Golden Light - Painting Development
I posted a photo of the start of this painting a while back. It did not look like much, clearly being in the ugly phase. It often takes a leap of faith, even for the artist to believe that the painting will ever take on any sort of reasonable appearance.
Sometimes those first stages can be such fun, because of the freedom and expressiveness they have, as well as being quick to render. The later stages can see you being bogged down in the details. This painting was no exception. There were so many little twists and highlights of colour to make it work.
I'm pleased to say that this painting had barely been up on my social media profiles for a day before it was sold. Shock! Horror! It was sold because I posted it Facebook. So, I guess I won't be giving up my FB profile just yet.
"Golden Light", Leo Plaw, 24 x 30cm, oil on canvas
Leave a comment below, upvote and resteem if you like it.
More of my artwork can be found on my website. LeoPlaw.com
And if it takes your fancy, subscribe to my newsletter.
It's really interesting to me when I see a painting, think "Man, that's awesome." and then find out the artist isn't even done refining the details yet.
I'm given to understand it's never 'done', but how do you decide just how 'rough' (for lack of a better word) you want to leave it?
That's a good question, but I have to think about the answer. I guess I have a personal expectation for the level of rendering. Some elements of the painting I know from experience to leave rough, because when combined with other more polished elements, creates a dichotomy that plays off against each other giving the painting a dynamic. In the case of this particular painting, it creates and illusion of depth of field.
I have seen many artists struggle with the exact opposite; they obsessively smooth out all roughness, and thereby lose any life and spontaneity might have.
How do you do it? Experience, the trust in yourself to let yourself go and just go with the flow, by not expecting a masterpiece and as Bob Ross used to say, "There are no mistakes, only happy accidents."
=)
I've been thinking about this reply a lot and it's interesting in how it interacts with my day job, which involves a lot of technical writing.
In writing there are always spots that are rougher than others and I suppose that as in art, part of mastery is in learning to both recognize those spots and know how to fix them. A large difference is that if a spot is left rough in writing, it's usually a matter of priority or deadlines. It's very interesting to me that roughness can be intentional, either as a deliberate stopping point, or as you point out, as technique for contrast.
Which isn't to say that all good writing is infinitely smoothed. In the same way that you've seen art lose its spontaneity, I've seen overly polished writing lose its life too and either become plodding or soulless.
Your balance is below $0.028. @dustsweeper is now disabled for your account until you transfer new funds. Check out the Dustsweeper FAQ here: https://steemit.com/dustsweeper/@dustsweeper/dustsweeper-faq
leap of faith - yes, we are always leaping as the ten lords in the 12 days of Christmas.
“Sometimes taking a leap faith requires an imaginative mind that can create the ending you are unable to see.”
― Shannon L. Alder
Or leaping like the kangaroos where I come from. =)
OMG LEO.... you're australian???? :O
What? You couldn't tell from my accent' Shhh! Don't tell any one. ;-)
Actually, the "blonde" guy in the video thumbnail looks like Julian Assange!
As always, it is magnificent and fascinating, I want to look at it continuously. Thank you for the great work.
Awesome
Your art is 😍😍😍😍😍
Thank you @noescomolopintan !
I am not surprised that this one sold so quickly ! You really captured that ethereal feel of a late afternoon sun's warmth... Its dark golden tones are beautiful upon the rocks and as it cast long shadows upon all the shapes <3 Such a beautiful work, @leoplaw !
Cheers @veryspider! A good reference goes a long way to help. ;-)
Wow 😍😍😍 spectacular
Posted using Partiko Android
Thank you @sumanmandal!
It´s an amazing and beautiful painting!
Thank you Maysi!
Just amazing really u have a such a beautiful talent 👌👌🍺
Cheers @tiwari!
BEAUTIFULLY painted. I love the way you captured the light. <3
Thank you Bonny! =)
The power of suggestion and the power of detail is represented in just 4 stages of a painting. At first, you can project whatever you wish on to that silhouette... Soon after, you get to observe the mind of the artist. And follow him on his journey while rendering... :)
Join me on my journey down the rabbit hole. ;-)
Always in for a trip like that! Let me get my shovel :D
LOL! Grab your blotter paper as well.