/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

>>6595381
I think if there was more of a shadow from the bird it would look much more realistic. I think shadows look best for painting when you’re facing obliquely towards the sun, as in shadows pointing somewhat towards the foreground. This tends to naturally boost the contrast of the composition as well as give some shadows on the actual subject which I think helps define shape even better than highlights on a subject. The background brushstrokes being oriented on the diagonal are telling my brain that the background is severely tilted like the background is the side of a steep mountain. I think you might have more success painting background to foreground, and using opaque paint makes that so much easier. With transparent paint like watercolor I need to be careful to blot out paint in foreground objects when doing background washes or else it gives the look of translucency of foreground objects.