Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Painting by Committee




Painting by committee.....what a terrific idea.  Sometimes I overwhelm myself with my brilliance.

(For you new here, this post is a followup to one about a week ago.)

Well, no one mentioned what I saw as a glaring error, so perhaps it wasn't so big a deal after all....but I'm happier with the painting now.  The shapes in the original were so repetitive it bugged me.  Some repetition in a painting is good and adds to cohesiveness but, as you can see in the one I marked up, it was too much of a good thing.

I thought there were several good comments and in the corrected version I tried to include some of them.  The water area is larger, the right side no longer 'falls off', the trees are less repetitive and the enlarged sky area gives a greater sense of height and allows those birds more flying opportunity.  While it seemed like a good idea, I decided not to put in the ice cream stand that K thought should be there.  All those small corrections in shape and size made a more interesting painting to my eye.

With the fourth of July weekend upon us, this is the last post you can comment on and still be placed in the hat for the free painting.  I will be announcing the winner soon.  Good luck to you all, it's been fun.....have a good day of Independence.

5 comments:

  1. The changes you made are so small.....but do make a positive difference. Love your greens.

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  2. I understand all of these "fine tuning" thoughts and think they might make a difference in the polished finish of this painting ... but based on this post, I'm think I'm learning that these tiny details don't "make or break" a painting. Very good insight for my sometimes critical, artist's eye.

    For me, when I look at this painting, I see a gentle Northwest day. Lot's of cool colors,lightly (and barely) touched by the warm sun colors. (isn't that typical of a NW day?) I notice the activity of the birds as they fly by and remember moments just like this.

    I love seeing this from an "observer's" viewpoint instead of from the artist's perspective. New insight for me about art and why people might be drawn to certain things.

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  3. Hi Darrell,
    It's been great following your blog this month. Lot of good learning and commentary by you and others. I appreciate both your personal reflections and stories as well as the "teaching moments" you have been offering us!
    Thanks much,
    Marcy

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  4. Like everything else done by committee, it would turn out bland if you listened to everything. I thought this was a very interesting exercise to see what you were dissatisfied with and how you changed it. I like the changes but still...my eye keeps wanting to follow those birds off to the right.

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  5. regarding the birds flying off the right side of the painting ...

    I've heard about this compositional thought; to try and keep the focus and movement contained in the painting, but not sure I agree with this. Birds fly .. in and out of our lives all of the time. I think it's ok to feel/think and visualize about a space outside of the painting.

    I never have like rules, anyway.

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