Original Oil 6x8"
10/07/11 (7:45pm)
Okay, right off the bat I can say this is my second favourite painting of the project. (My favourite is coming up at #97 - but technically this one is better).
The most striking thing I recall is the perfume of some unknown flower filling the air as I was painting, in hindsight it was probably a bush I was trampling on my trips back and forth to the easel, but it was powerful stuff, overwhelming and gorgeous...
I had this light for about 15 minutes, and I knew clouds were going to block the sun, so before I started I spent 5 minutes standing in front of the scene, burning every vital detail into my brain (primarily high key backlit greens and highlights on trunks) and then painted those even though they left with the sun.
Original Oil 6x8"
10/07/12 (6:20pm)
There was little light to work with on this one, but I saw a great pattern of shapes and rhythm in the sky, so that's what I decided to follow...
I had a dream last night that someone said, "You know, you never really pushed yourself on this project, you could've grown a lot more". Whoever belonged to that pesky voice, they were right.
There is great accountability value when you announce a project like this out loud, certainly all you wonderful folks who have been following have been my inspiration countless times to keep getting out there. But I think if one really wants to raise the bar, it would actually make more sense to announce it after the fact, because on several occasions when my intention was to make fast, loose colour and value studies, I painted them into perfect little finished pieces. Knowing I would be showing them to the world was a big factor at play here, I was in performance mode far more often than exercise mode, and probably would have progressed further if that was reversed.
Just putting that out there for anyone considering taking on something like this....
#87 is my favorite! Just a beautiful scene that you captured exquisitely.
ReplyDelete"Summer Evening"-absolutely gorgeous! What more can I say. I agree about maybe not letting people know until after the fact. I also would get a little caught up in the performance factor.
ReplyDeleteThese are both beautiful, Liz, now I can't wait to see #97. I was out scouting more locations for my little 10 piece project, and came upon a backlit woods scene that I plan to use for #7 which is very like your #87, backlit and green. I can really see the appeal.
ReplyDeleteI understand what you mean about the value of experimenting versus performing, but I think the spur to keep at it (just like doing the blog in the first place) could easily be lost if the project wasn't announced ahead of time. That said, I will be following you closely to see if another project comes along, even you don't announce it until the end!
Getting those trees to all be different from one another, with different spacing and color is harder than it looks! I can see why it is one of your favorites....one of mine too!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking you grew & learned exactly what you were ready for just by showing up for work. If that's not enough, you've at the very least inspired me, tell the pesky voice to take a hike! ;-}
ReplyDeleteSusan, Amanda and Bobbi, thanks so much girls!
ReplyDeleteJoanne, you are so right, it certainly took a lot of focused effort to keep the variety going, fortunately I had a lot of help from the scene, just had to remember to keep looking around at all the possibilities.
Robin, glad to inspire! I'll be sure to keep the volume on that voice turned way down!
Felicidades....Que bellos trabajos!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love your woods! They sparkle. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI can understand how number 87 would be a favorite. All the elements worked so well together. Just incredibly beautiful. Will you consider using it as a reference for a larger painting? Really like 88 too. Love the violet reflection in the water.
ReplyDelete#87 literally jumped off the computer screen from the sidebar of my blog, a favorite for sure! When you are finished with that voice in your head, will you please send it my way, I think I need a good "talking to"! It definitely worked for you.
ReplyDeleteMuchas gracias Isabel!
ReplyDeleteLove that you guys like this one too!
Carol, this will certainly be one of the ones I will consider doing a larger studio piece from. Challenge will be to keep the freshness. And wow, are you ever paying attention, I hardly noticed the violet in the water til you pointed it out. :D
Ann, I think that voice in our head is pretty handy to have around, it's what keeps us growing and pushing, the trick is to wrestle it to the ground if it starts picking on us!
WOW!! These are stunning. #87's goin' right in my inspirational folder! Beautiful work on the dappled sunlight! Simply beautiful.
ReplyDeleteyou should be enormously proud of yourself. YOu have painted so many absolutely gorgeous paintings and I think announcing what you intended to do and letting us participate in achieving your goal just helped to intensify the experience. Way to go Liz! You've certainly inspired me and have given many of us great pleasure with your paintings. Thank YOU so much! And I love these two paintings.
ReplyDeleteWow. I've been away, so just had the excitement of seeing scads of your paintings at once. Summer Evening is beautiful. And burning it into your brain worked well. The rainstorm further back caught me as well. Many others. I'll have to go in and comment on them.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this top painting! I love the light and the everything about it. The subject is one that I am drawn (no pun intended!) to also. Well done!!
ReplyDelete#87 lovely! the depth, colors, glow, light...
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing all of these.
Wow, "Summer Evening" knocks my socks off... just found your blog; and am enjoying looking at the 100 paintings project, though they are now part of your past. This painting really captures the warmth of the close trees.
ReplyDelete