Post by Alice Walker
Oh I love Emil Node -thankyou for picking him!
Actually a very good start here Lucy -compositionally spot on. It would be tempting to leave it here and indeed some of Nolde watercolours are much looser and more abstract than some of his oils -and they are no less for it. Having tracked down the original I can see that it is the contrasts that need work -which doesn't surprise me for oil painting which requires waiting for layers to dry or nearly dry before you can continue. The colour in yours currently is mostly saturated and intense and whilst preserving plenty of that you need to add some highlights and shadows to create more depth.
Keep going with this it will be with it.
It's probably a pre-primed canvas -so unless the paint was being absorbed like oil into kitchen towel on the canvas the priming would have made a difference.
Don't give up on the oils -they will reward your loyalty and besides they seem to like you!
