The 5 elements in progress
So far I have taken the rocks and water classes. Rather than doing a whole picture, I have split an A4 sheet into 5 sections, and done small samples of different aspects of each element. Thanks Vaishali, these have both been amazing! Please could I have some feedback on the water section? Thanks, Sheetle
Water
Rocks
Rocks and water (clouds to go between and fire and ether under...well that's the plan!)
Thank you!!
So the thing in the extreme right is supposed to a waterfall (!!) coming from the rocks rather than a wave. Clearly not obvious therefore needs more work 😂
The green thing is supposed to be a pond with some vegetation and mud. Maybe the block colours aren’t quite right. The fish leaping into the top wave is half over and half under water, is that dome correctly or could I have a darker veil? it’s a bit small to see!
Water - first impression, really lovely sampler with lots of variety of water, and variety in colour too! Especially love the creatures and the turtle! The turtle is half hidden which is visually understandable. I know we talked about the fish being underwater/overwater at the same time. The way to do this is to use a very dry bush and the same colours as the waves, and gently extend the lines over the fish as if they didn't exist, and pretend you're painting on something really wet so you have to be really delicate. Same technique as for the veil on a lady's hair.
I love how the water extends out of its bounds and rushes over the frames. The middle Hokusai-style wave, the really bold blue one, is especially beautiful in its curves and spiralling form. Perhaps you could extend the last, extreme right wave (the tallest one) also into a spiral form to echo this. It would also integrate into the rocks a bit more smoothly too, as if it is a shadow of the rocks.
Is the green and red enclosed part beneath some land?
Hi Sheetle and thanks for sharing, it's lovely to see in detail and up close like this! Ok:
Rocks - I love the rocks, I know you've worked hard on these and if anything I suppose it would be nice to see more anthropomorphism as a challenge, but this could be on a different painting. I know this is a sampler.
Actually in the 2nd image - having said it's a sampler, it also would be nice to see some more smoother integration between the rocks and the water. Eg there could be some humorous touch even, to integrate it further as a painting, this is in keeping with miniature painting too. As a wild example, a surfer (anachronistic and the only thing I can think of!) surfing on top of that wave and looking up at the rocks above. Or someone jumping from the rocks to the water. Or simply a frog (amphibian!)... or even an overhanging plant...