Part 3 Project 3 Ex 1

I've made a shortlist of images I might develop and I plan to look at them with the previous post in mind. That is - I will consciously look at the composition rather than let it just happen (or not).

Here the horizon is in the centre and that is solely due to my being sat in the car.  If I stood it would be lower. A way round this would be to crop the sketch and reduce the foreground.

This follows the Rule of Three rather better but I think it loses the expansiveness of the scene and the long sweep of the lane.  It loses the leading lines.  If I use this I'll have to go back and try another sketch and try a different viewpoint.  I might be able to go nearer the hedge as well if the weather improves and I can get out of the car for a few minutes.

Again the horizon is pretty well in the centre but this time there is not such a bend in the lane so the leading lines of the lane are much more vertical.  I can't crop this because I would lose the plastic covered bale and that (and the tree) balances up the hedge and the poles.  Again a site visit is necessary if I am to pursue this sketch.

It is now some time since I wrote the paragraphs above because I've been away and Christmas activities are building up.  I took the opportunity this lovely sunny morning to pay a visit to the place where I made these sketches.  I got out of the car and had a wander up and down and still settled on the view I had sketched.  I took a photo.

I have become very interested in pursuing water colour drawing and I thought I'd have a go at this.  I have learned that water colours need planning so I made a plan that involved working out which panels should be painted first.  I did them in this order:

1. sky
2. tarmac lane
3. green verges
4. far horizon
5. mid distance 
6. hedge
7. the rest

and it worked out OK.

Wintry Landscape

From the point of view of composition I'm fairly happy.  The tones on either side of the lane balance and the power lines and the tree do the same.  The vectors take the viewer through the image to the horizon way in the distance.

The lane was very wet, flooded in parts, and I'm pleased that the water is evident on the road.  I'm also unexpectedly pleased with the deep ditch on the left, it has worked better than I had anticipated.  I like the textures I've managed to achieve but the grass could do with a bit more work.

On reflection I think this piece is a bit too busy for me to manage at my very inexperienced stage.  I have made some crops that simplify things a bit.

Not quite balanced

I still need the tree

I think I prefer the full version.  I enjoyed doing this and I've learned a lot about what's realistic for me to do using the skills I have.