Lost Painting Notes

Lost Painting Notes I First, apply a base coat for the background, using a deep gray-blue. It can't be too dark.
The tree trunks should be elongated slightly. Don't draw them straight. They look more natural if they're crooked...
First, establish the lines with a hard pen, then soften the edges with a soft brush.
For the fog, don't use white directly. Mix gray and white, and brush it on lightly in a thin layer.
Remember to leave a blank space in the middle. The floating light will be painted there later. --- Lost Painting Notes II The points of light must be painted in layers!
First, apply a transparent layer of pale yellow, then add brighter white dots on top.
The placement can't be too orderly, or it will look fake... It must be randomized!
Feather the edges with a dry brush, dragging the points of light to create a slight blur.
Finally, fill the gaps with cool colors, and the sparkling effect will emerge. --- Lost Painting Notes III The stones should be outlined with hard lines, then blocked in with cool blue and gray tones.
The cracks in the center should be carved out with a knife, and then filled in with thin, bright blue lines!
The reflections on the surface must be preserved. Use a clean brush dipped in pure water to wipe away the pigment.
Don't paint it as a solid... It needs to breathe. This can be expressed through layered colors and empty spaces.
The shadows must remain clean, not muddied with the background. --- Lost Painting Notes IV Okay, the Light Cocoon must be placed right in the center.
For the base color, first mix transparent red and yellow, then apply a touch of blue to the outer ring.
The edge of the cocoon should not be traced with a brush... it should be gently dabbed on with a sponge.
The bright spots inside should be a bit larger and more chaotic than the surrounding light specks to appear natural.
Finally, enclose it in dark colors to build a sense of pressure, which will make the Light Cocoon pop! --- Lost Painting Notes V Pay attention to the overall composition: top-heavy, light at the bottom.
The branches should extend from both sides, pulling the viewer's eye toward the center.
The points of light must gradually decrease from left to right to create a sense of direction.
The stone should be placed in the bottom right corner to give the painting weight. Otherwise, it will feel like it's floating.
Don't paint the full figure... Just leave a blurry silhouette on the left to establish scale. --- Finished Painting Today, I finally finished this painting.
The layers of fog turned out better than I expected, especially the soft-focus effect in the top-right corner. It's almost identical to the景象 I saw in the Slumberdream Valley.
The Light Cocoon's position is slightly off, but the overall composition is still balanced. The distribution of the light specks is quite natural, avoiding the lifelessness I was most afraid of. Bless the Bapharian Divines! This is truly fantastic!
The effect of carving the cracks in the stone with a knife is much more realistic than my previous attempts with brushstrokes. That was a good discovery.
The only thing I'm not satisfied with is the figure's silhouette. The edge transition is too hard, making it look a bit abrupt, but I don't want to change it anymore.

I know this painting doesn't record reality, but an illusion. But I still want to keep it.
It frightens me, and it fascinates me. After finishing it, I was even somewhat reluctant to put down my brush.

I've decided to name it—Prison of Floating Light.