8/24/09

YUPO REVISED

Last week after washing off most of the paint from the YUPO surface of an old unfinished painting, I started a detailed painting of a Red Tailed Hawk that I'd taken pictures of over ten years ago. The background textures became part of the new painting. It needs to be cropped in more to balance the hawk and make him seem more powerful. What do you think?

Today Rhonda and Kathy were here painting, and we took a lunch break to go to Willie's. Upon our return, the keypad on the garage door wouldn't work. Aha! I remembered that Marianne had alerted me earlier that our power would be going off for a short time while they changed our electrical lines. Now we couldn't get back into the studio...

But wait, I'd left some windows up. Maybe Rhonda could crawl in a window if the screen could be removed.

I stayed safely on the deck outside the studio while Kathy and Rhonda devised their plan. Let me tell you, Rhonda's very good at breaking and entering. The fact that she's lost 15 pounds helped her slip effortlessly through the window. At the precise moment that she stepped into the studio, the lights came back on. We were happily painting five minutes later.

You can see this detail of the head of the hawk as he watches Rhonda and Kathy break into the studio.

"LOOKOUT" Transparent Watercolor, Graphite, and Conte Crayons on YUPO 14 x 20"

10 comments:

Sheila said...

I don't know that I would crop it in closer, as you say. I think it's beautiful just as it is seeing as hawks are such dominant birds in their space. I think your current composition gives the sense of a wild hawk in his natural habitat, overseeing all he surveys. Just my opinion, since you asked.

Dawn said...

beautiful Sandy and yes I would crop it.

love the flowers in the last post also.

so glad the healing is progressing so well. keep up the good work!

RH Carpenter said...

Well, that silly hawk should have flown to the door, opened it and let us all in :) hee hee It was definitely an interesting and fun day! So glad you invited me over to paint and chat and play.

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Wonderful story had me giggling and good for you Rhonda - especially the weight loss! Oh yes, liked the painting - particularly the background markings!!!

Ginny Stiles said...

If you crop it, Sandy, not too much off. I love the idea of reusing and resurfacing an old Yupo painting. Do you ever use the semi-transparent Yupo. I've bought some sheets of it to try out and am finding it quite interesting in that I can place shapes and objects and colors under it as I go along and sort of pre-plan what I want to put in! I am also interested in maybe doing a 2-layer painting with something showing through the surface. Ever done that? Good job on breaking and entering.

Sandy Maudlin said...

Thanks for the input about cropping it. Chop. Chop. And Ginny, I've used the translucent YUPO quite a bit and love not only how easy it is to see thru for various uses, but how I can change the mood of the painting by whatever color is under it. Happy painting, everyone! BTW - That window wasn't all that big for Rhonda to wiggle thru. She's awesome!

Unknown said...

Funny story, made me laugh. And your painting is wonderful, the background looks cold and frozen. Finding a discussion about Yupo....well, wow! I have some that I've fooled around with and gotten discouraged, but now you give me courage to try again.

cathyswatercolors said...

smile!

jgr said...

I love the hawk painting! And the story is so funny! I'm sure the painting will look awesome either way but I would leave it. I have never tried Yupo but . . . I'm putting it on my list!

Unknown said...

You are so gifted at painting both abstractly and realistically which is evident in this painting. There does seem to be a separation between the two though, is there a way for you to marry the realistic hawk to the abstracted background.