Monday, March 19, 2012

House among the Birches - REWORKED!

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
Available through DPW gallery/auction

This top one is the reworked version - the original is below. I like this reworked a lot better. Besides bringing the left birch trees into the foreground by putting them in front of the fence, I also opened the gate up, which makes it more inviting. I added more shadows & more highlights on the house & ground. I also darkened the fence on both the left & right hand sides so that it's not so pronounced where it goes off the edge of the canvas. Partly to put the edges of the fence in shade, and also to not draw the viewers eye to the edges. What do you think about the rework?


Is one of the rules of painting to never cut across the canvas? If so, then I broke that rule with this painting - LOL! But I actually like how the fence cuts across this. It separates me from the scene, and yet, there is a walkway on the right & a gate. So I'm not completely shut out!

This is my second painting for this months VPO in St. Petersburg, Russia. I found this house, tucked back in with the birch trees and it captured my imagination. I could imagine walking through that gate, and a life and world on the other side of that fence. The link to the original Google view can be seen here.




6 comments:

Autumn Leaves said...

Oh wow, Nan!! This is just so beautiful! I would love a house like this one and I'm dying to see inside!! I honestly was surprised to know you found this gem in Russia. I didn't realize their homes looked so much like those you find here in the U. S.

Jean Nelson Paintings and Photography said...

Very nice Nan. As for the fence, I agree, it is too much a part of the scene and sometimes 'rules' are meant to be broken. Just a thought - maybe the gate could be standing open inviting the viewer in. In any event, I like this painting very much, as is. Good work, as usual.

Nan Johnson said...

Thank you both! Jean - I like your idea of the gate open. I also like my friends idea to move the trunk of the left tree to in front of the fence. I may rework this painting a bit & see what it becomes. I'll post any updates I do.

Jean Nelson Paintings and Photography said...

Absolutely love all the changes you made. They all work to bring a very good painting up to an outstanding one. Super job, Nan.

Jane said...

It's incredible how little changes can change so much, the painting was very good before, but I can see how it gained more now. Bravo!

William Cook said...

Nice work. I like the open gate...very inviting.

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