Thursday, December 3, 2009

"Scattered Apricots," redux

Connie Kleinjans Fauve Still Life6x8", oil on canvas board, sold

This is another re-done painting. It's really satisfying to take something that just didn't work for you and turn it into something a lot more interesting. FYI, here's the painting as it originally appeared:

Yes, the new one is more interesting to me.

One of my challenges on this one was to learn about how red works. It really does add heat. If you have shadows in a dark neutral, adding red can make them look like a light is glowing from the inside. It's a powerful color.

At the moment, I'm finding that I first do the painting in colors resembling reality. Then I start to muck with the colors. I think ideally I'd just do the painting in creative colors right from the outset.

I'm also still trying to figure out what a palette is in this case. In the original, it was pretty much blue and orange. But once I added greens and purples and reds and pinks to the orange, the palette widened. It's fun, but the paintings are in danger of looking too much like each other. I'd have a broader skill set, and more tools, if I learned how to lean the palette in different directions. I might be doing it intuitively; check out the cherries two posts ago.

Anyway, this is still way fun. :)

7 comments:

  1. What fun you're having! It is so great to see your pumpkin painting in the gallery as the light moves throughout the day. It is gorgeous, and all the pumpkins glow. The fun is showing...Your abstracts are all over the walls too!

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  2. I really love the tension created by this composition and the strong complimentary colours. The peaches are rolling right out of the picture and the spectator must catch them!

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  3. Guy, thanks so much! I really want to bring that painting to a conclusion, but it's been a crazy week! (And I want to see my work on the walls, too.)

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  4. Marie, that's so interesting. Now that you say it, it does look like they're rolling! I should know this, of course, since i painted it, but different people have different perspectives. I do think the hotter colors help; the older version isn't as dynamic.

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  5. I love the new version. The colors are so vibrant!

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  6. Hi Pam. Thanks for dropping by. Your blog makes me want to do plein air painting! I live near such beautiful scenery. :) I also really enjoyed your garlic paintings. And thank you for the kind words. I almost feel like I'm making up for poor composition with bright colors. I need to think about that. Then again, if it pleases the eye...

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  7. I like seeing the before and After pics. Very nice.

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