'Nantucket Dunes' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis
'Nantucket Beach Dreams' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis
You have a nice photo that you want to paint. But it just nice....nothing special or exciting. How can you make it have more impact? Change the horizon! Take a good look at that reference photo. Where is the horizon? If it is right in the middle than move it up or down....or do a painting with each point of view. It is usually not a good composition with the picture divided in half. You don't want equal emphasis on the sky and the land. That is boring and often the viewer isn't sure where to look first.
PS Both paintings are done on Pastelmat paper which I will be reviewing here this week so be sure to sign up for updates.
- Spice things up by choosing what you want to be more important. When I look at a scene one of the first things I decide is if I want the painting to be about the sky or about what's happening on the ground. Each choice will have an entirely different mood and feeling. I like to do thumbnail sketched and try out my choices. It is challenging to break away from a literal interpretation of the photo but a simple change of horizon will open up many possibilities for a more interesting painting.
PS Both paintings are done on Pastelmat paper which I will be reviewing here this week so be sure to sign up for updates.
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