Magnolias and Memorial

[Valda]

I'm trying to do a drawing of a building, but not really do the building. Does that make sense? The project is to do a landmark. But I don't really want the building to be the focus. So, I thought that I'd view the building from afar, with some pretty magnolia blossoms in the foreground.

This is a composit taken from various photos. I tried to place the top blossom and the building in the sweet spot. Do you think this composition works?

Already, after scanning it, I think the two blossoms on the left are too close to the same size. Since the top one is supposed to be closer to the viewer, I'll need to make an adjustment in size there.

[Denise]

I can't help much w/ the comp., but I really like the concept!! This will be fun to watch!

[Elankat]

Hey Valda. :)

Just at a first glance, I'd suggest moving Liberty memorial to the viewer's right and maybe even recede it a bit more so it's further off in the distance. I'd also like to see what the magnolia would look like if the entire branch & flowers were rotated clockwise or moved down so the branch enters at the lower 1/3 of the picture plane.

[Valda]

Thanks, LeAnn

I'll do a few more sketches with your comments in mind.

[Valda]

I did some sketches, but nothing worked for me. So I altered the original sketch in photoshop, bringing thebuilding and horizon down lower, and also the entry position of the branch. I also enlargened the top flower on the left.

I also cropped it to eliminate the dead space around the drawing.

I think this does help, Leann.

[artmasters]

I like what you did to the composition. I agree with Leann.

Dave

[Arlene]

i took a different approach. only i'm going to show you and not explain it. I want you to explain what I did, and then why. :D

[Valda]

Well, let's see....

You switched position of the large blossoms, making the one on the far right to be in front of the other.
Looks more natural, given the direction of the twigs. I had thought that maybe I should do that.

You rearranged and added twigs and buds on the right so that there are more twigs and they run off the page. (Three twigs going off the page instead of one)
Not sure why.... but it does look fuller there and seems to bring the whole tree branch forward. ...Now that I'm looking again, it seems like those three twigs going off the page anchor the branch in the picture.

I think you made the building a bit smaller and moved the right-hand twig/bud over to the right.
This does open up the space on the right side of the building. Before, the building was sitting almost centered in that space, and now it's to the left side, making it more interesting and less boring.

And, you cropped the whole thing closer and eliminated the trees on the far right.
This makes the tree branch move closer to the viewer. I did think the tree line on the left was distracting and was going to take it out.


Well Arlene....did I find them all?

Thanks for looking at this and your work on it.

I feel like I'm closer to getting started on this. I do have a deadline - July 15th - so need to get busy here. Have been procrastinating I'm afraid.

[Arlene]

Well, let's see....You switched position of the large blossoms, making the one on the far right to be in front of the other.
Looks more natural, given the direction of the twigs. I had thought that maybe I should do that.
ok and what else did i do? take a good look at the two large blossoms
You rearranged and added twigs and buds on the right so that there are more twigs and they run off the page. (Three twigs going off the page instead of one)
Not sure why.... but it does look fuller there and seems to bring the whole tree branch forward. ...Now that I'm looking again, it seems like those three twigs going off the page anchor the branch in the picture.i didn't just add twigs. if you notice i also changed it so there are now two distinct branches.

Take a good look at the small buds too. What did I do?

I think you made the building a bit smaller and moved the right-hand twig/bud over to the right.
did make the building smaller but the bud wasn't moved over...has to do with the question of what i did again and the crop.

This does open up the space on the right side of the building. Before, the building was sitting almost centered in that space, and now it's to the left side, making it more interesting and less boring.

and closer to the sweet spot

And, you cropped the whole thing closer and eliminated the trees on the far right.
This makes the tree branch move closer to the viewer. I did think the tree line on the left was distracting and was going to take it out.
yep

[Valda]

What I said... You switched position of the large blossoms, making the one on the far right to be in front of the other
Oops, my dyslexia is showing....I had meant, the far left! Yes, I noticed that the lower blossom is now in front of the other one in your version.

What I said...and eliminated the trees on the far right
...Did it again! Meant far left

[dyslexia can cause communication problems! :o ]

What you said... if you notice i also changed it so there are now two distinct branches
Yes, I did noticed that. I'm wondering why this looks better and am thinking that it describes the tree better - says that it is a full tree we're looking at and not just a lone branch, which I think was a bit weak.

Take a good look at the small buds too. What did I do?
Well.... you tilted them upward, added a second small bud, and, of course, attached them to a separate branch.
I'm thinking that they are now a pointer to the building, and that the lower slightly opened bud no longer points directly down and out of the drawing.


I think of all the things you changed, Arlene, it is the area of the lower branch with the buds, making it a separate branch and tilting it upward that was the most important.

Thanks again.

[Arlene]

no i followed what you were saying even if it was wrong. what's that say about me? :confused:

but no, you still missed one of the main things about the two large blossoms. I moved the lower one over more to the left so it isn't almost directly under the top one.

what changing it to two branches does, besides what you mentioned, is to give it more depth.