David Bareford - American

24 x 36 inches

The strength of this image is largely due to the large tonal range. The waves at the bottom are almost black, while the sail on the left is pure white. Tonal contrast is much less in the background, giving a sense of distance. I've noticed that a lot of artists try to get dark shadows in the corners of a composition. This makes them crisper (unless, of course, seen again a very dark wall or frame, which is unusual).

David Bareford - American 1947-

Brant Point, 24 x 36 inches
With the sunlight at the right angle, water can appear white.

30 x 40 inches
The curves and diagonals of sails, and their reflections or shadows in the water, add greatly to the visual interest of a seascape. Though small, the yellow sails in the distance draw the eye into the painting because they appear as a warm accent on a predominantly cool-coloured image.

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Outbound, 12 x 24 inches
The bright red in the top half of the painting really sings because of the neutral greens in the lower half. Too bright a green would compete with the red rather than setting it off. The red triangle is such a powerful eye magnet that no other visual interest is required in the top half of the image - The blank, cloudless sky is the right choice.