So, after I painted the sky, the next thing on the list was the "pavement". Since this is supposed to represent an 18th century city and would need to be "cobblestone" and/or paved with bricks, I decided the shape of them would be achieved with quilting, so I just needed to paint a stone-ish background.
To achieve this layered look, I started by mixing sap green and burnt umber...
Mmmmm.... yummy!
Despite the "rotten vegetation" colour of the paint, I knew it would be a great under layer. So I daubed it on all over the pavement area, and then I mixed up some grey-ish blue, grey-ish black, grey-ish white, etc.
In all, there were six grey-based colours which I layered one on top of each other to achieve the effect I was looking for.
And I was pretty pleased with it at this point. *pats self on shoulder*
Except....
Is anyone else noticing a problem here? Maybe one of proportions?
If the focal point of this piece is what's happening on the street, this is great.
Except, it's NOT.
And if I trim it where that line is, the piece no longer fits within the parameter of the call.
It has to be a minimum of 40 inches on its shortest side. Cutting all of that off would make it about 30 inches.
And you know what THAT means, right?
:: S I G H ::
Posts
I'm with you gal....I HATE when this happens!!! You'll get it.....perhaps just not the first time around. Maybe your action could actually MOVE to the street??
ReplyDeleteCould you make "another" lower foreground? I kind of like the proportions---more of a distance view this way. Great colour mixing too! You are one talented artist :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mary and Arlee -- maybe have something happening in the street -- it would give it another focal point and you could keep the wonderful stuff you've already done.
ReplyDeleteThat's disappointing, Kit, it's so beautiful! Can you cut off what you don't like and add another side to the street?
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could turn the street into a lake of ocean, and a beach? I love the houses. If nothing else, you could cut it off and finish it for your own private collection :-).
ReplyDeleteAs Anna Hergert often says when she teaches, "It's just a sample." Just think: you've practiced your drawing; you have your colour-way formula in place...now you can take what you've learned to the *final* piece. :-)
ReplyDeleteI would leave it. I hope this doesn't offend but I did not know it was a paved street. I thought it was a cement wall and I was standing there looking over it to the city and sky. I like it, alot!
ReplyDeleteOh no:( and it was looking so good! Does it have to be a road? I thought it looked like a panoramic cityscape or an open piazza and there could be perspective lines (quilted?) leading towards the houses, drawing your eye towards their detail. Arlee's idea of a lower foreground sounds a nice way to break up the proportional space :)
ReplyDeleteOh oh oh ... I like the ideas of putting some action onto the street or add a beach and the ocean in the foreground. Otherwise ... I guess you'll have to start over ...
ReplyDeleteI'd say cut it and use it in another venue. It's going to be lovely. - well on it's way now...
ReplyDeleteI liked Elaines idea to give it perspective, maybe even have little fruit trees in tubs/fruit in baskets/a matchstick seller even, in the foreground, behind which is the central theme? if that makes sense lol
ReplyDeleteLove your clouds too!