FIX IT FRIDAY 2 - Bowing to the Mist

Bowing to the Mist, 8 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2020

Click to purchase $120 + $16 s/h

Welcome back to Fix It Friday! 

This is a little painting that has been on the shelf, screaming at me for years. That little tree in front was absolutely trapped, creating visual tension. It was as if it was pruned back to fit within the edges of the canvas.  When I finally took it down and reworked it, I wondered why it took me so long. And I really wondered why I didn't notice that tension when I painted it. 

FIXER UPPER #2 - Bowing to the Mist, 8 x 6, oil on panel

BEFORE

AFTER

CHANGES:
Problem 1 - Main tree was cramped.
Fix 1 - Reshaped the tree to allow it to go off the edge of canvas.
Problem 2 - Color was dull.
Fix 2 - Brightened up the mist color and kept tree color more uniform. 

OBSERVATION:
The edges of a canvas are actually design elements, and they impact a painting's composition. The related design principle to remember here is that when two design elements meet up, either pull them back from each other or make them overlap. Letting the tree overlap the edges of the canvas (vs pulling them back in the original) is a WAY more aesthetically pleasing solution.