Close ups
Oil on 5x7 board.These airport travelers were Karin Jurick's challenge for DSFDF. A wonderful blog which demonstrates how one reference photo painted by many artists winds up with great diversified and creative solutions.
The original photo was very dark as above. I lightened the image and saw a lot more detail, but then decided that would actually detract from the interest. The mind likes to play detective and try to decipher what is what...So a dark mysterious painting is an invitation saying,"Come on in...look around ...stay awhile".
I first used black gesso on the board which makes the colors pop from the start. But after I had all the painting completed, I decided the black gesso wasn't dark enough to do the job. I darkened the black even further by using a thinned layer of ultra. blue, alizarin crimson, and burnt umber.
I hope you like it!
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Great Dean!
ReplyDeleteI like the introduction of the overhead light.
great piece DEAN I like your rendition.
ReplyDeleteSuperb! What a wonderful painting. Beautiful work with lights and shades!
ReplyDeleteWonderful Dean, I do like the darkness in your rendition
ReplyDeleteWONDERFUL job, Dean - very dramatic lighting.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Irit...Yes the light pattern was an important aspect.
ReplyDeleteDominique and Meghan...Thanks for the kind comments!
ReplyDeleteEdward...Thank you, my friend! Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteVery dramatic lighting Dean...and I like how that guy in the front looks to be in a big hurry!
ReplyDeleteisn't it funny (funny weird not funny ha-ha) that black doesn't seem black enough, but your combination is super black? It is such an interesting phenomenon.
ReplyDeleteI love your painting and I am always so surprised at the size you work in. So compact! Would you make a decent watchmaker? (lol) (meaning..how dinky can yo go?--you get so much information in such a small area).
This painting definitely makes me want to look at it for an extended length of time. It is captivating.
ReplyDeleteNice job, Dean. I had gone to look at all of the entries in this challenge yesterday and none of them outshone this one. Your composition is great. I like that you keep me guessing with the details. Sometimes Less is More.
ReplyDeleteThe painting I did recently with the black gesso was the first time I had include black in a work of mine in years. And, I noticed the phenomenon you speak of. My mixed blacks seem blacker than the black from the tube. Who knew?
-Don
You handled this beautifully, Dean. I like your use of the black gesso in your paintings so very much!
ReplyDeleteMaking your dark darker , or richer, seems to have worked. The strong contrast is great.
ReplyDeleteWow, Dean!
ReplyDeleteThis is fabulous. You made all the right decisions, cropping, value, color.... Very nice! I need to get back to DSFDF. I miss the projects.
Dean, you rule! I keep coming back and looking at the beautiful job you did with this - it positively glows. I found it interesting that you put the thin layer of darker colors over the black. I have always used the mixture of alizarin crimson, ultra blue and burnt umber as my 'black' because it is not as 'flat' as regular black.
ReplyDeleteI knew yours would be worth waiting for Dean! But boy I am having trouble photographing this darkness! How do you do it???
ReplyDeleteHi Dean, wonderful work, and thank you for your close ups
ReplyDeleteFrom Uruguay
Fernando
This is such a fine piece and very interesting. I love the vantage point and also find that "bird's eye view" of the figure fascinating.
ReplyDeleteAs I commented on Dana's version, I wasn't going to do this challenge because I wasn't excited about the reference photo, but I AM excited about your painting.
ReplyDeleteYou absolutely nailed it. I love the way you handled the light. Now I've got to try it too.
What the.... how come I didn't see this until today? Always raising the bar for the rest of us DSFDF challengers...
ReplyDeleteDean, I like this very much. What is DSFDF?
ReplyDeleteLove it! Glad you kept it nice and dark. It really gives the figures a lot of movement.
ReplyDeleteLove the contrast with the darks and lights, such a nice entry!
ReplyDeleteDean, this is definitely one of my favorites. Great job...you really have a knack for the dramatic.
ReplyDeleteThe drama of light and shade here says it all! Great shot!
ReplyDeleteOK, now I've done it. Four hours of hell. This was hard for me.
ReplyDeleteI love your version Dean. Loose and fresh...very cool!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on this challenge, Dean! You have a special talent for making highlights glow next to shadow. Love your brush handling too!
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