Cliffwatcher

UPDATE: As my teacher requested, I edited the horizon just a bit and adjusted the reflection of the clouds. I think the perspective is working better now.

Finished: 17.1.2013
Tools: Photoshop
Music: I listened to many fitting soundtracks during the painting process, some of which had a completely different mood. I had to choose just one though. Two Steps From Hell - Fragments of Your Imagination [link]
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My degree work - finally done.

It's the first time I've tried anything like this. A scenery! At first it was very different and there was no ocean. A bit later I was surprised by the amount of rocks I was about to make myself paint. I didn't think I could do it but I did.
My idea was a regular scenery-like picture with some unnatural fantasy element in it and that character of mine which I've been calling "Scion". At some point I started to worry about that fantasy element. What would it be? That stone arch had been there since the beginning but it wasn't enough for my taste. "Should I add something special to the cliff?" No, it was the cliff itself that was special. The rocks turned out to be so unnatural that I was perfectly pleased with them as they were. My teacher called them "almost organic" and I think it was pretty good word for them.

I used to think: Is it fair that an artist goes through so much trouble for their art and then other people can just freely watch the results of their work? But making this piece changed my point of view entirely. At the moment I feel a bit pity for those who only watch artwork and don't make their own. They can only see the picture while the artist knows every stroke in it. They don't get to experience the flow - a state where your little mistakes mean nothing and you just fix them automatically without self-criticism.
That's why I want every artist here to keep on making art. Just do what you want to. Don't think about what people want to see you do, but what you want to.

I would have never finished a piece this large if I didn't feel happy while making it. After every cloud, after every wave and stone I felt joy. It's not just the finished work that matters, it's the process.
Another reason why I had the patience is that this was something completely of my own and I was doing it only for myself. Of course I have a teacher giving me a grade, but I wasn't painting with that shining A in my mind, no. This work is for me. My gift for myself.

So I guess you could say I've learned things.

Oh and btw, the photoshop file was 525 megabytes large and the original resolution is 8190x3500 px. So yeah, it was rather huge.

I still may edit this later on if my teacher wants me to, but for now it's finished.

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No copying please.