Saturday, July 3, 2010

"Summer Evening"


Hopefully the dolrums are over! Finally felt like doing something. 8x10, colored pencil. I've come to use "don't paint from a photo unless you can improve the photo" as a guide. I really loved the photo of this geranium bloom but I did make a few changes to hopefully improve the composition. The little batch of buds on the right side actually pointed straight out to the side and I felt like it led your eye out of the painting, so I re-directed them upward so hopefully they help your eye move in a circle around the flower. I wanted them to still break the plane of the circle of leaves and for the brightness of the largest bud to show up against the dark background. Other changes were very minor, but I think helped.

5 comments:

  1. Susan, what a beautiful painting. I really like the modifications that you have made to the photo. Radiant colors and great composition.

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  2. Very nice! I appreciate that you described how you planned the lights and shadows. That is still my problem area! Your flowers are amazing! The composition is perfect!

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  3. Nice way to break out of the doldrums! Lovely piece, the petals are wonderfully modelled, great light and shade.

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  4. Appreciate your very nice comments! Now if I can just keep the momentum going!

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