Thursday, August 12, 2010

MERMAID DREAMS

The only way to stay cool these days is to stay in the water. This mermaid knows all about that and she's staying very comfortable under the water.

You may remember the sketch from a year or so ago...I did this by first doing a drawing from a life drawing session, then coming home and playing with lines and shapes on it.



Then I did a colored version on Yupo.


















And now I've begun another - this time on Twinrocker watercolor paper. I'm still trying to get lots of texture in the painting by using granulating colors and mixing them to granulate even more.



18 comments:

Deb Léger said...

Hi Rhonda, hope you're feeling more energetic. This heat and humidity really sucks the energy out of a person. The mermaid looks great. The shapes around it really make it.

Where's your pic in the bowler hat? I thought that was a cute pic!

Hey, Abdi won!!!!! Yeah!

jgr said...

This design/drawing/painting is awesome! I love the drawing and I love the latest painting, I can't wait to see the result. Hope you're feeling better too-this heat really saps the energy!!

Artoholic said...

She is beautiful! And I'm not just saying that becasue I have a mermaid collection....

The composition and design evoke such art nouveau themes - just lovely!

Lisa Walsh said...

Wow! I'm loving this one. Beautiful, flowing colors, perfect for the mermaid. And very nice contrast between the straight lines and her flowing tail. We should all be so lucky to beat the heat this way!

Christiane Kingsley said...

Your are keeping happily busy in spite of the heat doing such cool stuff:-)
I like this mermaid project.

Teresa Palomar Lois said...

That drawing is amazing in its own Rhonda, it has something that grabs you in and the design leave it open for so many posibilities... I'm glad you've pulled it out again and started a new version, it's the kind of piece that will sure be done once and again and again and again in the future

Vicki Greene said...

I am glad that you came back to this one. Great shapes and colors and it has to be special since it is on twinrocker - lol.

debwardart said...

You are doing a great job on this one - G O S L O O O W !!!!!

Pam Johnson Brickell said...

Oh, la, la! Wonderful!

Water is cool unless in SC :) The pool in our neighborhood is warmer than the water I use to shower!

Ugh!

Carol King said...

very cool variations of your mermaid. Your latest version reminds me of Erte.

Elizabeth Seaver said...

Such an interesting composition, Rhonda. I love the original sketch and how you've used it as a starting point for your work here.

Thanks for your kind words of support on my blog. It is very appreciated!

RH Carpenter said...

Deb, I'm thinking I may just have to become a mermaid...now where is the nearest ocean?? I'm SO GLAD Abdi won!!! There are good people in the world who will be given the chance to succeed - Abdi and Peregrine are two of them and I wish them the best. Bowler hat is in retirement for a while - I'm sure it will cycle around around.

Jane, thanks! I do seem to have a sense of design that comes from somewhere else :)

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Cindy. I have a few mermaids hanging around the house, too.

Lisa, thanks for the compliment.

Christiane, Teresa, and Vicki, thanks and I'm glad you like this one. It's coming along.

Slowly just isn't one of my gears when painting, Deb!!! ha ha

RH Carpenter said...

Pam, thanks. My husband loves tepid water to swim in so he'd love it there right now.

Carol, I like the art nouveau look and thought when it was drawn that it was a bit like those illustrations. I had never heard of Erte and will have to check into his work more - very flamboyant guy!!

Thanks, Elizabeth. I hope you are doing okay these days, but know that it sometimes takes more time than one has to outlast the sorrow. Sending you a big (((HUG))) today.

Nick said...

Oh yes, very Erte, great design!

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Nick :) I had to look up Erte but I see the design resemblance - that art deco thing going on that just happened for me :)

Caroline Peña Bray said...

The composition in this is wonderful, Rhonda! My eye follows the tail and is drawn in by the colours and shapes which seem to swirl on the page. Excellent work!

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks so much, Caroline. I spent a few minutes today viewing your blog and site and seeing your paintings - you are doing some wonderful work (I especially like your latest building and some of your older, small items that are on wires = very clever and eye-catching).