[crazylittleelf]

Ive been working on this for a week or so. I'm kind of at a loss as to how to connect the back ground to the foreground. The space behind the trees is too empty, but I want it to stay open. Any advice would be appreciated.



Filled in the path area and started filling in some plants. Front still is unfinished, and more plants are needed. Still looks too static and flat, but I'm working on it.

[fukifino]

Well, for the background I might suggest a mist or fog that envolopes those trees in the rear to gradually reveal the ones closest...this will give it some depth as well as provide a convenient "out" for the far background. Although I might suggest thinking about some sort of light source. I moonlit swamp would be interesting, but you'd have to redo most of your painting to achieve that affect. Perhaps some sort of swamplights...those odd glowing gas balls or something...this could provide some interesting effects in the fog in the background also.

As for joining your two halves...I think the general lack of detail in the front is your bigger problem...and perhaps a lack of any real interest points. Other than the trees, there's really not much to focus on...providing some more foliage (reeds/rushes, lilly pads, maybe a small rock/earth mound) and perhaps a few frogs or something would help liven the area up a bit.

[crazylittleelf]

Yeah, the empty front is probably too distracting and is making the back look more empty. I tend to work back-to-front.
Here's the sketch for the piece that I'm kind of working from.

[fukifino]

Yeah, see, there ya go. Your original sketch is much more dynamic and shows a lot of promise (although it's still rather dim which makes it hard to draw focus). It looks like you had some solid ground in your sketch but got rid of that in your latest version?

I don't know. I think I like your original sketch better. I think you lost a lot of what it had going for it in the WIP (better colors/contrast/etc..). Hopefully someone else will offer some more experienced feedback.