Rocky Meadow 11x11
Hello and welcome to Tonalist painting with M Francis McCarthy.
Today's painting is 'Rocky Meadow' 11x11.
Our video features the progression of this painting from its early underpainting stages on up through the final finishing brushwork. Also featured is my usual rambling narration, so please check it out.
Today, I would like to talk about how it is much easier to fail at landscape painting than it is to succeed. I suppose this is true of any endeavor that we pursue, but since I am a landscape painter and this is an area where I have some expertise, this is what we will be discussing today.
Here's a list of some of the great ways you can fail at landscape painting.
These are off the top of my head and I could probably find just as many by going through the work of some amateurs. This is not to put down amateurs, I myself have failed by making all of the above mistakes and many more, many times, and in some cases far more recently than I care to admit.
This might seem like a negative approach to teaching about landscape painting but sometimes the best way to learn is by knowing what to avoid. Most people prefer the opposite teaching method where everything is positive but being a good artist requires honesty, both with yourself and with your audience.
Some might say that a list of ways to succeed would be nice as well but let's face it when you're succeeding it's because none of these things were wrong. There are times when you might have one or more of these issues with a painting and it still is okay. However, there is little doubt that the painting would be better if you avoided these pitfalls.
M Francis McCarthy
Landscapepainter.co.nz
A bit about 'Rocky Meadow' 11x11; I did this painting last year in August and of the series of paintings I did at that time, this is one of the few I was very pleased with. It is no longer with me it's on its way to a gallery in the United States where I'm hopeful that it will find a wonderful home.
I feel this painting succeeds on a lot of different levels. It has a good composition, good color, nice texture and nice aerial perspective. I wish they all came out this well.
To see more of my work, visit my site here
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| ''Rocky Meadow' by M Francis McCarthy, 11x11 Oil Painting on Wood Panel |
Our video features the progression of this painting from its early underpainting stages on up through the final finishing brushwork. Also featured is my usual rambling narration, so please check it out.
Today, I would like to talk about how it is much easier to fail at landscape painting than it is to succeed. I suppose this is true of any endeavor that we pursue, but since I am a landscape painter and this is an area where I have some expertise, this is what we will be discussing today.
Here's a list of some of the great ways you can fail at landscape painting.
- Bad composition.
- Garish color.
- Bad color combinations.
- Brushwork that is inept.
- Brushwork that is too thick and catches the light.
- Bad drawing.
- Incorrect proportions.
- Bad composition (I know it's here twice but this is the number one place people fail).
- Overworked painting.
- Areas of the painting that are incomplete or messy compared to other areas of the painting.
- Too much sky.
- Too little sky.
- Horizon too high.
- Horizon too low.
- Incorrect perspective.
- Poor balance.
These are off the top of my head and I could probably find just as many by going through the work of some amateurs. This is not to put down amateurs, I myself have failed by making all of the above mistakes and many more, many times, and in some cases far more recently than I care to admit.
This might seem like a negative approach to teaching about landscape painting but sometimes the best way to learn is by knowing what to avoid. Most people prefer the opposite teaching method where everything is positive but being a good artist requires honesty, both with yourself and with your audience.
Some might say that a list of ways to succeed would be nice as well but let's face it when you're succeeding it's because none of these things were wrong. There are times when you might have one or more of these issues with a painting and it still is okay. However, there is little doubt that the painting would be better if you avoided these pitfalls.
M Francis McCarthy
Landscapepainter.co.nz
A bit about 'Rocky Meadow' 11x11; I did this painting last year in August and of the series of paintings I did at that time, this is one of the few I was very pleased with. It is no longer with me it's on its way to a gallery in the United States where I'm hopeful that it will find a wonderful home.
I feel this painting succeeds on a lot of different levels. It has a good composition, good color, nice texture and nice aerial perspective. I wish they all came out this well.
To see more of my work, visit my site here
 |
| ''Rocky Meadow' by M Francis McCarthy, 11x11 (Detail) |
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| ''Rocky Meadow' by M Francis McCarthy, 11x11 (Detail 2) |