Need some color help

[Nancy Wett]

This is a total work in progress yet. The clothes on the fairy are not the colors or style I'm going to use. I made the background woods lighter and cooler colors to create distance. I wanted the fairy to be a bit warmer as she waits to go out for the night. I think maybe the moon is to bright and maybe to small and the background isn't dark enough or with enough purple. It doesn't feel right.Someone suggested I have less light around the tree hole entrance and bring more purple in side the tree. I don't know what color to dress her in either. So...I'm looking for suggestions to help pull this together. I think I have to work on the shadows too. Any and all critiques welcome. I feel very frustrated that I don't seem to be able to finish this. Thanks for your help. Nanc

[notjustgraphics]

My first impression is wow! Stunning piece!

On closer inspection, i do think that there would be much more significant shadows in front of the trees if the moon is lighting them from behind...

The fairy would have her own light in the knot and I think this is well done... but if the moon is that prominent, the outside would be far less bright... possible even eerie...

I'm sure you will get lots more feedback.

Mike.

[Kenneth]

Hi Nanc!
This looks like a nice piece of work! Still not shore if the fairy is your own work.
But as you said, you can work some more on the shadows. And I think the three hole and the fairy could be a lot darker and not so blur comparing to the tree rots outside.
In my opinion that winter forest outside could work well as an image itself.
Very nicely painted!

[Nancy Wett]

Hi, Thanks for the imput. The fairy is a scan which I have painted over for the most part. Not the wings or some of her body yet but the clothing is just a layer I was playing with trying to find the right style and colors. Her face is now my own art as she looks nothing like the original scan. It's no where near done, especially the tree she is sitting in. I was stuck at the colors so I didn't go any further till I got some feedback. My friends think I'm nuts that I am good at drawing and sculpting but think I'm bad at color. But then they see it's really not my best skill. I'm not afraid to ask for help in an erea I'm weak at. Better that then put a lot of work into something that misses the mark due to my color choices.
I'm trying to decide now if I should just restart the whole painting and use parts of it or what. It seems like next time a painting is going well I should just stay up and paint because it's so hard to pick it up the next time.

[agentxi]

Hey Nancy, this is a wonderful start

here's some things i see, but just take them as suggestions not a "you have to" kinda thing.

the moon is pretty yellow for a moon, I would of guessed it was the sun if i hadn't read your comment about it being a moon. Also usually when the moon is that close to the horizon, it looks absolutely huge, the light it gives off is more of a white, although on certain moon phases it does give off more of a yellow color.

if you do the moon that close to the horizon, i would think that the shadows off the tree's would be a little bit longer than what they currently are.

You have done a wonderful job on the 2 tree's closest to your fairy. The lighting and texture details on them is awesome. (i know it's not finished, but i'm gonna say it. I hope you put the same detail and feel on the hole in the front of the scene as you did on those tree's)

As for the colors of your fairy, I would give your hole a more of a definite light source, right now it kinda feels really "ambient/flat-ish". My only reason for saying this is to give it a bit more of a dramatic lighting, giving a depth to it. As some say, ...paint with light, but I think the same goes true for shadows...

hmm, as for colors of the clothing, i would go with something complimentary to the blues you are using outside, Which would probably be an orange. Maybe go with some "autum colors" unless you want to give it a "spring" type feel, then go with some greens. Also if you want to experiment, play with a deep red outfit as well. I'm assuming you are using photoshop for this image, if you are just put these all on separate layers so you can swap them out quickly and easily.

and as a last suggestion, I would maybe try matching the color of her eyes with the same purple used in the wings, it could really make things pop!

This is a great start, and i can't wait to see it finished
...best of luck!

-agentxi-

[class_act]

Hi Nancy:
A very wonderful WIP. The one thing that really bothers me here is the fact that the lighting is the same inside the tree as well as the outside. If you are to keep the lighting bright inside the tree, maybe show a source. Fireflies? Fireflies and snow you say? Well, soo what! The moon light is just too bright even with snow. And the moon, i would probably take it out completely. It takes away from the composition. Your fairy is in deep thought wondering whether to leave or not. Very thought provoking.
At first I thought if I were a fairey, i would want big gossamer wings. But if i was the explorer type i would want the ones you have given here.
That's my opinion, everybody has one.
Very nice piece. Can't wait to see your next steps.

[bbn]

how about the fairy colours being reddish or warm browns with a touch of grey or cream

[iLZETxF]

Shadows would be nice as justnot said, I'd like to see the final product.