(4x6)I took a picture of this woman walking a toddler down to the water on Labor Day weekend--I edited out the crowds!; a hackenyed subject, but I liked their hats.
(4x6)I took a photo of these chairs, well, really, of these chairs' shadows when we were leaving the beach. It would be nice to do a series of beach chairs ... But first I have to figure out what to do about the expanse of sand. I'm not really happy with it here, so will stop and think it over before going on.
Visiting Teresa's blog, Blueberries, Art, and Life, I read about a postcard exchange she's involved in that looks like a lot of fun. Investigating further, I found that the website WetCanvas hosts numerous such projects and that you can join one simply by registering at their site. The project Teresa's involved in--dream or actual vacations--appeals to me, but has a lot of participants already, and I don't want to get in over my head first time out, so I opted for the Still Life Duos project, for which I'll only need to produce six paintings.
WetCanvas, in addition to these projects, seems to offer a lot of other resources, which I look forward to delving into.
Hmm, since I'm not a painter, my opinion doesn't count, but I like the openness of the sand, just as is. Very very nice scenes.
ReplyDeleteEveryone's opinion counts, Ruth. Love the figures and also the chairs and shadows. I don't see the need to add anything.
ReplyDeleteOf course your opinion counts, and not only counts, Ruth, but means a lot to me, as I know you're a creative and thoughtful person!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Suzanne. I usually avoid figures, but these two were just so appealing to me. I'm trying to learn less is more! Sounds simple, but it's hard to practice sometimes!
nice shadows and waves :) wonderful end of summer scenes
ReplyDeleteThe figures are wonderful. I can't help feeling they'd lose something if they were very carefully constructed. And I adore the chairs. Great sense of farewell to the season.
ReplyDeleteI agree with vivivenne,beautiful beach scene. Just love it. So loose and free feeling. Great color and spirit.
ReplyDeleteHi Laura!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're signed up for a project on WC... it's lots of fun! Loved your Labor Day Scenes...they're so fresh and colorful. I have a tendency to overwork something and lose the freshness. Sigh! I look forward to stopping by your blog again to see more of your art.
Thanks, Jennifer. I have to say, I am pretty pleased with the way the waves turned out! Maybe they turned out so well because I wasn't really focusing on them! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vivienne ... I really came within a brushstroke of overworking the figures (for my taste they're too "done" now, but not disastrously so)--and they're so small. I wanted to define them by leaving the lightstruck parts unpainted; I had to say "stop"!
Hi Teresa. Your enthusiasm about the Dream Vacation project as you describe it on your blog was really contagious. I think these projects will be a great way to 1) keep painting through the stuck times and 2) connect with more artists. What fun! Thanks for writing about on your blog.
I should direct people to Jeanne Grant's blog too (see my blogroll); Jeanne's doing a couple of WetCanvas projects!
I love the idea of the beach chair series. You could have a lot of fun with the sand background, I think. Trying to capture a bit of texture, the unevenness, the colour - all of which would be a good counterpoint to the actual chairs.
ReplyDeleteOh, super paintings too, I must add!
I like the spatter idea, Kari, especially for the foreground ... Thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh, these beach chairs and the mother and child are delightful! I feel like I'm at the beach...
ReplyDeleteI value the non-painter opinions as much as the painter's themselves. Often, the 'nons' can see stuff in the picture that may escape painter types.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads-up re the WC still-life duo project Laura - I am thinking about committing to it (with some trepidation!) Lovely beach scenes - makes me wish I were there...
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