Thursday, November 17, 2011

SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T

What worked:



Shadow Selves in Florida


I worked on the background waves and beach, then darkened the shadows.













What didn't work:


Nautilus Blue


I admit, I didn't like that untouched white background on the blue nautilus painting in the original even though it was a sketch and playing with color.  I wanted to do something, but didn't have a plan.  So added a pale yellow wash all around the background.  Didn't like it.  So I thought about it, then splattered miskit all around; then painted Lamp Black and Indanthrone Blue in over the yellow.  I removed the miskit.  It now looks like it's floating in a faraway galaxy. 

It didn't quite work and the nautilus, which was so fresh and beautiful before, now looks overworked. 

Some you win, some you lose - but you have to keep playing!

9 comments:

Lisa Le Quelenec said...

Wise words, I hope I will always be able to play too :o)

I find your new background to the nautilus painting rather apt (I'm thinking of the natural law of the shells structure being perfect and far bigger than anything humans can come up with) and Shadow Selves - what a great idea!

Carol Blackburn said...

LOL, I thought of the galaxy thing too. Did you have fun? That's all that counts. :)

laura said...

I like the nautilus background--it turned out to be a great painting of a night sky; the incongruity of large blue nautilus makes it intriguing.
The shadows are pleasing--something all of us have observed with some glee, our shadows stretching out and away?

olivia said...

Rhonda, I love to picture shadows ! Great pleasure to look at your watercolor ! Bises

Autumn Leaves said...

Love that shadow beach painting! It is fabulous! I still like the nautilus painting as well but I agree with your wisdom.

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks so much, Lisa, Carol, Olivia and Sherry for your comments on these two. Nothing spectacular but I enjoyed the shadow shapes painting - just piddling with the nautilus which is okay at times - not sure what made me think of the sky and a galaxy. Perhaps there is a nautilus shape floating in space somewhere :)

debwardart said...

I like your shadow - so simple, yet it works perfectly!
See you Sunday afternoon - VP pick up!

Pam Johnson Brickell said...

Love the Shadow Selves! Great use of space and color. The nautilus has taken on a whole new presence. I agree that w/o the background, the shell looks fresher but I like the mystery of the universe feel you've achieved. I, too, hope you had fun. Never enough of that!!

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Deb. See you Sunday!

Thanks, Pam. It was interesting and I might have learned something? ha ha