Charles Dickerson's Mountain Waterfall

The overall composition of Mountain waterfall consists of a waterfall surrounded by tall rock walls that flows into a small body of water. Throughout the painting there is grass, rocks, trees, bushes and a sky. The painting is very simple but it is the techniques and details the artist uses to make it intriguing. Like I mentioned before, I chose this piece of artwork because it is very realistic. Because the mountains and waterfalls were found in nature, it is pleasing to the eye and can be considered naturalistic. In my opinion, this painting looks like it is from early in the morning. The picture does not look crystal clear so I think it was foggy out when the picture was taken. Charles Dickerson uses warm colors to create a happy feel. Soft

If you look at the picture you can tell the rocks, water, and grass in the foreground of the picture seem to be darker, brighter and have more detail than the mountains and waterfall in the background of the picture. This allows the viewer to assume that the mountains and waterfall in the background of the picture are further away than the more colored and detailed part of the picture. Dickerson purposely achieved this idea using atmospheric perspective. When looking at Mountain waterfall the viewer can also assume that the mountains and beginning part of the waterfall are farther away because it looks higher up. Because the waterfall and mountains appear higher, the picture does not appear to be flat. If the waterfall was painted on one flat level, we wouldn 't be able to tell how long the river goes back and there would be no height. This technique also gives the picture a great sense of depth. Since the waterfall is the made focus point, naturally our eyes follow the river upstream, making it seem longer and further away. The two bolding rock walls on both sides of the waterfall also gives the picture depth because it makes the waterway seem thinner as we look