challenge CHATTER - 2013

wetpaperfan wrote

on 29 Jan 2013 6:58 PM

JIM:  I love your new piece with the cat, fairy princess and FROG...  It took me a while to find him lurking on the lovely orchid....  I hope the cat is mesmerized by the soft flowing violin music coming from the shade of a delicate orchid... Is your Francie a Tortie cat?   I have a wonderful Tortie and her calico sister.  Is she watching the fairy or is she preening herself.    either way, she is adorable..  The whole piece is poetic to me.  great BG. 

wetpaperfan wrote

on 29 Jan 2013 7:05 PM

Cath:   Your Orchid piece is lovely....  I agree that you might be happier if the bloom popped a bit more. 

When you get ready to do the two of them, try sitting them atop a small box draped with a cloth of some sort, (pick one that compliments the colors of the bloom.   keep in mind the triad colors and complimentary partners. Take a couple of pictures of your set up to see how it plays out visually before you  start painting. You have the talent, now practice the setups...

Because you don't have photoshop, another thought might be to play with the setup you already have to see what you might do to add to it.  put something colorful behind the plant itself, and see what happens to it right before your eyes.

C. Brown wrote

on 29 Jan 2013 7:21 PM

Thank you Jen and Marsha. I do tend to pick what I paint or draw to pieces. I know art is supposed to be for fun but I realized this morning that it can become a real love-hate kind of relationship.

Marsha the idea with setting things up first and then taking a picture before I paint is a really good idea! Duh..I take pictures during my painting process to see how it's coming along but never thought to set up a still life and then take a picture to see if that's the way I wanted it. Thanks for the tip!

I do love orchids and the two together would be so sweet. My orchids and dog are my grandchildren :) My neighbor told me when she moved in a few years ago she told everyone she wanted orchids as a house warming gift. So, she received upwards of 10 or more of them, all blooming. When they didn't bloom again she thought they were done doing what they do and probably dying so she THREW THEM OUT!!

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 29 Jan 2013 7:37 PM

This page is the orchid page.  Jim, your orchid is so delicate and beautiful.  I love it.  The blue teapot was a good choice for it but I agree with whoever said that it could use some molding with darks and highlights.  The cat is adorable and I agree that he seems to be mesmerized by the magical violin melody played by the beautiful princess.

Catherine, you really worked and suffered over this orchid painting.  I think it is very nice.  Whatever you did to bring out the white of the orchid worked well.  Did you use gauche or white acrylic.  I think it is a pretty orchid and so is the back of the other orchid.  The leaves are well done.  I like that you put some of the roots sticking up.  I personally don't think this is a failed paintings.  I like it. 

Sheila Phelps wrote

on 29 Jan 2013 8:12 PM

Catherine - I like what you did with this...very nice.  The one thing (which has already been mentioned) is to reconsider the background box wall.   I think it distracts a bit.  (I found myself wondering if the plant was in a greenhouse window.....)  Think a darker bg would be just the thing to draw this beauty forward.  I wouldn't do anything to the table top.  Nice soft color and shadows there.

Jim - Great composition.  There are a few things I see.  The shadows are very distinct on the ground, but see none from the foliage on the front of the pot, or on the dress of the fairy princess from her leg and arm.  There is a bit of a confusing shadow behind the flowers.  The cat is very nicely done, as is the pose of the princess and shape of the pot.   Great job!!!

Kim - thanks for the web address.  Very good resource.

wetpaperfan wrote

on 29 Jan 2013 10:53 PM

I just got in a mood to do something bigger and free.  so I was playing around with my watercolor and came up with this.  I call it "Mystic Path".   watercolor, 11x14 , three pigments, arches 300lb. 

wetpaperfan wrote

on 29 Jan 2013 11:39 PM

Thanks Jen,  this is my 15 minute get loose before the paper completely dries.... piece

Hearadh wrote

on 30 Jan 2013 4:04 AM

Hello everyone ...Wetpaperfan especially

I haven't the time to spare right now to thank everyone by name who commented on my Market painting......I would like to say that the painting was meant to be part of the January Challenge...if I mis-understood  'in with the new'    fresh flowers/veg etc. I am sorry but I thought we could paint any subject or use one of the 'photo refs. 

By the way I don't happen to have any grandchildren!

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 30 Jan 2013 6:02 AM

Sarah, you are absolutely right.  Each month, the host will give us a theme and we can paint anything that goes along with that theme.  That's why some of us did paintings of our new grandbabies for this month's theme.  Your idea of the produce and flowers at the market being new is a good one.  A lot of people are taking home new purchases.  I think we all enjoyed that beautiful and bright painting.  Thanks for sharing it.

Marsha, you certainly captured the moonlight on the landscape well. 

wetpaperfan wrote

on 30 Jan 2013 6:08 AM

You are absolutely correct,   my mistake,  I apologize...

Sam  Thank you

Berkenstock wrote

on 31 Jan 2013 11:26 AM

The picture of Howard i possibly your best work yet.  The cheek on the left might be a little bit flat Which makes the bottom of his face look twisted.  It is not enough to ruin the picture.  Very nice.

Jen I would also thank you for doing the drawings of my grandson  and the ladies sewing.  I was hoping someone would do them and you were the only one.  They were nice drawings too.  I am going to print out the one of Nate and show my daughter.  She will like it.

bernof wrote

on 31 Jan 2013 3:30 PM

Hi all,

Fred

Kim513 wrote

on 31 Jan 2013 3:57 PM

MARSHA - I didn't recognize you! Seriously, your avatar is great - love the texture in the cat. Watercolor? Are they green wood slats behind the cat, perhaps sitting in a rocker? I may have gotten that wrong - too small to tell, but I can tell that it's an obviously good job. Looking right at us to capture our attn..

MARSHA - Your mystic ptg. def. has that mysterious feel to it. I esp. like how the light bits on the water show up...just right.

FRED - It's SUPER that you are trying the pastels! This is a good start...keep going. DId you use reference photos? Something to keep in mind for future ones is atmospheric perspective to push distant trees, etc. into the distance with lighter, cooler colors & less detail vs. stronger colors and more detail up close. Even though that suggestion could apply to your 2nd pastel, I am drawn to it . The 2nd one's river is nicely done and I like the sky. Which one did you do first? Hope we see more pastels from you - how exciting!

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 31 Jan 2013 6:32 PM

Fred, it's great that you are trying a new medium and you did well with the pastels.  Pretty skies as usual.  It will be fun to watch you develop your skills with them.  I know you'll do well.