Friday, October 31, 2008

Oct 31 - A Ghoulish Change to an Old One!

I thought you might enjoy the transformation of an old painting into what you see to the right. This was a 16 x 20 oil painting, that I did on location many years ago. The location was in the Temecula Wine Country, about this time of year. Why did I alter it? Because in those "old days", I was using a limited palette of five colors--Ultramarine Blue, Thalo Green, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light, and Cadmium Yellow Light, plus the workhorse Titanium White. Adequate to get the essence of a scene, but no drama nor color singing. I've repainted over about 95% of the original surface. (Note: there was no varnish on this painting.)

I'm so pleased with the Color System I'm using now, that painting over an old work allows me to practice what I've learned, and also to measure my growth as an artist. I've attached the original painting, and I'd like for you to notice the less-than-successful depiction of a backlit subject. It is weak in values. I didn't work out a good composition--at that time I was going to a place and immediately sitting down and trying to capture it. Now I let a place "speak" to me before I lift my brushes.

If you enjoy this process of changing older work, please let me know.


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2 comments:

Judith Angell Meyer said...

Pretty dramatic improvement! I have really enjoyed your last two WIP's. As a watercolorist, I can't lay in the bright background like you are doing, but I can still appreciate and apply the richness you are getting to improve my own style.

Wish I could manage time like you do. Whew!

~J~

Lovethiscottage.blogspot.com said...

Tremendous improvement! A real eye grabber now.Ive been following your painting blog hoping that your tecniques will enter my head by some kind of osmosis...I'm a watercolor painter but ready for a change. Acrylic looks like lots of fun.