Sunday, May 22, 2011

MONOCHROMATIC PALETTE--SUCCESS OR NOT?

This is an exercise in monochromatic palettes.  I had never worked in just black and white with paint, but I wanted to really SEE my lights and darks, work on my contrast, and visually exercise my instincts.  This is a cabin in the Smoky Mountains.  I am really not pleased with my choices with the trees and bushes, but fairly happy with the landscape background.  I also found that when working with a limited palette, your composition needs to be really strong.  This one wasn't so much.   I felt that the tin roof of the cabin was an interesting highlight and kept the painting from getting downright morose.  I struggle every time I do a landscape...they don't come naturally to me at all.  If the place doesn't mean anything to me, it is even harder to get it to work.  I must need an emotional attachment to do it justice.  Hmm...wonder if that goes for the rest of my painting?  Anyway, I did learn to really look for the levels of contrast and highlight, and I believe that tossing out the color brings out a need for stronger composition basics.

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