There were some great views behind Ratko’s art residence in Montenegro. I particularly loved the pastoral view in this scene looking down the valley from the coastal mountains near Bar, Montenegro, towards Skadar Lake and the distant snow covered mountains.
Working out a color harmony was not straightforward though. See this short video if you would like to know a little more about my planning behind this painting.
Photographic Reference for the painting
About the painting
A nice scene, yes. But the problem was that green, yellow, red, and blue gray do not harmonize. This meant that I had to be selective in what I used in the painting, and to exaggerate certain elements in order to create more harmony.
The basic color harmony I used was a split secondary harmony. By a split harmony, I meant take green, orange, and violet, and split each color into a warm cool version.
I paid particular attention to capturing the sense of distance using the principles of atmospheric perspective, and exaggeration.
For more information
For more detailed information on color, see my eBooks on color harmony.
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope you find it useful. If you would like to get free painting tips by email, please sign up for my free tips newsletter.
If you are interested in a structured approach for learning how to paint, take a look at my online painting classes.
Happy painting!
Barry John Raybould
Virtual Art Academy
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Since I started the programme I can see improvements in my composition and use of colour
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