Sunday, September 26, 2010

STEAM AND SMOKE IN YELLOWSTONE

After the little studies, I went back to my full sheets and did a bit of tweaking.

September Sky and Steam.....








and






SmokeScape.....



both worked on without looking at the photo reference.


Both full sheet (22" x 30") paintings on Arches watercolor paper - hot press or cold press.


(With the first painting, I'll have to do a bit of creative cropping so the thing isn't cut in two...I'm tempted to get rid of some of the bottom and the right side.  Jerry says crop the sky and the right side.)

10 comments:

AK said...

Both the works are lovely. I do not think they need any cropping.

Jeanette Jobson said...

I love the colours and feel of steam in these. They're great!

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Rhonda I know you are concerned about the central horizon line, but with that strong warm colour in the foreground, there is a natural break through the tonal aspect of the painting that stops you worrying about the taboo break half way down the picture. I vote 'DONT GROP'. Aren't rules there to be broken by dynamic forward thinking artists especially ones called Rhonda??

Carol Blackburn said...

Hmmm, interesting problem. Have you played with a photo of it to see what cutting the left and bottom look like? I like the curve on the right and since the steam rises I think keeping the sky big would be a plus. Can't wait to see what you do with it.

http://www.onpainting.wordpress.com said...

Very nice pieces. I don't think they need cropping either.

RH Carpenter said...

Thank you, Jeanette. I'm always pleased to see you stopping by and commenting - I know how busy you are!

Asit, thanks. I think you are in the majority about not cropping.

Joan, thanks for that...seems like I have a majority who say Leave it BE...which is always good to hear!

Carol, I'm attached to that sky and didn't want to think of cropping any of it off!

Bill, where have you been?? It's good to see you posting again - thought the aliens had kidnapped you for the summer! Must see what you've been posting now...

Gillian Mowbray said...

Gorgeous sky - please don't crop it. If you want to lose the centred horizon maybe crop the bottom a bit but as the others have said - it works as it is! Rules are made to be broken - in art as in life. ^_~

Thank you for welcoming me back. Hugs. x

RH Carpenter said...

Gillian, I think I have to leave that sky as is :) hee hee I know we're not supposed to be attached to any part of the painting but if it works, don't crop it out, right?

Pam Johnson Brickell said...

There is such a strong feel of depth to this piece that the horizon line placement didn't register with my eye. Greas job on both pieces!

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Pam. That's what I was going for and I'm glad it works - and maybe that's why I didn't see the cut across the middle, either? That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it :)