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Writer's pictureBob Palmerton

Pastel Landscape: Managing the Level of Detail



As noted in my previous blog about "how much detail is too much," I continued to tackle the foreground of "Birch Ballet."

I have decided that the left portion of the foreground will retain the most close-up detail (around the large birch and to its left). An entanglement of mostly mid-value green and reddish-brown will convey the grassy area to the right. Any detail I choose to show in this area will be limited to the occasional leaf and stalk of grass that captures just enough sunlight to stand out.

My goal is to take the viewer's eye form the lower left of the painting and follow the tree line to the upper right. Enhancements with highlights and composition will help to guide the viewer in this direction.


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