Thursday, April 15, 2010

Revised:Red Coat and Strappy Sandals

16x20 Oil on Canvas Sold
I knew I couldn't leave it alone. When something is bothering me about a painting, I can't let it go. I can't start another one, even though I am tired of the one I just worked on. I am in some strange in between stage of leaving one and starting another. I had done a small value study sketch before starting the painting, and thought the values were interesting. After completing it, the picture seemed a bit flat. I decided to make the background less detailed and more blue/gray and changed the road reflection to match. Then I did some highlights around the figures in the foreground using a bit of yellow hopefully adding some depth and then added some brighter reflective color in the dark value area.. 

9 comments:

Bonnie Heather said...

Your changes are good Catherine. I think it's more dramatic. The orange cab pulls my attention but I still like it there. It really reminds me of Toronto...you've really captured it..

Ramesh Jhawar said...

Well...I liked the first one Catherine :)

r garriott said...

I can't quite figure out what you changed, but I do like take two! The first time around I missed the red dress (she could be a painting of her own) and now she really stands out... I like the softer atmospheric city in the background. It all looks wetter, somehow... rainier...very spring like.

By the way, thanks for your 'spring poem'. I had not heard that in years, it made me laugh.

Pam Holnback said...

I like that you posted the 2 for comparison. I like the muted background in the 2nd. I like the strong highlights of the lamppost on the ground in the first one. I like the blues in the 2nd one as opposed to the grays in the first. They're both well done

Kim Rempel said...

Catherine - both very nice but I think I'm partial to the most recent version. I like the little bits of colour popping everywhere. My favourite part? The fire hydrant and red dash of something beside it on the right. And the light hanging in the sky above the cab. (and thanks for your comment the other day : )

schilderijenfoto said...

somehow the compositions of the last one seems stronger to me.

Gwen Bell said...

Both are great, but I like the intensity of color in this second one. Favorite spot(s): turq/orange taxi, taxi lights, pop of the red umbrella and dress.

Anonymous said...

Interesting comparison. I thought the first version was great, but then seeing version two -- well, you've really "turned the lights on". More muted atmosphere and less definition in the background combined with the lighter brighter bits in the right foreground really add depth and intensity. Wonderful how that works!

Mike Barr said...

I think the blue/greys are the key to the backgrounds in rainy paintings and hardly any detail at all. try experimenting with different greys too..I got stuck on the same greys the started playing with burnt umber and blues, with white of course and got some different nice ones..;-)