I tried to really focus on the light shining through the trees on this one. I think I did a good job of blurring the light in the trees in the distance and preserving enough white at that light source. I think that brightness, plus the blurred edges where the leaves hit the light, together with the strong value contrast on the sides helps immensely with creating the illusion of depth in the painting.

Once again I overdid it with masking fluid. UGH! I need to learn that just makes the painting difficult to fix. I need better discipline when applying masking fluid that’s all there is to it.

I like the way the sky looks at the tops of the trees and I do like the effect of the masking fluid splatters I just have to be more disciplined with where I apply the fluid early on. I think part of the reason I overdo the masking fluid is because I don’t want to waste it. I need to get over that. I bought a bottle, and it has lasted me well over fifty paintings – it’s not liquid gold. It’s ok to throw some away if I pour out too much.

I really like the leaves in the foreground and the shadows on the road. I wish I hadn’t masked off the white line on the road because I think it looks better when I just don’t paint it.

I think the white line for the powerline is really helpful as far as composition goes, but it reaches to high towards the trees at the back. I also messed up on the perspective between the wall and the white line. The line should more gradually distance itself from the wall the closer it gets to the viewer. Here, it is equidistant from the wall for the whole length of the part where the wall is nearly a vertical line. If the wall is a vertical line, the white line from the road should be a diagonal line.

I got more than a little muddy with the greens and shadows on the sides of the painting. That value contrast is necessary in order to create the illusion of depth, but I have to find a better way to get that value contrast without making mud.

I really like the wall though I wish I had left more of the masking fluid splatter because I think it could use some contrasting white spots to make it look more like stone.

All in all I’m relatively happy with this.