I've had this photo floating around for a while but didn't feel up to painting people just yet. I had such great success sketching it and doing a value study that I went ahead and sketched a larger version too.
However my luck changes beyond this point. I guess the value sketching was just easier because I wasn't trying to hard and there was no color issues to deal with. Because I'm new to painting larger, and I really wanted to make a "masterpiece" out of this, I wound up migrating to small brushes way too soon, and lost sight of "big picture" concepts.
For one, the composition is crap. Why the train? Why the off kilter angle? Why this cropping? These are all good questions to consider before painting all afternoon and obsessing about the curve of an ear lobe. Ugh!
4 comments:
This I think is your most successful figurative work so far, at least the ones I have seen. The balance of the figure in the rectangular frame is quite lovely, as is the understatement of the background and the red/orange compliment to the blue sky. The sun helps you out here in that it is natural that people get the raccoon eyes while in noon sun so there is no compulsion to add more granularity and bring too much focus on the character of the figure. Eyes would make it "someone" as opposed to a figure.
DanCoyote
Ha! What you think is "fail" about this picture is exactly what is good about it. Shaddup and paint Gringo and let your readership decide whether they like the cropping, angles etc on your work.
DreamChild
Right on. Two of the most honest and direct comments I've seen in ages. Bring it on!
As I'm trying to sort through possible pieces for a show, I really do need the tough love treatment. I'm too wrapped up in my own head.
Gracias!
yeah, i quite like it myself :D
Post a Comment