Friday, September 3, 2010

Figures


Adding figures to compositions not only adds interest, it also can extend a shape into an otherwise boring area.  In this painting out at Ocean Point, the figures help to break up a straight unbroken line and jut into a large area that, without them, would be very static. 
Practice painting figures so that including them is not labored and out of character with the rest of the looseness of your painting.

2 comments:

  1. Carol, when you paint your evergreen trees, do you use a flat brush?

    Ted

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  2. Ted, On the trunks I tend to use a fast stroke with a flat brush. After that I use a very dry brush and push outward from the trunk to form the clumps of needles. Every time I pick up more paint, I modify the color--warm to cool, cool to warm--so that there isn't a flat feeling. Only after the clumps are there to I pick out some branches with a rigger. Thanks for your readership! Carol

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