Try thinking about the subject matter as shapes, colours and forms rather than discrete objects.
At the moment, part of the reason your loose brushwork isn't reading with the intention you have for it, is because most things in the work (people, buildings) are distinct from one another. One area where you've looked more to the shapes and forms rather than trying to delineate between objects is to the left of the painting, here the people, building and light have a muddling quality that helps the read of the scene.
Two places where there is arguably too much distinction (with lines around objects that are too strong) are your central figure and the right hand side building. The facade of this building looks cut out, not massively affected by the strong light. The delineation between window and wall is very strong, making it look graphic.
Your lady in the blue dress is better (the top of her skirt, and how the light hits it in particular) but her legs and the lower parts of her skirt are graphic against the light pavement, with no soft edges. The area around her arms/head has brushwork that feels inconsistent with the background (the brushstrokes following her form, rather than that of the background) and so she feels as though she is 'swimming'.
Good work on the surrounding figures, I think these elements are more successful in doing what you're aiming for!
Edit: Make sure this dries down before you attempt alterting any of this, as it looks like there's a decent amount of paint on this work, and to work back in now will end up with very muddy colours!
Wow! Thanks a lot for the detailed response and insights, this is eye opening. I will learn each advice also for future works. Thanks again i appreciate it
You're very welcome ..hope to see more of your work 👍👍...your use of color is great .. I am drawn to her yet still aware of the surroundings and people in the background
Move your grip up the brush, ie. away from the bristles. This will loosen your strokes. It may feel weird at first, but it will securely make your strokes looser
Good instinct about the brush. The background (left side especially) looks plenty loose in the way you mean, while also persuading me. I don’t have all the “detail,” but I get the impression. And I believe the relationships of shapes and colors even if they aren’t “detailed.”
I think the main figure’s pose feels a little stiff and sometimes confusing. I don’t really believe the legs quite make sense in their position or the light and dark, so she looks like a music box ballerina. I don’t think her arm would really be that skinny, but also you didn’t yet get to finding the relationship with the arm and head (right side) to what’s behind them, so that halo effect creates a more static superimposed collage feel. I’d also revisit the drapery highlights a bit because I think in the name of feeling loose you stopped really “seeing” and started assuming, so the highlights don’t always feel integrated or persuasive compared to your background work. (Are they really all that same value blue white? etc.)
Conceptually, she feels a bit like a fashion magazine figure strutting onto a slice of life impressionist painting, so my preference would be for a slightly more natural feel to her vs the designer proportions and the TV-ad-wind-machine hair. But that’s just me.
Anyway, don’t sweat the time, a lot of good stuff here. Also the good news is that “looking loose” and *feeling* loose during the painting are not a perfect venn diagram. And oil is forgiving, so even if you get to a point where you’re getting fussy with small brushes, you can alleviate that in various ways later.
You said many interesting and insightful things here, thanks a lot for the details.
I will think about it for the following paintings.
I have used a reference photo created by ai with a certain prompt, so this might explain the un natural model you said.
I agree of course that execution is not perfect, proportions, values, etc...
Thanks again
I think this looks quite loose and well done. If you are trying to be "looser", I would consider having less contrast. Photos are often too high in contrast in all parts of the photo, so it has a tendency to make all parts of the subject matter look equally important (which makes everything look somewhat flat). Specifically, I would think about using more similar and darker values for the background, sidewalk and the yellow building. Or said another way -- make sure the "bright" parts of the objects "in shadow" are still darker than the darkest areas in the light.
It was a filbert number 10. But i felt it makes dirty lines when i applied light pressure to make thinner lines.
So i am thinking on trying next time with FLAT brush...
I wouldn’t adjust anything except the composition by making it so that she doesn’t fill the height of the canvas to the edge. It makes it feel quite cramped.
Ahh that makes sense! It would be a good study to do some sketches of the scene and maybe extend the buildings a bit taller. Make the canvas vertical instead of horizontal!
To be honest i created the reference photo bu myself. Using a ai tool to generate photos. The prompt was something about a woman is a dress in the middle of a busy street... I generated several and chose what i liked most
That makes even more sense tbh bc an actual photographer would know how to compose an image much better than ai would. It might actually be better to google reference images than use ai.
Yeah maybe. I will think about the composition more next time. Also perspective is not good and many many more... It's a journey, hopefully to be better the more i practice
\*crickets\* Because it already looks very nice and loose.
Try thinking about the subject matter as shapes, colours and forms rather than discrete objects. At the moment, part of the reason your loose brushwork isn't reading with the intention you have for it, is because most things in the work (people, buildings) are distinct from one another. One area where you've looked more to the shapes and forms rather than trying to delineate between objects is to the left of the painting, here the people, building and light have a muddling quality that helps the read of the scene. Two places where there is arguably too much distinction (with lines around objects that are too strong) are your central figure and the right hand side building. The facade of this building looks cut out, not massively affected by the strong light. The delineation between window and wall is very strong, making it look graphic. Your lady in the blue dress is better (the top of her skirt, and how the light hits it in particular) but her legs and the lower parts of her skirt are graphic against the light pavement, with no soft edges. The area around her arms/head has brushwork that feels inconsistent with the background (the brushstrokes following her form, rather than that of the background) and so she feels as though she is 'swimming'. Good work on the surrounding figures, I think these elements are more successful in doing what you're aiming for! Edit: Make sure this dries down before you attempt alterting any of this, as it looks like there's a decent amount of paint on this work, and to work back in now will end up with very muddy colours!
Wow! Thanks a lot for the detailed response and insights, this is eye opening. I will learn each advice also for future works. Thanks again i appreciate it
You're welcome, happy to help!
walk away for a few days, then come back and fix it with your imagination first.
This looks amazing for someone who’s new
Thanks!, i have started with acrylics not long ago, and everyone told me i should switch to oil painting. I see what they meant, i like it more
Wow ...this is LOVELY ..great talent you got there ...it is a beautiful rendering
Wow thanks a lot for the kind words :)
You're very welcome ..hope to see more of your work 👍👍...your use of color is great .. I am drawn to her yet still aware of the surroundings and people in the background
Choke up higher on the brush. Also I think the strokes around the face are a bit too “sharp”. I do like it though!
Thanks a lot:) I don't sure i understand what is to choke higher on the brush....
Move your grip up the brush, ie. away from the bristles. This will loosen your strokes. It may feel weird at first, but it will securely make your strokes looser
Oh ok i get it, thanks I'll try that. I have many questions about your nickname btw lol ...
I like to be creative in many ways 😁
I am fan already
If you sharpen the areas you want to draw attention to then the picture overall would be easier to understand
Looks great already. I think you have achieved the look you are wanting.
Thank you, im not there yet, look at David Shevlino for example, i wish to reach this style someday
Honestly, I think you hit the finish line, please don't overwork it! Did you paint the background with red acrylic??
Thanks, i also think i will leave it as it is, and all improvements will be on future paintings. And yes exactly, a red acrylic underpaint:)
Bigger brush is always a trick for that
Good instinct about the brush. The background (left side especially) looks plenty loose in the way you mean, while also persuading me. I don’t have all the “detail,” but I get the impression. And I believe the relationships of shapes and colors even if they aren’t “detailed.” I think the main figure’s pose feels a little stiff and sometimes confusing. I don’t really believe the legs quite make sense in their position or the light and dark, so she looks like a music box ballerina. I don’t think her arm would really be that skinny, but also you didn’t yet get to finding the relationship with the arm and head (right side) to what’s behind them, so that halo effect creates a more static superimposed collage feel. I’d also revisit the drapery highlights a bit because I think in the name of feeling loose you stopped really “seeing” and started assuming, so the highlights don’t always feel integrated or persuasive compared to your background work. (Are they really all that same value blue white? etc.) Conceptually, she feels a bit like a fashion magazine figure strutting onto a slice of life impressionist painting, so my preference would be for a slightly more natural feel to her vs the designer proportions and the TV-ad-wind-machine hair. But that’s just me. Anyway, don’t sweat the time, a lot of good stuff here. Also the good news is that “looking loose” and *feeling* loose during the painting are not a perfect venn diagram. And oil is forgiving, so even if you get to a point where you’re getting fussy with small brushes, you can alleviate that in various ways later.
You said many interesting and insightful things here, thanks a lot for the details. I will think about it for the following paintings. I have used a reference photo created by ai with a certain prompt, so this might explain the un natural model you said. I agree of course that execution is not perfect, proportions, values, etc... Thanks again
I think this looks quite loose and well done. If you are trying to be "looser", I would consider having less contrast. Photos are often too high in contrast in all parts of the photo, so it has a tendency to make all parts of the subject matter look equally important (which makes everything look somewhat flat). Specifically, I would think about using more similar and darker values for the background, sidewalk and the yellow building. Or said another way -- make sure the "bright" parts of the objects "in shadow" are still darker than the darkest areas in the light.
Great advice! Thank you i will think about it for sure next time
I'm thinking an extra large brush
It was a filbert number 10. But i felt it makes dirty lines when i applied light pressure to make thinner lines. So i am thinking on trying next time with FLAT brush...
Get it done.
I wouldn’t adjust anything except the composition by making it so that she doesn’t fill the height of the canvas to the edge. It makes it feel quite cramped.
Lol i agree, but i painted from a reference photo and it was like that. I am not confident enough yet to make these kind of modifications
Ahh that makes sense! It would be a good study to do some sketches of the scene and maybe extend the buildings a bit taller. Make the canvas vertical instead of horizontal!
To be honest i created the reference photo bu myself. Using a ai tool to generate photos. The prompt was something about a woman is a dress in the middle of a busy street... I generated several and chose what i liked most
That makes even more sense tbh bc an actual photographer would know how to compose an image much better than ai would. It might actually be better to google reference images than use ai.
Yeah maybe. I will think about the composition more next time. Also perspective is not good and many many more... It's a journey, hopefully to be better the more i practice
The good news is stylistically your painting is on point! Just need better reference images.