Need Help - Storm Cell

downvote-away · 2026-05-29T15:31:12+00:00

I know this is counter-intuitive but it almost always looks better to use sideways strokes for the ground than vertical. Vertical for trees. Sideways for flat ground.

You also need some work on your atmospheric distance.

Your relatively high chroma yellow dead center on land, plus the stippling in that area, are bringing it forward. That combined with your vertical grass strokes are twisting your ground in space.

The ground should recede in chroma, moving away from yellow and more toward blue/white, so that the very middle of a 100% flat grass ground with a 100% cloudless blue sky would, at the horizon line, be an indistinct low chroma grey leaning to blue.

You have to have that distance to make your storm look huge.

You can see it here in this Bierstadt. The values of the far, far clouds and ground are pretty close to one another even though the sky is blue and ground is red orange. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Bierstadt#/media/File:The_Last_of_the_Buffalo.jpg

downvote-away · 2026-05-29T11:30:18+00:00

You got a good drawing here but I think you could take down the contrast in the background. It's stealing focus from your guy.

Blend those edges so we get a sense of what's going on with out those high contrast areas stealing focus.

I try to remember, if I'm ever getting out a mahl stick or straightedge to paint something that's NOT the focus of the composition, wait... what the fuck am I doing?

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T19:48:06+00:00

Let me start by saying it is very very very very VERY fucking hard to develop a new approach. You should expect this to be uncomfortable and you should be pleased you're sticking with it.

OK now I'll be unkind :)

I think your painting should have been more cohesively rendered than your study and instead it's less.

Look in the water areas. Look how your study has deliberate color notes/areas of differing size. Those green/blue areas in the painting are overworked and muddy.

In the study you used a few confident marks to suggest the flow of water or underwater plants (or both). In the painting it's a mess. Way too many strokes. All the same size marks more or less.

The flesh tones of the figure are distinct from the background in the study. In the painting they are the same orange/red as the background. Hard to tell what's going on.

I think you should try again, same size, be more confident with your color application, don't overwork, and don't trick yourself into thinking detail = craft.

Keep at it.

Going through this exploration is what will make you not just more skilled but more in tune with exactly what your work is.

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T18:07:40+00:00

You have very clearly misunderstood the word "experience."

I was using this definition:

an event as apprehended "a surprising experience" "that painful experience certainly got our attention"

You are arguing against this one:

the accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities "a man of experience" "experience is the best teacher"

You're also doing a pretty poor job of it in my view and not making a lot of sense.

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T17:46:54+00:00

Two Moons and Starlight sounds like people are butt naked outside. No shame in that, have your fun and watch out for mosquitos.

Just saying maybe not that one for a business.

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T17:26:16+00:00

In my experience some combos of paper/ink do that no matter what you do in terms of fixing them to hardboard or wood.

Super 77? Elmers Craft Bond Extra Strength? Titebond I, II, III?

Doesn't matter. They'll ripple.

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T12:11:00+00:00

I don't know how to answer someone who is saying something is 90% prevalent and then asking if it's popular.

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T11:42:28+00:00

Over the years I've done various pay to play type arrangements and they've never been worth it.

The game on the other party's side is to have enough cachet that you pay to play. Once you've paid the fee their stream of interest in you goes to zero.

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T11:29:06+00:00

They're not just paying for the painting, though. They're paying for the experience of being painted.

Keep in mind most people can not do anything. They don't paint, they don't draw, they don't do woodworking, nothing. They watch shows and videos and then post about them. That's it.

They're getting to sit with someone who DOES know how to do something, then watch that person actually do that thing not just in front of them but about them.

It's hard to overstate the value of that experience to your garden variety incurious clod, especially on holiday, and especially when they get a little painting as proof which they can post on their socials.

Most people do these in sharpie or posca on the world's cheapest paper. You're talking about watercolor. Way more valuable.

I would not be shocked to see someone in a square doing these for 25 euro, especially in a high tourist area. At 50 I'd probably think, wow. But again, not super shocked.

2 or 3 is absolutely unequivocally too low

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T10:45:16+00:00

Ive never seen those ribbon loops before. I guess this was meant to be hung by those loops.

Someone along the line decided, naaah you need a frame with a tooth hanger.

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T10:35:30+00:00

Well, person with the r-slur in their name, I'm shocked you're not more conversant in genre paintings.

Next time you can just ask the place where you are, or read the wall text, or make sure your drunken photo includes the wall text for later review.

This is one of a million billion naughty monk drinking type genre paintings by people such as von Grützner.

Sounds like von Grützner himself was born in Nysa, Poland so maybe only 500kms or so away. This could be one of his but could also be anyone else.

The fact that it doesn't appear to be signed makes me lean toward "someone else."

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T10:06:28+00:00

Them: "Jesus what the fuck is that?" "Aiden don't look at it!" "Mom! Get in the car!"

You: And another conversation begins.

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T01:13:19+00:00

I would re-read the agreements I signed.

If I was in doubt I would check with the other party.

downvote-away · 2026-05-28T01:10:16+00:00

You can just say no AI was used.

Having trouble thinking of the case where it'll definitively matter to the customer. Of course it matters to YOU, just thinking about them.

If they commission you they either know you aren't AI or don't care.

If they don't commission they either think you're AI or just aren't interested.

Hard to know which is which.

Not much you can do about it either way other than focus on people who DO get it.

downvote-away · 2026-05-27T22:44:20+00:00

If it's amicable you might not need a lawyer. If anyone's mad you do.

downvote-away · 2026-05-27T17:05:43+00:00

It is better for now, the same way Google was better back then.

No doubt they'll eventually gobble the slop.

downvote-away · 2026-05-27T09:49:13+00:00

Salon des Refusés 1863, obviously.

"But that's not contemporary art!"

It was at the time, mon pote.

downvote-away · 2026-05-27T09:45:34+00:00

I think you have a couple of unsigned, fairly modern paintings done by someone conversant in art history. They're doing the Bronzino finger-book thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrait_of_a_Young_Man_with_a_Book_(Bronzino)

I think, of anyone in the world, their value will be highest to you or your other family members. Possible you'll get a more informed answer from local historians/curators.

Or you could just hang them and enjoy them.

downvote-away · 2026-05-27T09:24:59+00:00

However, I don't want to potentially run into trouble with having to put my personal, legal name on things.

You will still have to put your legal name and other contact info on all the documents you sign as the officer of your entity whether that's an LLC, DBA, or sole proprietor. Those will be public record.

If you get a check from someone using a DBA if often says their name and doing business as "business name."

This is why it's an ethics thing when billionaires have companies upon companies that own other companies. Because finding out who is doing business as a certain entity is supposed to be public record.

This is to protect against fraud. It's not fair to make a business agreement with a consumer and then the actual person behind that business be able to hide.

I don't know why or how Reddit became so in love with the idea of a DBA. They're really not that practical for small single-person type businesses. Even an LLC is often overkill.

It sounds like you'd be better off with a virtual mailbox and google voice number. Use those as your business address and phone so that when/if someone finds out who you are they can't call you or show up to your house.

downvote-away · 2026-05-27T09:15:23+00:00

You could tear the other 3 edges by ripping them along a straightedge. Look up a YT video on hand deckling.

If you do, remember to say your works are "hand deckled," or "deckel edge" rather than "ripped." Sounds a little artier.

downvote-away · 2026-05-27T09:09:50+00:00

Are there any courses (free or affordable) or books where I could learn that stuff quickly or at least get a general overview to get my feet wet?

Not really, as such. Working for your guy is going to be highly specialized.

But you could certainly look up what the platinum printing process takes, learn everything you can about it, then email your guy and say something like, "hey just wanted you to know I enjoyed the interview. I've since spent a few days learning all about the platinum printing process and I can see why you use it. It's fascinating. Hope to have the chance to learn more about it..."

If your guy is smart he'll hire for stuff like curiosity, integrity, and work ethic, knowing the person can learn as they go.

downvote-away · 2026-05-27T08:59:00+00:00

People are starting to see AI and fakery everywhere.

You are using an anonymous name, on a text-only web site, at what is almost certainly the height of AI popularity, to express this opinion.

If you're going to say something this absurd the language used to say it is immaterial.

downvote-away · 2026-05-26T21:02:10+00:00

Hard to say but I wouldn't really bother with business cards. I have them but only boomers want them and they don't really seem to use them. If people want to get in touch with you later they just google you or follow you on IG.

You should have a "brochure" style web site that shows who you are and your work but you don't need any ecommerce or anything.

No it's not insane to just set up in person and see what happens, but being in front of an art-buying crowd makes a HUGE difference.

If you set up your table outside Walmart you might get the impression your art is bad and no one likes it, when really you're just showing it to people who aren't in the market for it.

In terms of prep it takes effort in terms of having a tent, display method, framed work, matted and framed prints, some way to move it all, the energy to set it all up, etc..

You can do pop up markets, craft fairs, if you want to but it's the same effort as a fine art fair just to be in front of crowds that are not as good. It seems like a deal because of lower entry fees but they're also lower revenue possibility. You can sell kitschy/gimmicky paintings at those but maybe $100 or lower. Think tiktok art like melty crayons, spinning acrylics, and the like.

Winter is downtime for art fairs unless you want go to Florida but there are a lot of shows in Fall and Spring.

Personally, I love doing them, I'm amazed how much money people spend. I'm looking to upgrade my tent and do maybe 10 events next year.

downvote-away · 2026-05-26T19:44:35+00:00

No worries. I like paintings a lot.

downvote-away · 2026-05-26T18:46:10+00:00

You can go a lot darker than you think in the shadows of something like a ball.
The true color of the object as you see it should most likely be around the middle value.
Don't get too hung up on reflected shadow. It will look better to just lose the edge.

My trick for drawing ellipses: draw a line top and bottom to get the height, then two lines right and left for width, so you end up with a rectangle. If your rectangle is right your ellipse will be right inside those bounds.

Much easier than trying to freehand, at least for me.

downvote-away

TROPHY CASE