My agonizing Poppy background journey

[Uschi]

This is a half sheet, WN 140 CP, WN and Da Vinci artist quality paints.

My intent was to show these poppies in a spring garden setting.

In the first picture I have the poppies just the way I wanted them and I have the background just the way I wanted it and it looked O.K. from close-up but from a distance it was way too busy with all these colours, shapes and lights and darks fighting each other.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Sep-2005/10602-Poppies_first_pic.jpg

I decided I had to darken the greens to put the focus on the flowers - well, it looked way too green (greener in real life) and when I put it in the gray scale the value was almost identical therefore fighting with the flowers and dulling them.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Sep-2005/10602-Poppies_second_pic.jpg

I decided to tone down the greens with purple. This made it worse and duller

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Sep-2005/10602-Poppies_third_pic.jpg

I was ready to give up the half sheet idea and turn it into a 1/4 sheet macro of the flowers only but since, at this point, I had nothing to lose I decided to try and warm it up a bit and give it a glaze of burnt sienna and although it is far removed from what I had initially intended it turned into a nice painting. It actually looks better in real because the camera can't quite get the background colour right.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Sep-2005/10602-Poppies_final.jpg

The moral of the story is - don't give up until it's absolutely OVER :p

Uschi

[juneto]

Uschi ,
Yes , the ,"Fat Lady has Sung",( A baseball term) in your last one for sure.
Very nice and bright.
June

[juneto]

:) Another , as you said , and Yogi Berra says," It ain't over til it's over"! Also very appropriate , and I don't even like baseball, but his sayings are very funny.
June :D

[laudesan]

Uschi that was an interesting read, and I have to say I absolutely love the finished painting.


Even 'tho it didn't turn out the way you envisioned it, it is still a winner..

[Becky-Bob]

I agree! I think the last one is quite wonderful. :) :clap:

[jaytee]

Call that a struggle ??? :D:D:D :evil: :evil: Cant see a single hole in your paper ;)

[jaydiva]

You had me sweatin' there for a moment phhhh
What a birth (as we germans say ;) )
Lovely painting, Uschi!! You're my flower hero!

Juttahttp://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Aug-2005/32313-51j.gif

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/14-Aug-2005/32313-tn.jpg

[JustjoGA]

Beautiful poppies, Uschi!! (and I thought that "it ain't over
til the fat lady sings" was in response to a Wagnerian opera) :D

Jo in Georgia

[pampe]

beautiful revision

[T Christensen]

Job well done ...love that bg...I also like the second one ........TerryC

[Uschi]

Thanks June,JJ, Becky, JT, Jutta, Jo, Pam and Terry!!!

June, I didn't want to offend anyone :angel:

JT - Loud HAHA popped out of my mouth - I believe in addition vs. subtraction :evil: (if at all possible!). Told you I was an expert FIXER :p

LOL Jutta!

Jo, you must be thinking of Isolde :rolleyes: :D
Uschi

[vasilkadifeli]

Uschi the last piece is definitely the best... glad you didn't give up and saved it... beautiful poppies..

[painterbear]

Uschi,

Thanks for taking the time to show us the changes your background went through. Your "fixes" worked and the final result is a terrific painting.

Sylvia

[Mark G]

Uschi,

I think toning down the background was the right thing to do. Turned out great :clap:

Mark

[lyn lynch]

Nice save, but where's the drips?

[mmcaloon]

What a journey. What a finish, love the brightness of the finished poppies.

[KathyJB]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Sep-2005/10602-Poppies_first_pic.jpg

WOW!! These are incredible
bravo!!!love it,

Kat

[seedy]

Hi....
And now that you've read Ms. McCall's "popping" thread, would you still agree that a grey-scale would have been the *correct* thing to do?