Lightening Storm

Just finished this painting in the pastel course I was taking. It is a subject Ihave always wanted to try. I found several reference photos and then created this painting with those in mind. See the painting below. After seeing it posted, I think that I need to add a little more texture below the trees so that they don't stand out so much. Any opinions are greatly appreciated.

I'm not as fond of this one as I am the first one you posted but that could just be the colors in each.

I agree that some more texture in the foreground may add to the painting but I do like those trees.

Thanks Jan,

I debated on the colors because I just really enjoy blues, but the heaviness of the storm clouds just felt that they needed to be more threatening than blues would impart. When we get these heavy clouds in southern Arizona, we usually get the hot oranges sneaking in under them, since it is a rare day that we have total cloud cover. Everything takes on this orange glow that is browned up by the purple/grays of the heavy clouds.

Part of the challenge in the course is to develop mood and atmosphere in the painting. I think I accomplished that, but I did get a comment in the forum for the course from one of the more experienced artists that she felt the lightening was too big and was distracting. I also felt that it was too big, but I wasn't sure how to give the impression of the radiation of light into the surrounding atmosphere of the closer strikes. I'll have to work on that.

As I look at the color right now, I see that I instinctively used all harmonious colors only on the warm side of the wheel from violet to orange and carried those colors throughout to maintain that harmony.
I think it might be the lightening that is causing the problem.

Thank you for your honest comment. I appreciate it. It makes me look at it twice and reinforces some analysis of what it is that is bothering me also.

Oh, Judy, you misunderstood me. It's not that you chose the wrong colors - I meant it was just my preference for the purples and blues in the other painting that made me like it better. Actually, the comp and everything in this painting is better and your colors belong in this painting.

I'm sorry I wasn't more clear about what I meant!

Thanks Jan. Your comment made me look at the painting and analyze it to try to find what was bothering me. What I wrote was kind of a description of my thought processes as I tried to identify it. Here is the version my instructor suggested and I think it was the solution to what was bothering me...that the lightening was too strong. It is amazing how slight, simple changes can make such a difference. I'd appreciate your feeling  on this version.

I think the crop gives it more drama and your comment about using all warm colors made me think too. What if you used a cool green just on the edges of your trees and only on the edges which would be lit up from the lightening?

I would think the lightening would show up the true colors and I would just add the green to the viewer's right side of the trees on the left of the painting and a very slight (almost transparent) amount on the tops on the trees just above your signature.

None of it should be very noticeable - just an almost imperceptible break from all the warm colors. Maybe you could add a layer just to see how it would look before committing.

Like you, I'm just thinking out loud, lol. Actually, I was remembering something some art instructor said (maybe Johannes?) about balancing warm colors with cool and the trees seemed the ideal place to add some cool color. But I have no idea of how it would look in real life!!!!

That's a good "out loud thought." I'll have to give it a try on a new layer. The nice things about layers, as you know, is that you can change to opacity so it is easier to just make a hint of color.  Did you ever take any of the free series Johannes gave several years ago? It was great except for being every weekend for a month or something like that,  but it was very well worth all the information he demonstrated. I think he did 6 or 8 different series.

No, the only teaching from Johannes I've ever had is the one I downloaded for $5. I do best when I can see a dvd or something instead of participating in an actual class.