Last Minute Treehouse feedback?

[MissMarck]

I really regret not starting this sooner, but I'm still giving it a solid effort! I'm pretty happy with 85% of this painting but my main area of concern is whether or not the background feels flat... I originally had some shrubbery in the middle ground, but it felt too busy, so I painted it out. Now it feels empty... what is your impression? Dead space or resting space?

The title is "What's the Password?" and it's acrylic paint on canvas, if that makes a difference:)

[TessaW]

Hey, great job! My suggestion would be to tweak the values a bit. Maybe make the foreground a little lighter with a bit more contrast and darken the area behind the woman and tree a bit. Maybe amp up the contrast of the woman a little. . . and lighten the guys face so he stands out better. Maybe darken the top of a tree a bit.

[Myss]

I love the painting! Makes me wish I could paint traditionally like that!
I think that it looks flat is because the perspective doesn't make sense. In order for you to see the entire grass field is if its a bird eye's view. I also see blue reflected light on the tree, the tree house and on the woman's shirt. But where does the blue come from when everything is surrounded by green? Where's the horizon?

So here I added a horizon and a blue sky so that the blue reflected light from the tree, tree house and on the woman's shirt makes a little more sense!

Keep painting!

[MissMarck]

@myss I love that blue!! The actual story takes place next to an ocean, and now I want to try putting that in in the background. Thanks so much!

[MissMarck]

@tessw yes you're right! I think some higher contrast will really help. Thank you so much!

[Laurie]

@MissMarck No suggestions here, just I really love this painting and the feel of it! Fabulous !!

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[MissMarck]

@laurie aw thanks so much!

[A Former User]

@missmarck If it is near an ocean, maybe put a beach in the distance

[MissMarck]

@ben-migliore I considered that... but it felt like too many horizontals. I did create more of a curve, so it (should) look like a hill overlooking the ocean. This is the version I ended up submitting.

I'll need to plan the composition more carefuvefore painting next time!

[A Former User]

@missmarck yeah your probably right. I like the final outcome

[MOO]

Really nice painting and unique idea !