This painting has taken on and off a couple of months time to finish, mostly because every time I am ready to take it off the drawing board and place it into a mat, something suddenly jumps at me and demands further modification. I have (since the last update) toned the upper right corner down with two layers of washes in yellow-green, to harmonize it with the rest of the painting. Several shadow shapes in the center of the flower had their value and gradation adjusted to punch up the light shapes beside them, and two attempts of wet-in-wet was carried out on the dark shape on the left of the flower stem. Overall, these a cosmetic changes, but I do think they are important in letting what's suppose to catch the viewer's attention -- the peppermint rose flower -- stand out more, and integrate the entire painting.
Now I am ready to call it quits. I am more than happy with the final result -- it has been a long struggle from the very start, but it is the ones that you struggle with makes you grow!
Peppermint Rose,
Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 140# Cold Press Paper, 8"h x 8"w, 2012 #36
I'm sitting here with both versions before me, and agree totally that those changes were good decisions. Turning that upper right corner yellow-green contrasts with the red flower much better. The same for the areas around the stem. It's a dynamite painting, with those velvety deep tones in the flower, contrasting with the snowy white highlights. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteHi again, Your Peppermint Rose is outstanding. It amazes me how you can have so many paintings going all at once!
ReplyDeleteRegarding your blog, I see a new image on Lori's and I realize you have posted, but the dates on your posts seem to be over a week behind. If you posted this today, you should be at the top of the blogs she follows, yet it always shows as "a week ago". Don't know if you realize that and if there is a reason for it.
Regards,
Johanna
Arena, this is supremely beautiful. I'm amazed that you worked on this for so long and the result is so fresh and lively- no air of being worked and reworked or overworked. Love the strong contrasts of value and color, and the delicate texture of the petals and greenery. Just wonderful.
ReplyDeleteArena, it was well worth the wait. The rose is divine, so velvety in texture, and the background is superb. BRAVO!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous - absolutely divine. I much prefer the green background in this copy.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely stunning - as is all your work - thank you so much for visiting my blog - because it led me to yours - I'm blown away by your paintings, following like mad!!
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