Old summer time blues
street scene urban painting figure sunlight europe brussels
Oil on hardboard 24" x 24"
I'm not as happy with this one as with the previous one. I underpainted a rather bright red ground and spent most of the painting trying to cover it up. As a result I had to use more paint coverage than I wanted to and it felt a bit laboured in parts. Also figures are a bit predictable. I tried to suggest a narrative but will try to work more strongly on that in future. On the plus side I did learn a lot about colour, especially on "white" rendered buildings and I was pleased how the shadow side came out.
It's a bit fresher and nicer (freer) in the flesh than in this thumbnail. You'll just have to take my word for it!
posted by Sheila Vaughan at 2:38 PM
12 Comments:
I like having the red there. It's what makes that shadow side with its green so successful. If you don't like spending time and paint trying to completely cover it (which you can't), don't. "Tis what it "tis. If you want something else, wait for the next painting.
Goodness, we're hard on ourselves, aren't we? (I'm better at that than most, so I know.)
Hello Sam - yes, the red allows the green to glow, I know. But I would have been better using diluted burnt sienna I think and putting an extra wash on the shadow side. Then I wouldn't have struggled so much with that white wall in sunshine. Any road, as you say, on to the next one.
I think we ought to be hard on ourselves actually if we want to improve. We need to develop a conscious awareness of what is working for us and what isn't working. It's not inferiority complex - I think it's possibly the opposite, LOL. Don't you think?
I think it's beautiful. And I love the red.
There's a good balance of cool and warm - and I really love the overall composition as well as the color.
And as Sam says... paint another version! It's all good.
I really like this. It's got a wonderful empty atmosphere - an air of expectation. Reminds me of Hopper.
you are being too hard on yourself, i think it is an excellent composition and you have created a certain atmophere effectively, great job Sheila!
Hi Patrice, thanks for that. I think with the red I knew almost right away it wasn't what I intended, so there was some frustration as I progressed. The outcome is ok and I'm not displeased with it but it's not really how I envisioned it. I won't paint another version but I'll carry the learning to the next project!
Deborah, you have said all the right words for me - empty, anticipation and Hopper. I humbly thank you.
Rahina, thanks for your encouragement. As I said to Sam though, I do think we need to be hard on ourselves. It does no harm. I quite like the painting but it's not exactly how I envisioned it would be and I had to dissect and find out why. If we don't do this, how can we get any better?
Fantabydosy, in the immortal words of the crankys, great painting, wonderful Hopperesque allusion of figures enthralled by offstage action.It may be Hopperesgue but it really delivers in itself.
Simon - the Crankys! Around the time of Les Dawson when he used to dress up as the northern missus next door leaning over the garden fence swopping tales with his neighbour (also a bloke dressed up as a woman). Those times are gone but Harry Hill is pretty funny I think. As to Hopperesque - hey, if I end up being described as "at her best she was really only Hopperesque" I will jump for joy in my grave, LOL.
Hey Sheila, I actually like this painting better than the previous one. I like the figure on the edge of the doorway, it sets up a curiosity...and i agree the shadow side is interesting and has a good depth. I like the palette, warm and bright but not garish.
Hi Sally, glad you saw the figure as bringing in an air of curiosity.That's more or less why I put her there.
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