# Ships on the sea



## TerryCurley

I worked on this pretty much all day today. The ocean and sky are just acrylic underpainting not what the ocean and sky will be when finished. The ships really were not hard to paint, but of course I didn't do too much detail on them. Please critique the ships and let me know if you see blatant problems. The white sails on the first ship may be too gray. What do you think? My intent is that the light is going left to right on the ships.


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## Bushcraftonfire

Is the front ship going to be going up over a wave Terry? It looks a bit tilted. Looks good thus far


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## leighann

I say WOW!!! :vs_cool:

I have noticed so much improvement in your paintings, just in the few months I've been a member. Those ships are pretty incredible to me.


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## TerryCurley

Thank you so much LeighAnn.


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## TerryCurley

Bushcraftonfire said:


> Is the front ship going to be going up over a wave Terry? It looks a bit tilted. Looks good thus far


Yes the seas will be choppy and the tilt of both ships was intentional. I hope to make the waves so the tilts look logical. I also plan to have the sky cloudy in sort of a stormy way(but not actually storming) and have a break in the clouds showing sun rays coming through. It's beautiful in my mind....but lets see if I can get it out of there and onto the canvas.


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## Sorin

Gal, yer working too hard in the mid ranges. That should have taken an hour or so. Now, don't git all defensive... If I can't say the truth I'll shaddap. In acrylics you normally start with the darks & work up. Yer doing everything in the dark to mids & working too hard. Still gotta add in the warms & work up into the highs. The lavenders, the greens, the yellows. Keep yer brush strokes to a minimum so textures don't cause probs.


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## TerryCurley

Sorin what you are looking at is the underpanting as I said in my post. Please don't critique it as if it is a done piece. As for taking only a hour for what I have I just need to remind you all of us work at different levels. Perhaps when I have done this 50 years (as you have) I could do it faster....but then I will be 116 years old so maybe not.


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## Melody Jeoulex

I like how u did with the sky Terry and the ships are perfectly good for me. I have a question though, how come you didn't use the same bluish color for the water like you used with the other painting? The one with the rocks?


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## TerryCurley

What you are looking at is the underpainting.....everyone thinks it's the painting, it will be much different once it's done. I don't think I'm going to post underpaintings any more, it causes too much confusion.


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## leighann

Well, phooey, @TerryCurley, you can speak all that oil painting stuff all day long and I still don't have a clue what you are saying.:vs-kiss:

I just like looking at the pretty pictures.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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## Sorin

Underpainting was a term originally started by oil painters, I think. With oils, one method was to use thin layers of nearly transparent glazes - much the same as using small amounts of color in acrylic medium or as in watercolors. Well, the theory was to base the painting in various ways to A. Begin laying in the image for later developments and B. Base the painting with colors which would be affected by later transparent layers. Some folks based with very unusual colors, thinking to nuetralize topcoats. These days it seems that folks use the term to mean they're just starting an image. Not really basepainting in the old ways. But the language changes, eh?


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## Rathac

TerryCurley said:


> I don't think I'm going to post underpaintings any more, it causes too much confusion.


When mining for gold, there's always ore to filter through.


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## TerryCurley

I Don't know if the sky in this is any good or not. I know that clouds should be darker on the bottom and lighter on the top, but in this case there is a storm rolling in so I think having the dark clouds over the lighter clouds will work, but my insecurities are stepping in and saying 'what were you thinking!', so what do you think? Is the sky acceptable? 

Please do not critique the bottom half of the painting, it needs a lot more layers yet.


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## chanda95

Coming along very nice Terry. The sky is lovely!


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## Susan Mulno

You have conveyed the incoming storm nicely. Some clouds didn't read the art instruction manuals.:biggrin:


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## TerryCurley

Thank you Susan and Chanda. Today I have been working on the rough seas and I've managed to over work it and make the colors muddy. Grrrr...I hate when that happens. So I decided to just let it dry now and then I will rework the sea after it dries. I'm not happy with the water at all to be honest. I want it to be rough seas but it's kind of looking like a mountain range right now. 

Please if you have ideas that can fix that look share them with me.


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## Sorin

I see yer prob, T. A few more tidbits:
As a rule, skys at the horizon are so full of water, due to distance, that they reflect light from everything & tend to be of a dull lavender. Blue, white & a bit or red does fine. They darken upwards, gaining blue. You normally only see the dark blues nearly overhead & often in patches, where cloud cover thins out. Very delicate. Storms are nothing but larger concentrations of moisture & therefore better at light catching & darkening. Same rule of thumb - A bit more red but also more color from the stuff nearby, which grays them out. Where the rain falls the darkening is lessened but of the same combos. Lighter gray, sometimes seeming into the blue. I think you got a lil carried away there, hence the blue swath. Stay away from black... Cheating. Also, you need to create the feeling that the clouds are layered, back to front AND bottom to top. Even with a storm from prevailing. Study some pics of such by doing a search for storm cloud images.


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## Sorin

Think about adding some of the water/sky to the boat to lessen all the warm brown. At that distance it should be a part of its surroundings.
Now time for me to go hide again.


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## Bushcraftonfire

A couple of thoughts.. and that's ALL they are 

Somehow the blue in the sky seems overpowering for such a fierce storm. Maybe grey it down?

I think you did pretty well with the ocean! Perhaps if the waves on the right were diagonal they might work better as water than Noah's Ark on a mountain range? LOL! (Your words not mine!)


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## chanda95

Bushcraftonfire said:


> A couple of thoughts.. and that's ALL they are
> 
> Somehow the blue in the sky seems overpowering for such a fierce storm. Maybe grey it down?
> 
> I think you did pretty well with the ocean! Perhaps if the waves on the right were diagonal they might work better as water than Noah's Ark on a mountain range? LOL! (Your words not mine!)


I do agree that the sky is beautiful but for a rough choppy sea like you are depicting the sky could be a bit more on the grey and dismal side. Your ocean drew me in. You have created a great deal of depth. 

Water is (obviously) very fluid so I would be liberal with your curve of the waves..be free...let them be free..They will look less mountain like if you curve them a bit. Focus on making the curves of the waves going the same direction as well. The wave in front of the distant ship (the larger one in the middle) appears to me as if it the whitecaps are going to the right and the wave on the far right looks like the whitecaps are going to the left..does that make sense? I would add in smaller waves in those void areas where you haven't put a larger wave. By doing so that will give the feeling of mass movement. I have no idea if I am explaining myself well. Basically what I see is big waves and calm between. For a real choppy ocean scene I would fill those voids with movement and small waves and smaller whitecaps..

Overall though..I love this subject matter and your choice of colors and the mood you have set. I know you are really going to finish this piece well.


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## TerryCurley

Sorin said:


> I see yer prob, T. A few more tidbits:
> As a rule, skys at the horizon are so full of water, due to distance, that they reflect light from everything & tend to be of a dull lavender. Blue, white & a bit or red does fine. They darken upwards, gaining blue. You normally only see the dark blues nearly overhead & often in patches, where cloud cover thins out. Very delicate. Storms are nothing but larger concentrations of moisture & therefore better at light catching & darkening. Same rule of thumb - A bit more red but also more color from the stuff nearby, which grays them out. Where the rain falls the darkening is lessened but of the same combos. Lighter gray, sometimes seeming into the blue. I think you got a lil carried away there, hence the blue swath. Stay away from black... Cheating. Also, you need to create the feeling that the clouds are layered, back to front AND bottom to top. Even with a storm from prevailing. Study some pics of such by doing a search for storm cloud images.


I had the blue swatch as a break in the clouds. I'm guessing my sun rays coming down is looking more like rain? I can see the confusion. I will close the hole in the sky and just leave a very small break with some (more yellow) sunshine peeping through. I also like the idea of adding smidgen of red to the storm clouds. 
Thank You Sorin.


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## TerryCurley

Sorin said:


> Think about adding some of the water/sky to the boat to lessen all the warm brown. At that distance it should be a part of its surroundings.
> Now time for me to go hide again.


Yes I agree completely. I'm going to rework the boats after I get the sky and ocean finished.


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## TerryCurley

Bushcraftonfire said:


> A couple of thoughts.. and that's ALL they are
> 
> Somehow the blue in the sky seems overpowering for such a fierce storm. Maybe grey it down?
> 
> I think you did pretty well with the ocean! Perhaps if the waves on the right were diagonal they might work better as water than Noah's Ark on a mountain range? LOL! (Your words not mine!)


I think you are right about the waves going diagonal instead of vertical, That's a wonderful suggestion David. Thank you. I'm going to take your advice and make them diagonal after what I have dries. I think doing it over the existing will actually add to the volatility of the ocean and it will be cool.

I'm going to take yours and Sorin suggestion and close up the blue break in the clouds.


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## TerryCurley

chanda95 said:


> I do agree that the sky is beautiful but for a rough choppy sea like you are depicting the sky could be a bit more on the grey and dismal side. Your ocean drew me in. You have created a great deal of depth.
> 
> Water is (obviously) very fluid so I would be liberal with your curve of the waves..be free...let them be free..They will look less mountain like if you curve them a bit. Focus on making the curves of the waves going the same direction as well. The wave in front of the distant ship (the larger one in the middle) appears to me as if it the whitecaps are going to the right and the wave on the far right looks like the whitecaps are going to the left..does that make sense? I would add in smaller waves in those void areas where you haven't put a larger wave. By doing so that will give the feeling of mass movement. I have no idea if I am explaining myself well. Basically what I see is big waves and calm between. For a real choppy ocean scene I would fill those voids with movement and small waves and smaller whitecaps..
> 
> Overall though..I love this subject matter and your choice of colors and the mood you have set. I know you are really going to finish this piece well.


Thanks to you, David and Sorin I have a pretty good idea of how to change the picture, sky, ocean and ships. Thank you. The ocean changes and the ships changes are going to have to wait until the ocean is dry, but I will probably start on the sky changes in a little while.


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## TerryCurley

I changed the sky. Took out the break in the clouds and add some color variations. So what do you think..better or not?


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## TerryCurley

I redid the ocean. Comments are welcomed. I'm still not thrilled with it, but I think it's better than it was. What I have left is to redo the ships and I'm going to put in a mask sticking out of the water in the foreground.


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## chanda95

Well first off I want to commend you for a job well done on making your ocean feel more volatile..you most certainly have achieved your goal. It feels like one heck of a rough sea! Much improved in the wave and movement side of things. 

Now keep in mind that I personally have never even seen an ocean but the purple and the green kind of throw me a bit. The purple I can see as a reflection off the sky but the green I am unsure of.

I look forward to seeing what you do with the ships. 

Is this all out of your imagination Terry?


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## TerryCurley

chanda95 said:


> Well first off I want to commend you for a job well done on making your ocean feel more volatile..you most certainly have achieved your goal. It feels like one heck of a rough sea! Much improved in the wave and movement side of things.
> 
> Now keep in mind that I personally have never even seen an ocean but the purple and the green kind of throw me a bit. The purple I can see as a reflection off the sky but the green I am unsure of.
> 
> I look forward to seeing what you do with the ships.
> 
> Is this all out of your imagination Terry?


Chanda I hope you are able to take a cruise somewhere one of these days there is nothing as calming and fun as a trip on the ocean. We are going to Central America again in April. We went 2 years ago and loved it. The water is actually amazingly colorful, but I did take some artistic license in my picture. I think the colors make it more pleasing. It may not be realistic but I kind of like it.

As far as this being out of my imagination the answer is yes and no. This is the picture that inspired me. I know mine is no where near as good, this makes my picture look like it was done by a kindergarten child. Notice the blue patch of sky in the middle of the storm...that's what I was trying to achieve but it didn't work out.


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## TerryCurley

*I think it might be done.*

Here it is. An honest critique is welcome. I can take it.


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## chanda95

Terry - I like it much better since you added the sinking ship..It looks violent and there is so much movement in this piece it's unreal. 

The only thing I think I would change is the one boat in the foreground..the one you can see the side to it. Now it is quite possible that the photography doesn't show the details it should..I have had that happen pretty much everytime I take a picture of my work..but it seems as though you have put a great deal of detail in the sails and rigging but the ship itself needs some sort of highlights or additional detail to make it not look so two dimensional. To my eye the sails and rigging are very well done and have depth and movement but the ship looks a little flat..like it needs a highlight on the side or something to give it a more round appearance - does that make sense?

Overall though - that is a tough subject and you tackled it really well. Be proud of it!


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## TerryCurley

Thank you Chanda. I'll work on that ship more tomorrow.


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## TerryCurley

I added a little detail to the closest sailing ships hull but it really doesn't show well in the photo. I also lightened the mast if the sunken ship so it would show up better.


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## Asancta

TerryCurley said:


> I added a little detail to the closest sailing ships hull but it really doesn't show well in the photo. I also lightened the mast if the sunken ship so it would show up better.


What I like:it's a loot of movement and the eye keeps moving from one point to another=>it's not a boring picture;the amazing use of colors...even if its far from reality(I know you like reality type of pantings that's why am sayin') it's still gorgeous...reminds me of the "naive" paintings that I used to love so much when I was in school.I like the boats/ships too...
However...you still need to work out on the sky...and on the same line on the water foam and water movement.One things that is common with waters in general is their capacity of reflection,a fact that I don't see it here.I can't be 100% sure that that IS a sea there...


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## Bushcraftonfire

I agree.. I think the addition of the extra ships helped it a bit.. overall.. very pleasing painting to the eyes! Well done


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## TerryCurley

Thank you David and Asancta.


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## deehouse

Hi Terry, I think your underpainting is very good, I wish I was at your level, I have a long way to go. I like where the ships are almost passing one another, great job.


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## FanKi

Hmm the color selection makes me think about it more like a surreal drawing, I stil like it a lot, but doesn't look real to me, too much violet and green in the water and the sky to look real :/

(Don't know what was your main idea, I didn't read the whole thread >.<)


Any way I love it, it's really pleasent to see.


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## TerryCurley

FanKi most people agree with you about the color of the ocean. I'm going to work on that when I get the chance because now I don't like it much either. I thought if I used some color variation in the water it would make the picture more interesting, but the effect is distracting instead of interesting.

Thank you everyone for your honest opinions. I truly appreciate it.


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## TerryCurley

Well I put a blue wash on the ocean covering up the green and purple. Honestly I'm tired of working on this one and don't intend to do any more. I could not take the painting outside for a photo because it's raining out. So this is an inside picture.


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## FanKi

looks much better to me :3 I would'n work on it either, it's pretty cool


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## dickhutchings

Absolutely better. IMHO


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## TerryCurley

I just hated the ocean and had to do something, so even though I'm sick of this picture for the umpteenth time I reworked the ocean. Better or Worse, I would appreciate your opinion.


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## FanKi

Hmmm don't know if it's better or worse, I think it's different.
With some darker touches in the water, guess I would like it more :3


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## TerryCurley

I am totally sick of this picture. I won't be working on it any longer.


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## Lana24

Great painting! I wish you success!


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## TerryCurley

I was throwing this one away and a friend of mine stopped me and took it. This is definitely not one of my favorites.


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