Improving "Cast Out"

After being away from my studio for a couple of weeks, I returned to view "Cast Out" (the latest in my Crow Man series)with a fresh eye. Almost immediately I saw a very dominant line coming from the lower right to the large crow, first from the right-hand side. This line takes away the importance of that crow and it's skeptical?/evil?/noncompliant? expression. Whatever he's expressing, I want the viewer to look at him and wonder.

To decrease the dominance of that dark line, I knew I had to break it up somehow. I applied frisket--a masking material that allows one to paint over, or lift from without disturbing the paper/paint below--and let it dry overnight. Today I was able to lift some of the dark line, keeping the crow's feet intact. After lifting the paint with water and sponge, I added some warm color to attach the newly lifted area to the warm orange to the left.

Another area that distracted me was the dominance of the turquoise blue patch above the crow. I broke that piece up with some burnt sienna.

 

See if you agree that these changes have improved this painting.