Sunday, August 17, 2014

Baby and Ewe, Anew

What happens when artists create paintings that they aren't quite happy with?  

Sometimes the paintings get wiped off the canvas while still wet, sometimes they get painted over when they're dry, and sometimes they serve as fuel for a farewell bonfire.

Another option is to put them out of sight and hope that the passage of time will bring a fresh perspective on what isn't working.

Today's painting falls in that last category.  I created "Baby and Ewe" last year, but as much as I loved the subject matter, there was something about it that didn't work for me.  After keeping it out of sight for several months, I decided to revisit it and immediately could see what was bugging me.

The original painting, on the left, lacked depth because the field of dry grass was too warm in color, making the sheep and field appear to be on the same plain.  I'm much happier with with the "Baby and Ewe" redo.

 Here's what I did:
1) Repainted the field a more neutral color
2) Added more texture and interest to the grass 
3) Increased the contrast on the sheep 

Voila!  Baby and Ewe, anew!  8x8 oil
Baby and Ewe, anew

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