Close ups
This is my contribution to this week's WDE at Wet Canvas. Oty was the gracious hostess.
I took a stab at a dragonfly reference photo. My aim was to use thick, expressive, paint. Not too sure as to how successful I was. I invented a water lily bud for it to cling to and gave the background the general look of a lily pond.
Had to wipe the flower off completely once. Then I found it's difficult to show transparent wings against a dark background.
Anyhow I fiddled with it way too long, so here it is.
I would appreciate your input on this one.
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My Etsy
Psalm 33:22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
you did a good job of it for sure...I'm glad that it was not my project! Dragonflies are usually a watercolor thang, aren't they! Good work!
ReplyDeleteGrrr...! j'avais manqué votre dernière publication ! Blogger me donne du souci en ce moment. je parviens pas à ouvrir la liste de lecture de mes blogs...
ReplyDeleteAujourd'hui aussi je viens de passer un agréable moment à admirer vos oeuvres...
Celle du ciel est magnifique. Quelle luminosité.
Et maintenant celle de cette charmante libellule. Pas facile de peindre une légère petite "bête" au couteau avec de l'épaisseur... Vraiment bravo, le challenge est réussi.
Gros bisous à vous.
Dean, despite what it might seem, I don't flit from blog to blog giving empty compliments. I visit the blogs I do because I really like the artist's work. Everyone has a misstep now and again but they are rare. This is NOT a misstep. I think it is quite beautiful and the softness of your colors are amazing. I think you have captured the gossamer effect of the wings beautifully and I love the sense of depth with the scattered and distant flowers in the pond. The darkness of the background (night? early morning?) lends a sense of comfort, as though a blanket. I just love it!
ReplyDeleteWhen I am not sure - like you said you felt, then that is a sign you need to step back and ask if you have...
ReplyDeletea. lost the joy and inspiration that you had in the beginning of this piece, and what can you do to get it back.
b. Is it a design or color harmony problem?
Only you can decide if it is the first one, and then you may find that too many different opinions will be offered on the second one. Life ain't easy for the artist!
Let me know what the follow through is.
Hi there Dean!... You have captured the delicacy of the dragonfly in spades... but perhaps it is the lily pad flower that has you bamboozled.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it is because the values are too delicate in both and there isn't enough contrast to separate the two.
Sometimes what we dream of in a piece exceeds our grasp for that one moment. C'est la vie... en faisant des peintures!
On to the next Dean! Go get 'em Lad!
Good Painting!
Warmest regards,
Bruce
Hi Dean. You mentioned having problem with rendering the transparency of its wings, but I think you did a great job here. That was one of the first things that got my attention on viewing this piece - the transparency of the wings and wondering how you achieved it. Good job.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Celeste! Really, I think oils can describe any subject...though I guess watercolors are more common with dragonflies.
ReplyDeleteMartine, Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSherry, I never even thought that you "flit from blog to blog giving empty compliments". I don't know where that came from(?). I'm sure that you're sincere in all that you say.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your very thoughtful input. :)
Julie, I really appreciate your response. Both a and b apply.
ReplyDeleteI believe I now have a better idea of where my artist's eye zoned out. Lol.
More color...more contrast. It was plain Ho-Hum. I may do the corrections soon.
Thanks!
"Sometimes what we dream of in a piece exceeds our grasp for that one moment."
ReplyDeleteSo very true, Bruce!
"values are too delicate in both and there isn't enough contrast to separate the two."
I agree completely. Thank you!
I think you have done a marvelous job on both the fly and the bud, it is so very delicately done both the application and colors.
ReplyDeleteI meant to reply earlier but I was so busy in organizing my show which I opened on Friday and stays till 16th, it really has gone well so far and now I am slowly coming down to earth!!
Best wishes....Steinunn