Here we go...
 

Well, I welcome all critiques and suggestions. This is my first real oil painting of figure/landscape. It is a big jump of faith so I could use all the help I can get

I enlarged a black and white of my photo reference the size of the canvas 24 x 36 (I think, can't find my tape measure). Then I gridded the photo, gridded my canvas and drew the image in pencil. I worked with raw umber and liquin trying for a composition and value range to lay further washes on top of.

Could use some help with the drawing. The horizon is not tilted, the camera was when I took the picture.

Thank you for looking.
Patty

Now that I look at it, the composition is so boring. Will it be better when I add color, or do I need to insert something or move something? It's boring! What also jumps right off the screen is the value of the boy's back to our left. It should all be a darker value, and one even value. I also softened the shadow on the boy on the right and lightened the deep shadow next to his spine.

In the photograph the little boy has a blue shirt on, I was thinking of changing it to red to ad contrasting color to the blue of the ocean and sky. The boy on the left is playing with a little ball, should I made that red as well?

Hi Patty -

Can you crop it and tweak the values to be more dramatic?

I played around with it a little in Photoshop - hope you don't mind.

Thanks, Julie,
That is always fun to see, what you whip up in Photoshop! Unfortunately I cannot crop the image as it is on stretched canvas. But looking at it this morning it doesn't seem so boring. I do think that once I lay down color and create the wave and foam which is sort of twirling aroung them, it will be more interesting.

Do you have any suggestions on whether I should lay the first wash of color as a transparant wash or just start right in with more opaque colors. I plan to leave the darkest values thin and with little detail. I am hoping to be able to paint the boys faces with an almost impressionistic quality since there is practically no detail, even on the boy looking at the camera. Got any resource Ideas I can read or study? I miss your library!!

and I miss you! It is 4 degrees here in Cleveland. What's it doing in sunny Atlanta?

I miss seeing you too, Patty! It doesn't seem that long ago that you were living in Atlanta. I almost hate to tell you that this evening it's cooling off at 60 degrees and the neighborhood's first daffodils have bloomed. But yesterday it was cold and very windy. North Georgia in February is changeable.

I am not sure what to suggest concerning an approach to your painting. I've never attempted a sea scene in oils. My gut says to go with transparents at first, but I think I'll leave specific painting suggestions to those more knowledgeable than I.

I'll look forward to seeing your progress

Pat, think about playing down the horizon line it is to sharp which can be distracting.

Just a thought

Pat,

What I notice about your reference photo is the wonderful reflected light intermingled with direct highlights that permeates the scene including the figures. IF you bring the same colors of the blue water and the warm ocher beach tones into the figures, especially into the reflected lights in the shadow areas, it will wed the figures into the background.

Figures in a landscape present a special challenge to make both a part of the same fabric. It requires a careful study of the shared color of the light- both direct and indirect.

Mischa,
Definately.

Mary,
Your insight is very helpful. You have given me something to do which I did not think about, even though I know to do so- duh!

Pat, just a thought came to mind. I was reminded by Allan's post of Kroyer. Have a good look at the on the beach scene the value and color. I think you can use the same value/color scheme in your painting. Also think about placing all the boys without a shirt. Maybe painting the entire scene using same colors as Kroyer did and then add some subtleties of shadow.