Personal Art Blog

Sharing the lessons I teach at the Artist Guild and the personal discoveries in my art.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Resting Poppies





Red and White Poppies
6x8in oil on canvas panel  $130, SOLD


Artist Note.
 Setting up a floral still life -
remembering it is for a
small 6"x8" panel.

.
As I painted, I found the dark
vase took over - in fact it
looked like a hole in
the canvas so I moved it
more to the side as
I still needed a bit of vertical
to offset the strong
horizontal line of the flowers.

If the rest of the background
had been darker it would
have worked, but I did not
want an old fashioned
atmosphere in this one.

I also made the front white poppy
less dominant by
placing more of it in shadow.

This happens all the time.
 I start off painting from a
set up I like, but then make
changes as I go along.
Does this happen to anyone else?



41 comments:

  1. Guess I'm in good company. My original thought and the outcome really vary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad to hear we share it, Blanche. I am looking forward to seeing if it is a general happening. Most of the artists I know are able to follow what they set out to do.
      The blue bottle you painted resonates beautifully next to the cooler blue.

      Delete
  2. Allowing the painting to speak to you sounds great in theory - much tougher to let go of a rigid plan. You did this so beautifully, Julie!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Chris. Not tough for me - it just happens and sometimes not good at all.
      Any luck with the oils yet?

      Delete
  3. Absolutely it does. And sometimes it works and sometimes you wonder why you did what you did. This certainly worked for you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wonder all the time. I have two brains... One that disappears and lets the "flow" happen and then the other that kicks into gear when the "evaluation" of what I did in the flow, takes place. Sometimes good and other times leads to a total wiper. Painting, like age, is not for sissies!
      That was a great exercise you did painting the same view in different color and shape combinations.

      Delete
  4. Love the painting and the set up information, thank you. As you know, I start off painting a Japanese scene and end up building a wooden boat ... nothing I ever do goes to plan. I live in that area between being a 'free-spirit' and a 'lost soul.'

    I go between looking at the painting as it appears on your blog, and then clicking it up to large - the difference is amazing. I try to feel as if I'm painting it - feeling the paint strokes. Guess I will never have the imagination to do it. Quite thought provoking though :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I consider it a huge compliment, John, that you enlarge the painting to look at it.
      You can see the texture that way.
      For me personally - I like visual and actual texture in a painting.
      I do enjoy the visual aspects of seeing on the monitor, digital paintings, but in a gallery I find I enjoy a bit of texture...seeing the hand of the artist with brush-marks etc.

      Delete
  5. Hi Julie :) Whatever your decision making process is, keep doing it because it works! My pieces never come out the way I have planned them either. I love your red poppies, but I especially love what you have done with the white one...all the subtle blues and that little pop of red violet and the green yellow...giving it a shadow was so clever :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Leesa. Its neat you notice all the color mixtures. a true artist. I find I look closely for color in artwork and respond with pleasure when I find some. Especially if it is unexpected.
      Your ability to let things emerge, and go with what is happening on the canvas is the sign of an art adventurer. Fearless and talented!

      Delete
  6. I think you ae describing the action of a knowledgeable artist, who can see the faults in a composition and has the technical skills to correct them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thats the intellect at work, isn't it? the technical!
      Is it just a dream to have it flow perfectly from start to finish?
      I love your goal of having beautiful fresh color. You certainly achieve it.

      Delete
  7. Replies
    1. Great word - thank you!
      Love your pomegranates - beautifully painted.

      Delete
  8. This really jumps out!
    Great COLORS and textures...KUDOS to YOU!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sue - when you talk about great color I think of your amazing abstracts and the gorgeous colors you use. I am enjoying the quotes you are using each day thru the 30/30.

      Delete
  9. Oh yes Julie, it does work and it's lovely. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And i am happy that you shared how much you like your new plein air painting box. Looks perfect!
      Your work shows you paint plein air, Joan. it is fresh and authentic.

      Delete
  10. Are you kidding? That happens each and every time! LOL! There is some kind of shift I think from idea, to setup, to reality. Maybe it is different for others but it's rare that my first try at something works perfectly.

    A beautiful and thoughtful composition!
    Libby

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know you writeabout your process on each piece and it is heartwarming to see the struggle another artists goes through so generously shared.
      Your Hoover Dam piece is remarkable.

      Delete
  11. I love how you handled the dark area. It is beautiful, and a gorgeous earthy color, looks even prettier with the light next to it.The flowers are gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Celia, You know your colors so it is a lovely complement.

      Delete
  12. Perhaps this is why I've never pursued still life. Genius to move the vase out and shadow the white poppy. Carol nailed it....you know what you're doing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lauren, I never thought about it before but you don't do still life.
      But birds...you do great. Love your African Gray, It is flawless.

      Delete
  13. Beautiful bold colors and light, you kept it fresh without using the dark glass or dark background. The texture as always is amazing !

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks Jane - we are alike in that we both love colors and textures. I always love what you do.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for sharing you process on creating from your set up Julie. Your eye and experience has resulted in a lovely piece that works

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lorraine - I looked and looked and couldn't find the key in your new painting. Love the colors and details.

      Delete
  16. Yes, it happens to me, Julie, and I'm positive we're not alone. I've wondered if, perhaps when we start painting, we also start "seeing" it far more acutely. The emphasis may shift for us, we may find one object is out of proportion visually, or we find a differing dynamic emerging from what we saw in the original set up. Don't you think that's how a painting incorporates "us" in it; why it isn't a mere replication of reality? But listen to me blah, blah... what matters is that I love the wonderfully vibrant impasto and agree especially with Leesa about those fabulous purple and yellow tones in the white poppy. You've done it again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thats a great point about seeing better as we really "see with paint." Glad you raised that point.
      I agree that the incorporation of personal taste by the artist stops the mere replication of reality... as you so cleverly wrote... and that is when we have to be careful to make sure our own voice shines through.

      You are an artist with words as well as with paint, Helene. I have noticed I always enjoy your comments when I visit blogs. Thank you for commenting on this one.

      Delete
  17. I think this happens to me every time I set up a still life! I love your result and the focus on color and great light.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good to hear it happens to you too, Mary. Blogs are great at sharing interesting information.
      Love your garden mkt painting. I am so envious of the way you paint green!

      Delete
  18. What a sumptuous painting, Julie. So rich with bold (in the flowers) yet restrained (in the background) color! I feel so lucky to read your blog. Each post offers your rationale as to why you did what you did. It's a tremendous help to my learning. I just try to file these little gems of wisdom away in the hope of applying them in a future painting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carol, my friend, you are a delight. Thank you for always being a wonderful encourager of my blog. I truly believe that positive words keep an artist going forward. You must have been an awesome teacher.
      Love the delicate color changes in your floral. They created a gorgeous whole.

      Delete
  19. Wow - your interpretation of these poppies is just spectacular - so painterly and downright beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Susan. Loved, loved. loved the post about your trip. Lucky you!

      Delete
  20. really nice, another wonderful piece :)

    If its for a client, I can't change things, but if its just something I am working on, I change things all the time. If its a still life, I will be very loose with the image, and things will get moved around on the paper/canvas if I don't think they go with what I want ot me the main focus

    ReplyDelete
  21. It happens to me even with commissions so I no longer do them if I can help it. Hard turning down friends and family though.
    I think you are so talented and can do anything you chose to.
    For example - your previous post was a watercolor and today the pointillist technique you used on the two horses was equally as fine. Amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Dear Julie- just perfectly magnificent. Those poppies just pop off the canvas. Love it dear. Have a super day.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi Julie, your paintings are always very wonderful !!!
    Thank you for sharing and have a nice weekend !!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. You made it look much more enchanting than the photo. Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete

I love that you are taking the time to comment and thank you for it. I am sure other readers will enjoy them too. If you cannot comment through this format then email me at juliefordoliver@gmail.com
Cheers,
Julie