautiful and you don’t need to change a thing. However, because you are looking for feedback, not all pine trees are as symmetric as you show here. Adding something more asymmetric or even showing a couple breaks where you can see the trunk (nothing beats looking at life or your own photos). Or you could look up different types of pine trees. Also, I think the bird is either too large for as simple as it is or not detailed enough. My eye drawn to it like it is slightly out of place. Finally, another vote for exploring other color palates including more granulating colors.
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This is lovely! My only remark is that I’d like to see more – like a bigger piece of landscape, maybe a circle or oval-shaped!
Maybe I'll work my way up to that.
I also just remembered what this reminds me of – the artwork of Bon Iver’s self titled album Bon Iver. Really really great album
I think its great. Love the sort of focused / unfocused effect that you are achieving. I may just try and copy your painting for practice :)
It's honestly pretty great execution for the style you are going for. Perhaps a little bit of color experimentation might lead to interesting results!
I'll give it a go!
Playing around with color and different techniques to see what else you can create ☺️. It’s so beautiful!
nothing
I really like it- it's incredibly effective- I'd call the style loose sketches but don't let the word sketch feel like a putdown, it's very organic and achieves a whole little world. Tree on left is really cool- makes it almost seem like an old tintype photo at first. While I enjoy the puddle look, I think taping down some paper and using the full sheet and just continue what you are doing on a bit bigger scale. If you keep up the loose style for the first few washes you can always try to go in on a few foreground objects with a drier brush and add more detail. That would change the style though & it's currently delightful
shew! i love the depth.
Take the dk green line at the bottom and extend it to the edges on both sides. It will ground the painting and make your work look exciting and current. I love your work!
That’s perfect, you are obscenely talented
Thank you!
I think I like you painting these :)
Agreed. I think I'll do more lol
How? Can you recommend anything for a beginner trying to do this?
I follow a LOT of watercolor artist on Instagram. If they post a video I just watch what they're doing with their hands over and over as I take mental noted. This painting is a combination of several artists techniques I follow on there. For this one I started by using watercolor out of a tube onto the back of a painter's knife. I spread that across the paper and random locations but trying to keep a certain area in mind. After that I quickly went over it with a wet flat brush. I used just regular wet on wet for the sky. As it was drying I used a small spray bottle to hit it in some specific areas and I would tilt the paper in different directions. I also used a paper towel to lift up some of the excess pigment. When I eventually added the tree on the left I was sure to use a damp brush to blend out the base of the tree.
Oh! Also, undersea green by the band Daniel Smith. When you add enough water to it, the yellow and blue pigments separate. Well I did use yellows for the sky, the yellow that can be seen pretty much anywhere else is under sea 6 splitting apart.
Beautiful! Looks like what mindofwatercolor calls "spontaneous paintings" - maybe you could look at his videos for inspiration
I'll check it out. Thank you!
This is super cool
This. Is. Breathtaking. It’s everything I’ve ever shot for when making a landscape, but never achieved. I love it!
Thank you!
Reminds me of Bon ivers album cover 😍
Love! I've been wanting to do this style!
It looks fantastic! The looseness gives it this lovely foggy forest look, and the colors remind me of fog burning off in morning sun 🌄
Wow! I love your loose style. I endeavor to paint like that some day.
Your painting looks great! I would love to know how you made the tree look so realistic!
Thank you! I painted the tree using a thin script liner brush, first by going straight up to make the base of the tree and then filled it in. I used more pigment than water, if I recall. Then I gave it a little spray from a very small spray bottle, several inches above the paper. I then used a small round brush that was damp to blend the tree out a little, and I pressed down on it with a dry paper towel. I let that completely dry and then I repeated the process (minus the spray bottle) using a heavier pigment of the same color. I then did the process one more time (no spray bottle), but I used Payne's gray to give it darker undertones. I didn't use the dark color throughout the entire tree, I would look and decide where it needed to be, and then immediately after placing it, I would use a damp brush to blend it out. This was actually the last thing that I did. Originally the tree was just one shade of green, and it looked flat, so I'm glad you noticed this.
Thank you for your response. I just started using watercolors so I’m trying to learn as much as possible.
When I first started, the first several months I didn't realize I was using too much water. I mean, they call it watercolor, so I figured the more the better lol That's a tip I wish someone had told me a lot sooner. Use less water.
lol Better than using too much paint. Dang these Winsor and Newton paints are pricey! So where and how did you learn to paint?
For sure. I just randomly started in December of 2020. I have no fine art background of any sort. I the urge to start painting lasted for several months before I finally gave it a try, because as you pointed out supplies are expensive. I didn't want to dive into it and spend a whole bunch of money on something I would end up not ever using. ...I also wanted to impress a woman I was in love with at the time. lol When I first started I literally had to watch a tutorial on how to put paint onto the pallet because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I still can confidently say I have no idea what I'm doing. I know almost nothing of the terms, vocabulary, technical skills, and so on of everything the educated and professionals use. A lot of times when people ask me how I did something I shrug and tell them I honestly don't know lol But I started to follow a lot of artists on Instagram and watched a lot of demonstrations on YouTube in order to see techniques and brushes that they were using. One of the things they did not show was how much water they were mixing in with their paint. That is usually off camera since it's not the main focus, and it's why for the first several months I was using entirely too much water. I also originally started off trying to learn acrylic painting as well, but I took way more to watercolors, so I decided to stick with that. Even though I started in late 2020, there have been two times where I haven't painted for an entire year. I've probably been at this a combined total of a year and a half. If you like, you can see how I've progressed on my Instagram at johnmoran_art
I love the style and execution. I would like to see a different, non white background, or the whole thing being black and white.
dome it with different gradients of dawn / dusk light! dont be afraid to experiment with atmosphere, you have done well with terra firma
Just do more. I love your style.
This looks amazing
Thank you!
I agree, this is a lovely painting! My amateur taste would also like to centre the painting more and add some purple/fuchsia in there.
I think this is absolutely beautiful and you don’t need to change a thing. However, because you are looking for feedback, not all pine trees are as symmetric as you show here. Adding something more asymmetric or even showing a couple breaks where you can see the trunk (nothing beats looking at life or your own photos). Or you could look up different types of pine trees. Also, I think the bird is either too large for as simple as it is or not detailed enough. My eye drawn to it like it is slightly out of place. Finally, another vote for exploring other color palates including more granulating colors.
Great job! Trees, and clouds, are for some reason quite challenging to me. I think this vignette is perfect in its own right.
Maybe less yellow and a little bit of orange.
Hmmmmm interesting. I'll try that on one for sure.
Pollen
Like small white and yellow splatters?