Friday, June 11, 2010

San Francisco Streetcar

Close ups

Oil on 5x7 hardboard.

Here's my submission for the June ADNW painting challenge. This fine challenge is put on by Lee Brown, a very talented artist/ photographer. Thank you, Lee!

I used a tight crop to center in on the portion that caught my eye upon first glance at the total photo.
It all came together surprisingly fast.

As always, I tried to make the painting my own...to not slavishly copy the photo.
As humans, we have a tendency to be control freaks when painting. The main thing I have picked up on my daily painting jaunts is to carefully observe what the paint does. If it looks good, then leave it alone and move on. Don't try to control every little line by over detailing. In other words, I try to let the paint control me...not me control the paint.

Sold

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My Etsy

Isaiah 64:7 No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.

10 comments:

  1. Wish I read the, leave it alone and move on yesterday! I had some steps painted, looked good and decided to try to correct the angle and poof, ruined them.
    I love this painting.

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  2. Easy to say " leave it alone". For me it gets even worse when I make a photo of my painting. I think I spend more time fixing it than painting.
    Great job with cropping and shadows.

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  3. Well done, Dean, and very nicely composed. I love your line "I try to let the paint control me...not me control the paint".

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  4. Dean, this is truly masterful. I love the darker tones you have used. The go well with the old style streetcar/trolley and lends an air of 1940's or 1950's California to this piece. Beautifully done!

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  5. I love the way you've rendered this scene. The dark tones enhances the overall scene. Great job.

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  6. Love it Dean! The interesting crop, the colors. Still can't believe how small you work all the time and do so much on this tiny format.

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  7. Dean - you've done it again. I love the crop and the colors are wonderful - nice darks. I agree it has an old feel to it. Nice!

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  8. Nice job, Dean. The foot outside the door is a neat touch that adds an interesting bit of action.

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  9. This is great Dean! What's interesting to me - It's the same color palette as your cockerel - totally different subjects, but the two paintings look good side by side.

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