Progress report...I think this is just not working......but I am determined to finish every piece of art I start. These roses are just not right nor are they artistic....aaaaaaaaargh!!!
After some thought, I decided to add some other items to the piece: the wedding cup, rose pedal and the oriental carved screen in the background (barely visible and not finished on the right of course).
I am not finished with the roses!!! I'm glazing and neutralizing and working on edges. It's far from being finished but I thought I would upload the process...for the heck of it.
When it is finished I'll repaint this and loose the vase...and try painting roses again. Next time, I think I will do a griselle (FR: greza•y) and then apply glazes. I am not doing the beautiful rose any justice.
(This was difficult to photograph so I tilted the picture forward to reduce the glare.)
Below is an earlier version.....and previous comments.
Nearing completion. This is a painting of one bouquet of 38 long stemmed roses given to me on our anniversary. I've been getting one rose for every year of marriage for 38 years. Never in those years did I ever paint my bouquet successfully although I tried once or twice but was met with failure. How difficult to capture the true beauty of a simple rose without it coming off amateurish.
This painting is getting close but I'm not there yet.
John Ruskin, the great art critic said about successful art ... "all art is praise." Does the art do justice in praise of the rose but that is really quite a challenge. My painting is symbolic of my husband's feelings for our relationship and the beauty of our long union.
I'm having difficult with the red highlights. Red chroma/hue goes pink or orange when I try to raise it's value to a highlight. I've taken down and neutralized the shadows and then grayed down. Red is difficult very difficult.
The other part of this is not making art sentimental. Ways to go. I'm not sure this says anything.
Please comment ... what do you think? It seems a bit contrived at this point.
I'll work today and post at the end the progress. ( This photo is from yesterday.)
Not happy.....yet.
Posts
7 comments:
Patti,
I love these roses! I have tried many times to paint roses and other flowers and have never had any success with it.
Red is a very tricky color to work with. I have had some success with mixing red with a little yellow for the highlights. It is still hard to not go orange with it, but it may be better than pink.
The roses are beautiful you are doing a great job on them. Congratulations on 38 years of wedded bliss.
Seems very nice to me - the number of ptgs I've ruined by not stopping in time! - be careful it's good
You sure cover the ground - figures to sculpture to roses!
Jon
Looking good! I've ruined many by not stopping in time - don't go too far - it's really nice
Susan,
That is exactly the problem in the highlights. I've worked on my edges, and added another item...a silver wedding cup (small) to add some interest and bring the eye down. I also have changed some of the stems in the water. It will either die "on the vine" or get where I want it to go. PD
Jon,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I rarely get comments and would like some honest feedback. I would like some honest input from artists especially.
I am taking a week off from the painting and doing some thinking and studying. I think there are some small things I can do to improve this.
In the actual still life, there is a very dark carved screen behind it and I'm thinking that might be an interesting opposite knocking down the blue background ...neutralizing it. PD
Like I said, I think it really is nice - the ptg you've done. Well, I don't know how much time you put into them - you seem to work hard on them. I haven't done any flowers/bouquets and this mawkishness bit is a problem - one thing I noted (in case I did want to do some flowers), was that, in his wonderful book Alla Prima, Richard Schmid says he never paints them in a vase - If you allow me to say what I'd do in your position (I'm sure you'll do exactlm what you want - of course!). is that I'd start again (a second picture) with the bouquet laid flat on a nice cloth/surface and keep the red chroma down from the start.... anyway, keep enjoying it
Your comments are very good. I never thought about losing the vase and that may solve the problem of a contrived floral arrangement from FTD...which, I've concluded, might be one problem.
Lowering the chroma is another...starting out subdued and leaving the punch for the last.
I do think I will paint this topic again...after I finish this one.
Richard Schmid...a master painter of course worth reading after.
Post a Comment