View Full Version : My Piece of Heaven
Just foolin' around yesterday and today with some pastels and CP's. I needed a break from trying so hard that I've been doing the last month or two. This is my idea of Heaven. The scan absolutely is terrible. All of my blues look alike. Turquoises, pinks, magenta's are gone, or fuzzy. The sky does not have the abrupt breaks in color IRL. Here goes:
This is about half CP and half Pastel..... with a little acrylic thrown in too.
always fun to play with new mediums isn't it greg? there is a learning process, but by just "doing it" your accomplishing alot.
I like the top half alot, the bottom half seems to be completely seperate. The top is so alive and vibrant... if the bottom were as bright it would tie the two together better. Would be nice to see a better scan.
Also next time..think about making sure your horizon line never lies directly in the middle of your drawing ... a good rule to remember ;)
keep up the play time greg!
TJ
You are absolutely right about the two halfs TJ. The bottom half really cratered out in the scan. I lost most of my hues. Not sure why.
Thanks for the tip about the horizon line. :)
Yes, it's a lot of fun just to play every once in a while. I enjoyed it. I am going to try to brighten the bottom half up a little more tonight. I also had a little trouble with darks running on me in the sun.
Brenda
12-19-2005, 01:47 PM
I've already told you this, Greg but I'll say it again. This has an almost abstract, surreal feel to it. It has the Greg trademark all over it - fearless use of color.
As with every new thing we try there is a learning curve. The colors are a bit muddy in the water but that will get better as you continue working, practicing and creating. You know some colors mixed together lose their vividness but experience will tell which ones they are.
Can't wait to see this tomorrow at lunch!
artsee-fartsee
12-20-2005, 06:13 PM
The colors of the sky are beautiful and vivid. :clap: One thing to remember about water is that it is colorless and reflects what is around it. Also something to think about with distance-it steals color, value, detail etc. Aren't pastels fun to work with? They go well with other mediums. I find the biggest hurdle in trying a new medium is finding out how they work and how the colors work together. Kudos to you and keep at it, that's the only way to get better and you're getting much much better. Each piece shows that!!
Sheila
The colors of the sky are beautiful and vivid. :clap: One thing to remember about water is that it is colorless and reflects what is around it. Also something to think about with distance-it steals color, value, detail etc. Aren't pastels fun to work with? They go well with other mediums. I find the biggest hurdle in trying a new medium is finding out how they work and how the colors work together. Kudos to you and keep at it, that's the only way to get better and you're getting much much better. Each piece shows that!!
Sheila
Why thank you Sheila. Yes, pastels really are fun. I seriously doubt that I will ever take to them exclusively, but I enjoy mixing them. You are gonna laugh but so far the hardest thing I've had to get used to is watching my hand. If I'm not careful, I'll lay it down on the page and really smudge it. Have to remember to use the color sheet.
Honestly, this piece was only intended to be fun. I've probably only got 4 or 5 hours in it. Perspective is something I'm working on. Brenda gave me some great pointers today and I'll do some studying on the side with it. Thanks for the tips and the compliments. :)
Just a little update. Fooling around with some acrylics in the water reflections. Hmmmm, now where are my oils and my watercolors??????????? Photoshopped a little to get it as close to the real life version.
surreal? definately. :D
The colors are much better now Greg, although I still love the top half lol.
I don't live near the water, (*giggles* as you well know) so I have limited opportunites to study the reflection of the sun on the water. While your sparkles are better, something about the pattern seems off to me? A bit too stiff maybe? (a straight line to the viewer) Not something you shud change mind you, but you had your vacation to fall back on. Did you study the sunlight on the water? Do those sparkles get wider and thicker twords you or ? LOL I honestly dont' know.
I have no problem with someone working from their head, everyone should do it once in awhile. There are things in nature that just are though. We learn those things by observing whats around us. Perspective. The effects of light and shadow on everything. What a reflection in a horses eye really is? Haha it really is YOU, you the sky, the earth and whatever lies between. I love studying a horses eye, kinda freaks them out though :rolleyes: . lol. All I mean is...
observation skills are so important.
by observing whats around you, you'll discover things on your own. Ask yourself questions. Then find the answers. Sketch what you've learned or observed. You'll find yourself incorporating that into your art. And sometimes when you hit a tough spot, you'll have that to fall back on. No matter what the medium of choice.
keep up the good work greg!
TJ
Thanks so much TJ. Funny you should mention perspective. That's what Brenda was talking to me about at lunch yesterday. You two have given me a lot to chew on. And... you are absolutely right about observation. Here is a big for instance. I have seen both the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean. As you look at both you will find that the further you look in the distance ( in relation to the water) the lighter it becomes. The color of the water closer up is more of a grey with white sparklies from the sun, and darks from small wave movements. In the Gulf waters around Cozumel and Jamaica, the waters are a bright turquoise closer up and they actually go to a dark Tidy Bowl blue as you go to the horizon. These rules aren't absolute though, because it depends on where the sun is in the sky.
I feel that the observation part, along with perspective, are still my real challenging areas. I appreciate your feedback Toni. It always helps me to get pointed in the right direction. :)
Brenda
12-21-2005, 08:52 AM
Oh, this scan is MUCH closer to how it looks irl!
He has some gorgeous colors in this: turquoise in the ocean, little bits of color here and there in the water.
Toni is right on target. Observation... It's SOOOOO important. Grab something that interests you and tear it apart (visually, not literally;)). Try to see what makes it so interesting to you. Is it the color? How do the colors work together? Do they blend together or jump out at you? Is it the shape? Why? What about it makes it so appealing?
I do all that by second nature I guess. It's really helped me when it's time to do what I love to do!
Greg, sorry I didn't get a chance to jump in here before today but I LOVE IT!!! It has a fantasy feel to it and the colors are GORGEOUS!!! You are well on your way to a style that is YOU. I think you're doing great! :clap: :clap:
Thanks Rose. I may work on it a little more, I may not. It was really fun though. I like to do that style.
Katydid
12-22-2005, 05:59 PM
looks like fun - love the bold colors
wish i lived near some ST'ers. lunch and art partners...now that would be my piece of heaven :D
It is really nice to have a fellow artist to bounce things off of. Come on down Kay, you are not that far away. :)
Katydid
12-23-2005, 06:45 PM
the school system doesn't give me quite that long for lunch :D
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