I quite like the haze effect in the background

Right now you have diffuse reflection on the water (as in the shadow there). Water has specular reflection instead, so the "shadow" of the tree would instead be the "reflection" of the tree. The rest of the water would be reflecting the sky or any other corresponding feature, so if I were you I wouldn't kee it blue. Here's a good reference of a stream of moving water, and here's one when it's still.

I don't think the darkest shadow of the grass matches that of the tree, I'd make another darker green shade if I were you.

By the way, what's the lighting like? Overcast? Or direct sunlight?

You can still have bright highlights in overcast settings. The only main thing which makes overcast lighting different from direct lighting is that the light source is more "general" so to speak (eg. the slightest tilt of a tree bark can create massive shading differences depending on which part of the surface most light is getting to). I did this piece with this idea in mind, it should be a good reference.

I like the second one, it give's it a bolder look.

2nd is wwwwaaaaayy better. work on the river now.

Looking very nice! I think the trunk could use more work. The patchy, dithery patterns you have going on are kind of disruptive and noisy, and muddle the shading of the trunk a little, I think.

Also the perspective in this piece is all out of whack. Set up a vanishing point and work out your planes (compare river to shadow of tree, and perspective of leaves to eye level)

Mm... one additional colour. But since I've increased the contrast, it might not fit into the environment very well.

I'm going to have to disagree--I prefer the number one trunk because it looks more defined and sharp, and the number two leaves because they have better depth due to colors and the left side is improved. Arguing the trunk bit farther, I think #2's trunk looks kind of gummy and smooth, though not flat, and the green lighting there is overstrong. Number one is a bit extreme with the ditherpattern of highlights, but it gives a more barklike texture. Maybe if you made that trunk's lightest color a little darker?

Is that better?

Awesome. Some minor changes. Reflection in the water, the grasses.

Too many assignments this week.

Looks good so far. I think the reflection is too high up on the canvas though. I don't think the tree's reflection is too dark though, since it is the underside after all. The water doesn't seem to be reflecting the sky especially near the horizon.

I was thinking of a more placid stream. But rocks are definitely a good idea.

And yeah, that's what I had in mind with the underside of the tree (that and I'd probably need to juggle the colours around a bit more otherwise :p). There's a nice river here with a overhanging trees, but alas it's winter and frozen over at the moment.



Attempted a few ripples (only pleased  with the one on the bottom left)    and a rock.


Edited by thesalus - 21 January 2008 at 9:53pm

Not so much older as more mature (which isn't so much an indicator of age as much as how close it is to base level). But you're right. I should probably add some more meanders in. And work on the greenery on the edge of the river - or even reed-like things in the river itself.

Wow just wanted to say this is really cool.

You may wanna darken the left side of the background, or show the horizon etc. But you probs knew that.