DawnToDark: Online Art Sketchbook

Walter Richard Sickert (1860-1942)
I was particularly attracted to this painting because Sickert has used dark greens and browns alongside a sunset, which is something I never found to work well in a photograph. This is because the bright colours of the sunset don’t go well with the more murky browns and greens. In this painting however, the sky is a light mauve which works well with the browns and greens, which, being a painted, are quite strong in colour. This creates a peaceful-feeling in the painting.

James Randklev
This photograph is good because of the composition with the natural rocks, trees, sea and clouds with the manmade lighthouse sitting neatly in the centre. There is also a lot going on in this photograph with the waves crashing against the cliff and the effects of the sunlight shining across the rocks.

Eric Ravilious (1903-1942)
This is a particularly interesting picture as it has combined the cold metal battleships with the beautiful sunrise to create a painting with a calm and peaceful atmosphere whilst still containing weapons of war.

Tom Mackie
This photograph has a very warm and soft feel. This is because Mackie has used a long exposure which has made the clouds look wispy. He has also used a sunset filter which has enhanced the colours in the sky. The black rocks contrast nicely with the oranges and reflect the sky giving them a similar warm feel.

Corin Mulliss
When I saw this sunset I liked the gradients and the mixture of colours in the clouds.

Alexander Cozens (1717-1786)
In this painting Cozens has used different shades of black, white and grey to create the effect of depth and shape. This is especially effective with the large billowing clouds in the centre of the painting. This painting is both very simple and interesting to look at, showing that a picture doesn’t have to have a lot going on in it for it to be a good picture.

Ramsay Richard Reinagle (1775-1862)
Reinagle has used different shades to create an illusion of depth. There are also several people and those in the foreground which also helps to make the picture more interesting. This reminds me of jocular some lagoon by Art Wolf, where he had an iceberg in the immediate foreground with a lot going on in the background as well.

Mac Duff Everton (© Macduff Everton 2006)
I like the layout of this photograph as it gives the impression of castles defending a border. Also the detail of the ground contrasts with blurry sky, and the fierce orange of the ground somehow fits nicely with the grey sky. I think this creates a tranquil mood in the photograph, but the grey clouds create sense of unrest to come.

Theo allofs
Of all the photographs I have found this one if my favourite. I particularly like the way the five trees lead off into the distance where the pale moon hangs in sky, creating an impression of peacefulness. There is also a faint gradient which flows through the photograph, particularly in the sky which contrasts nicely with the harsh contrast on the trees.

Andris Apse
Aspe used a long exposure while taking this photograph which has created the pastel tones and has also smoothed out the detail on the surface of the lake. The photograph itself is panoramic which emphasises the range of rugged mountains and the patterns made by the wind in the water stop

Patrick Heron (1920-1999)
I like this picture because it's very simple yet it puts across the impression of a sunset very effectively. The stripes of colour represent the ground and the various colours created by the sun reflecting off different layers of cloud.

Pat O'Hara
this photograph has a fairly simple design with only the one colour, red. The rocks with the trees on top create interesting silhouettes and the waves below reflect the brilliant read of the sky helping to bring the photograph to life.

Corin Mulliss
I was out walking in the area where I live when I saw this hedgerow with the sun set behind and knew I had to take a photograph. I liked the way the clouds mimicked the hedgerow but were a lighter colour giving a curious layering effect. I like this and believe has made a good photograph.