[pastel] Pier on the Gulf

[Thar 502]

After rummaging through the photos I took while we were at Cancun, this one of a pier we were lying by caught my eye, so I decided to draw it in soft pastel.

Feedback is appreciated.

Edited November 4, 2021 by Thar

[Hina's Simp 96]

The biggest problem here is lighting, which is focused on white-based charcoal. It works to highlight different values in colors but not bring out the light source. I think you should attempt negative space on a white canvas to explore proper lighting, since you have the light values on the actual canopy. The light is missing from the background and on the water, which would be better handled if you had a clear idea of the light source. On your next piece, I want you to try the same idea without the bridge or the pier, just with the water and sky. Then try to figure out how the lighting will affect these different aspects of the piece. I could go more into this, but I think you understand what I am trying to say and I am also sick so I don't want to write too much more.

[Thar 502]

1 hour ago, Daemon said:

The biggest problem here is lighting, which is focused on white-based charcoal. It works to highlight different values in colors but not bring out the light source. I think you should attempt negative space on a white canvas to explore proper lighting, since you have the light values on the actual canopy. The light is missing from the background and on the water, which would be better handled if you had a clear idea of the light source. On your next piece, I want you to try the same idea without the bridge or the pier, just with the water and sky. Then try to figure out how the lighting will affect these different aspects of the piece. I could go more into this, but I think you understand what I am trying to say and I am also sick so I don't want to write too much more.

Yeah I know what you mean, but that kind of advice would be more appropriate for stuff made from scratch rather than what I usually do, which is basically copy work using a grid. This one was based off a photo, which already has the lighting and everything, so it's basically just laying out the composition and colors. As for the negative spacing, that is something I've been considering, though another issue is my printer, which usually shifts the overall color tones from what they were on my computer, so the whites are darker and are more of a light gray, so next time I'll try to carry things over without being a stickler for the hues, and for the absolute whites I'll trace those out and leave those to be just empty sections of the white paper.

Appreciate the feedback, my dude.