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Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Experiment Is Done ... "Backlit"

This is where I left off
Worked on the leaves with aureolin, quin. gold, quin. burnt orange and phthalo green [YS]
More leaf color, and some spots of new gamboge
7 x 6.5 in.
Original photo

   I think, as an experiment in technique, this small painting is a success; it gives me another tool to interpret light. As a painting, I think the background is somewhat too dark over all, but that is a matter of taste. As you know, all criticisms are welcome, so please do let me know what you feel about it.
   And now, on to more experimenting ...

18 comments:

  1. You are so talented Kathryn, this is so fresh and full of light, really beautiful, and the background is fine, sets the flower off very well.
    Have a nice weekend . xx

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  2. This is fabulous. Love the play of light.

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  3. Kathryn, it is wonderful! I love the dark background, it really shows off the light in the flower petals! Like the dappling of light on the leaves as well.

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  4. I love the background! It gives great depth and is a brilliant foil to the light dancing in the flower :) xx

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  5. I think it's lovely, Kathryn.
    Carol B.

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  6. This has come out wonderfully Katherine. The technique seems spot on.
    Best wishes,
    Vinayak

    I hope you have realised that someone else is using my old blog address which is not correct. I have moved my blog to http://www.pencilsandbrushes.blogspot.com/

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  7. So pretty! That pink is so vibrant. I love your background also. I'm always trying to achieve that unfocused look and end up getting a muddy look, how do you do that? Beautiful!!

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  8. Beautiful little sparkles of light in the background.

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  9. Yes! it's fabulous and indeed, 'backlit'. Nice.

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  10. Oh wow.. I love this Kathryn! I really love the golden spots on the background.. It gives the background a lot of interest. Very nice.

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  11. this is coming along so beautifully!! i love the way you achieved the glistening on the tips of the leaves and i think the background showcases the bloom perfectly!

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  12. This is gorgeous Kathryn! I love the sparkles of light and I think the dark background really sets it off nicely. :)

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  13. bg in last step is super with touches of yellow ... i liked the lightness of the petal of the 2nd step katharyn .

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  14. This is really pretty - i love it... when i first got to your blog and saw it my eyes got bigger - they were saying 'wow'!!! I don't think the background is too dark at all... i think it makes that flower stand out even more. nice job!!

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  15. There is some really good light coming through the petals and the leaves.. And I loved that background with those circular shapes.. (Called jewels I think)

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  16. Kathryn this is beautiful, and I too love the Bg, especially the upper half, you've captured those dappled light spots perfectly and they add to the beauty of the flower.....

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  17. Everybody seems satisfied with this as is, however . . . you asked for it . . .here I go with my 2 cents. I'm only trying to help make it even better Kathryn. :) I'd add a little mid-value at the bottom of the painting below the flower. Could you use gradation upwards from mid to light over the foreground green? When I squint, the brightness at the edge tends to lead my eye off the page. I think it would be more dramatic too. I love how it looks in the photo. (Hey, it's just one more wash right?) :-D I also have an idea for the background if you'd like to hear it. "Criticism should not be querulous and wasting, all knife and root-puller, but guiding, instructive and inspiring." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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