I've been participating in a weekly challenge from Myrna Wacknov, and this is week four's painting. Using the same photo that I started with early this year, this time I had to come up with a way to make 'size' be the important feature or element in the painting - so I stretched the people and gave them raisin heads (a Carla O'Conner ploy.) Plus, I had to use some sort of grid in the background with an assymetrical balance of the subject. Challenging, for sure..
First I glazed the whole sheet with a pale glaze of Quinacridone Violet to help unify the entire painting. From there, I began to develop the background areas, not caring if they had depth or dimension to them. I was going for more of a design quality this time, with flat space, not depth.
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I painted rather timidly for a while because I felt unsure about the grid/asymmetrical compositional thing. I made the colors match, etc., instead of taking my usual liberties with color choices.
After a class critique (Thank you, Tuesday's class,) I moved in with flourish and added color and value where it was weak. I liked the results and think this is my favorite of all of the paintings of this subject that I've done. Thanks again, Myrna. And there are 3 more paintings to go. Can't wait to see how they turn out. The next one is a 'STAGGERED' composition, new to me.
"STRETCHING THE TRUTH" Transparent Watercolor on 140#CP Arches 12 x 17"
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4 comments:
Oh how very cool! Love the elongated figures...fantastic idea! Your paintings have such a sense of light in them. Lovely.
Yes, very nice! I love the subtle palette and the elongation reminds me somehow of Peter Max (maybe it's the flare at the bottom of the pant leg!).
I love these transparent paintings
Trijnie, Tracy, and Suzanne, Thank so much for the comments. This was a stretch for sure for me, and I wasn't sure how well I pulled it off. Keep creating, everyone!
Sandy
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