Backdrop at Mason Park Bridge

[Sumpter250]

Gary, When you are finished with this backdrop.......go search your Geneology.......Rembrandt, or one of the other masters has to be back there somewhere.

The stippling "practice" looks great.....just a reminder,...don't "overdetail" the background ( the structures are great ), the eye should be drawn to the foreground. Motion Picture matte paintings really don't have much detail, but when watching the movie, the mind sees all the detail that's not there. When you really look closely at an oil painting, it's more blobs of color than one would think.

There's just something about watching someone excel, at what they are trying to do.........

[Gary S]

S-2-fitty, I am having a difficult time determining how much detail to include and how much to leave out. One thing that is nagging at me is since the layout in this area is about 90% water and 10% bridge, the backdrop may need more detail to keep the scene interesting. I have gone back to Mike C's backdrops that were linked to in another thread - they are very surreal and represent a cold gloomy day, with mostly darker colors and haze. It is some great work and really conveys the mood. Unfortunately, I've got a bright sunny day to deal with, and this also pushes me to more detail.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the concept of minimalization on the backdrop, but as I do the painting, wihtout even thinking, I find myself paying attention to the small details. And there is the dividing line between "artist" and "duplicator". The artist can look at the photos and determine what it is that defines the scene, and leave the rest out. I'm not to that point yet.

I did read that one way to develop that skill is to place the photo in a photoshop program, and then increase the contrast greatly while varying the brightness. This helps show the basic areas of the photo. I need to do that, practice looking at stuff, and determining the basic elements of the scene. I tell you, I do have a newfound respect for artists.

Okay...

So here are the real photos:

   

And with the trunks from last night:

   

And with a medium green stippled on, mainly across the horizontal middle of the painted area:

   

The stippled on lighter green at the top, and darker green at the bottom:

   

Then used the photo to stipple on an even lighter yellow green in places where the foliage is bright and stands out, and used a thin black wash to darken some areas under the foliage as per the photos. I still need to do more of the shadows and highlights. Also still need to do the foliage on the pine trees.

   

Now... because this thing could go on forever, adding this, touching up that, I am asking you guys to give some constructive criticism. What do I need to work on? Suggestions please! I haven't put the light blue washes on yet which will haze things out and blend them in a bit, and add some distance. One thing that I notice is the light blue house on the right. Needs some work....

[Gary S]

Added some shadows, the pine tree foliage, and a general touching up here and there:

   

I don't like the water. Taking suggestions on what to do with it....

[Steamtrains]

OK, here goes....
Those trees are Fantastic..!!

Now....The contrast between your foreground color and the backdrop is too marked, and too "sudden". You have a drier area up front and a "country-club" green in the background and there is no transition between the two.
Also...I've been scratching my head at what that "wihitish" streak is between the canal water and the ground beyond it. If it's the canal bank, it should be a darker color, much like the shore line you have in the foreground. If it's not the bank...I don't know what it's doing there.... :oops:

Whtever may or may not be...It's looking really GREAT..!!

[Herc Driver]

Gary - no doubt about it...you got some skills!

Great work on painting that backdrop. Really first rate painting...I know it's not "done" yet, but you could stop right where you are and it would look great. I bet I'm writing for a lot of us who would really like to possess the skill with a paint brush that you have.

[P5se Camelback]

Let me suggest that you walk away now ...

... do something else ...

... and come back to revisit it later.

You will have "fresh eyes."

[Gary S]

Gus, thank you for the suggestions and questions. This is exactly what I need - other eyes besides mine to point out things I may overlook.

On the white line, here is a photo of the real thing.

   

Now, in my zeal, I may have made it too white. And actually, perhaps it doesn't need to be there at all. It is not so much important that I follow the real thing exactly, what is more important is that visitors feel that what is there looks plausible. Maybe I should go over the line with a dark wash or some brownish paint?

Edit: Gus, as I was thinking about this, I needed to make sure we are talking about the same thing. In the photo below, the red arrow points to a thin whitish line that is similar to the real thing. This is like a little sand bank with a lot of light reflecting from it. On the other hand, the black arrow points to what is supposed to be reflected light from the distant water. Which one were you referring to?

   

On the foreground/background junction, the 3D grass was just an experiment from awhile back after I had finished the bridge and wanted to try out the homemade static grass appliicator. I'll be adding more static grass to what is there, and perhaps even put some paint down, and hopefully I can match the colors better. There will also be some trees higher up to camoflage the junction. Thank you for pointing it out, as now it is filed away in my brain and I will pay close attention to that when I do the 3D scenery.

Gus, thanks again for pointing these things out, as it really helps!

[Ralph]

That is really wonderful work. You've extended your layout out into the world! The eye will easily believe the illusion that there are miles behind your backdrop!
Ralph

[Gary S]

Great work on painting that backdrop. Really first rate painting...I know it's not "done" yet, but you could stop right where you are and it would look great. I bet I'm writing for a lot of us who would really like to possess the skill with a paint brush that you have.

Thanks for the compliments, Herc. Good to see you on Big Blue, hope everything is going well.

On the skills, I'm gonna say that anyone could do this. It just takes some practice and some thought, and it doesn't hurt to have someone with experience to talk with about the subject. It's one of those things that if you really want it, you'll get it.

[Gary S]

Let me suggest that you walk away now ... do something else ... and come back to revisit it later.

biL, I will be away for a few days, so I'll have fresh eyes later this week.

But, I am heading back out to the layout room right now to add a blue wash over the entire thing....

[MasonJar]

Added some shadows, the pine tree foliage, and a general touching up here and there:

   

I don't like the water. Taking suggestions on what to do with it....

When I first looked at this, I was sure that the step was "never-mind the painting, just use the original photo as the backdrop".

Outstanding work Gary!


Andrew

[Gary S]

Ralph, Andrew, thank you for the compliments. Any suggestions on the water? Maybe have less light color, move the dark color up higher?

[Gary S]

Oh... Gus.... I am thinking about doing a tan wash over the grass on the backdrop bank to tone down the green.

[P5se Camelback]

Notice, when you are deciding what to do with the "very light line" along the shoreline in the distance ...

... there is a reflected shore bank in the water that is darker than the water just to this side, (taking into account the other reflections in the water, which are probably not necessary to duplicate here.) Also, the color of the water doesn't exactly "fade" like the grass and trees on the far shoreline as it recedes into the distance, as it is a combination of the "colors" of the water with the color of the sky reflected off of its surface. [Look at the color of the water "in between" the reflections of objects along the shore.]

Also, understand that, due to their actual "colorlessness," transparent and reflective qualities, water and glass are the two most difficult "objects" to represent in two dimensions.

[Gary S]

Just so everyone is on the same page... I edited my reply to Gus as follows:

Which white line are we talking about? The tiny little line right up under the bank as in the red arrow, or the big white horizontal line which is supposed to be water in the distance, as in the black arrow?