Rock formation sunset

[paullorin]

This painting is currently in progress and fairly early stages, as I have just blocked in the basic shapes of the rock formations.
I've had slight difficulties in the past with creating rocks, and would like any pointers or ideas.

Thank you!

[victorvector]

Hi paullorin.

Rock formations can take on so many forms and shapes.

The silhouette in your picture appears to me to be a little too step like and regular.

It can be very helpful during the planning of your picture to do some quick small value studies in pencil to arrive at a pleasing composition.

I think your range in values between lightest and dark areas could also be increased , particularly in the foreground.

It`s your picture , so you can give yourself all the artistic license you want.

Not my own work , but just to illustrate :

[paullorin]

Thank you for your input and suggestions, as it's always good to hear from other artists.
Attached is the finished painting. As you can see I have quite a lot to learn about proper technique, though enjoyable to paint never the less.

[victorvector]

Ahhh....

That is quite nice.

I particularly liked the light area in the sky circled here :

[victorvector]

This is roughly what I meant by increasing the value scales of the foreground , what do you think ?

[paullorin]

Clever rendering, thank you!

[victorvector]

I forgot to mention that your distant hazy blue background is very good . I took the liberty to add a slightly lighter value to it in the direction of the light source .
I also added a small focus area where the sun is shining through the rock formation to give a focal point to the picture.

I hope you don`t think I`m being too critical here , but they are just my personal thoughts after all. Feel free to discard them as you will.

[paullorin]

It does change the overall scope of my painting, though certainly a fine example of a certain light source and point of view.

[victorvector]

Do you work from photos or plain-aire Paul ?

[paullorin]

I work from memory, from the various trips and drives across the Southwestern Mohave and Sonoran Deserts.
My other subjects include oceanscapes inspired by the central and northern coast of California where I lived for several years, and traveled numerous times.

[ambarsara]

I do not know what to tell you, but I think it's very pretty

[yuli455]

I love the colors ... the drawing itself is very good!

[jenn_iam]

Hi Paullorin,
I like where you are going with this... very good if only from memory.
In addition to the comments you have received already, I would like to suggest to be take a step back, and look at the mountain face on the left. The texture and colors are on the right track; but you may want to decide to add light/shadow, to make it speak more to what is jutting, vs flat, what is forward, vs behind. Right now, all the values are similar - so it really doesn't speak to any dimension as is. If it were my painting, I would consider this greatly but again, the interpretation of realism is yours, and how you want to convey your image.