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Sharon Knettell · 03-03-2004, 04:36 PM

Personally, I do not care to do landscapes and only do them if there it surrounds a figure!

The problem, as I see it, is not the degree of finish but the competition between the landscape and the figure. Both are equally important in your picture and I think that the baby should dominate.

If you were to greatly soften, cool and lighten up the background it would still set the scene but would not overpower the baby. The baby and the distant background have both the same degree of finish. If you were to look at that figure from life in that situation and looking directly at the baby, you would note that the background would be out of focus. Try softening it up a bit.

I think you would be happier with the result. Nice clean job with the pastels! I know how messy they can be!

03-03-2004, 04:36 PM	#6
Sharon Knettell Approved Member Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,730	Landscape and figure Personally, I do not care to do landscapes and only do them if there it surrounds a figure! The problem, as I see it, is not the degree of finish but the competition between the landscape and the figure. Both are equally important in your picture and I think that the baby should dominate. If you were to greatly soften, cool and lighten up the background it would still set the scene but would not overpower the baby. The baby and the distant background have both the same degree of finish. If you were to look at that figure from life in that situation and looking directly at the baby, you would note that the background would be out of focus. Try softening it up a bit. I think you would be happier with the result. Nice clean job with the pastels! I know how messy they can be!