Lookie, Lookie what I got!

I got a new thing to paint!!  Peonies!

 

871 Peonies 30x30 oil on linen (11-26-13)

Although this is turning out to be a fun project, my reason for doing this painting was about marketing. I advertize in the American Art Collector. Each month is highlighted with a feature such as landscapes or figures. If I work in any of those featured painting genres my paintings can also be included in that section.....along with some words. I have a full page ad in the January issue. The January issue feature is "still life" painting...oops!  I didn't have anything. I had some older smaller stuff but nothing current. It's not one of my rotation subjects I currently work in, so I missed out on an important marketing opportunity.

Every spring I get interested in flowers when some very old peonies in our garden come up  completely on their own. I take a few photos, cut a few, arrange them and occasionally do a small painting, so I have some good references. I'm not exactly a still life painter....in the past I did do a lot of fruit and florals and a bit later with a pallet knife....seriously hope those never surface.

This painting just sorta happened as something different to paint; nothing I would send out to a gallery or use in an ad so it has a few things I might do differently with a little more thought. I was more concerned with "could I do it". At first I was pretty happy with my results, proud as a little peacock.....until I did a 2nd one a few days later....all of a sudden I had something to compare it to......NUTS!

Normally I won't go back into a completed work, but the painting was dry and anything I did could be removed. After a hard review, it was worth sorting out any issues...so back to it!

FRAMED - areas marked in red (1 and 2) needing attention.

REVISION 1

Before ( dark background line stands out)

After (pedal extended breaking dark background line)

REVISION 2

BEFORE

The yellow highlight on my vase (lower red line) and  a mushy area in my flowers just above it (upper red line) gives an annoying imbalance to the painting.

 AFTER

Vase is now more defused, very fluid, merging into the background and upper mushy area is more clearly defined and has depth
.

REVISED PAINTING

 #871 Peonies 30x30 oil on linen (modified 12-3-13)

My modifications took the better part of a day and I enjoyed the process so I'm going to stay with anything to do with flowers for a while and see where it lands. The next post will have my 2nd floral #872, a real painting saga....also a real learning curve for the old boy...:=)

Later...........