Help with lily pad placement, please?

ksfabian · 11 Jul 2023, 03:59

Okay there’s something off about the lily pads and duck. I’m thinking I scoot the one lily pad back and move the duck by the toilet? Maybe?

MiaNova · 11 Jul 2023, 17:48

@ksfabian yeah that can work. Or you can maybe put the duck in the tub with the mermaid or even on her fin. The lily pads can maybe be more scattered in the water instead of just in one group. Also I’d move the tea cup on the board a bit to the left because both the tea pot and the cup are on one side of the board. These are just some of my ideas. Overall I think this looks like a really fun piece!

ksfabian · 11 Jul 2023, 19:17

@MiaNova thanks so much!!!

skeletortoise · 11 Jul 2023, 20:37

@ksfabian Is there anything in particular you think is off? I don’t see any big perspective issues. Is this more of a compositional problem?

ksfabian · 11 Jul 2023, 22:59

@skeletortoise it’s the cluster of lily pads and duck that are crammed together. Also the teapot and cup.

Mia Clarke · 12 Jul 2023, 06:42

@ksfabian Fun concept! Would you be open to feedback that's not related to the lily pads?

ksfabian · 12 Jul 2023, 14:24

@Mia-Clarke absolutely! I’m sketching digitally but plan to transfer it to watercolor paper and paint it traditionally so any fixes are welcome ️

ksfabian · 12 Jul 2023, 14:25

more changes but I’m now thinking the shelves are off.

Mia Clarke · 12 Jul 2023, 16:18

@ksfabian For me, the most important thing to fix about the piece is the perspective. Consider the shelves, where this is very clear. You would not be able to see the tops of them from your camera position, and they should be vanishing downwards into the image rather than up. Another thing is that your water is not flat (it’s not as deep as it should be over the toilet, for instance, which you can see through the tangent of the water level and the top of the cistern), and this impression is heightened through the perspective of the tea tray. It’s not the end of the world if the perspective is not flawless, but I think a few minor adjustments would stop it taking away from your piece.

I hope this makes sense, keep us posted on the progress!

ksfabian · 14 Jul 2023, 17:23

Here's the updated sketch. The books need to be fixed what else?

Kevin Longueil · 14 Jul 2023, 21:48

@ksfabian I feel like your second drawing is super close besides the angle of the shelves. I used the water tank to establish vanishing points and did a super quick sketch to see. I also feel the placement of the mermaid within the tub is good in the second drawing too. Constructing the duck, Lilly pads, and tea set within cubes will help sort out proper ellipses and placement I think.

TheresaMuth · 15 Jul 2023, 14:26

I think your second version is nearly perfect!! I love the duck teasing the cat -- more than water for that cat to worry about... Really heightens the contrast between the cat's stress and everyone else's peacefullness.

I like the lily pads -- for some reason I want more of them around the left edge, but that's just me.

The Tray and Tea Set DO bother me. If I were in this tub, I'd place the tray with the long edge facing me (horizontal to the picture frame). Then I'd have the teacup and it's handle close to my right hand (I'm right handed). I'd have the cookies close to me (maybe on the opposite side of the tray from the cup, then the Pot farther from me in the middle. Arranging it this way is "logical" to me, and it just might solve some tangency vs scattered concerns.

Looking forward to more of this one!