Ideas for very long rectangle canvas (40x120cm/ 16x47inches)

[creativechrissy]

I have had a very long rectangle canvas for ages as all my ideas dont suit such a long rectangle. It is 40x120cm (and if I converted correctly works out to be 16x47inches).

Suggestions on what to paint???

I am hopeless at clouds, so a skyscape is not really an option -I do want it to look good.

I could do a panorama landscape of a sea shore?

Decorative is an option but again, what kind of design or theme? I googled it and came up with alot of chinese reproductions of stylised flowers and abstract themes but this size was more used as a triptych.

Have you used this size and what have you painted?

I was thinking if I did a landscape/seascape I would use palette knifes but not want this to be too traditional -more contemporary

[AllisonR]

I think unless you get totally abstract, panorama is going to be the way to go. However, you could use panoramic format and use more contemporary colors and exaggerated shapes, so you aren't too afraid to approach the sky.
Another thought would be something that lends itself to really long - like a snake in a funny snake box, or a giraffe standing straight up and forwards. I think both of these would easily become somewhat cutesy, which you may not want unless it is to decorate a kids room.
Another thought would be a herd of animals - zebras running from a lion is what I am thinking. This would be really hard to paint, and the stripes would either be a blast or a torture, depending on your style and how you approach it.
My warped sense of humor though - I am thinking a male part, then another one with a viagra pill on top of it, and then another with, well, never mind. Hope you get some other ideas. Let us know what you do decide.

[La_]

horizontal is great - if you have a wide space to hang it
(i've made earthy still life's close to that size - 36 x 12 or so inches - the plan was to put it on the wall above a countertop/below a cupboard, but it sold)

vertical is easier to find a hangable home for - every home has a tall, narrow wall to work with
(i like the 12x36 and 24x36 or so sizes and have done figurative, abstract, landscape with them)

really, anything you can do on a 16 x 20 can be done on a 16 x 47, you just have to plan it a little differently. note the ever so useful rule of thirds

suggest you work with themes you like and are comfortable painting, do some thumbnail sketches to fit them into the size.

also, there's some ideas in the composition forum that might inspire.

la

[Greg Long]

Looking at your work Chrissy, why not paint a group of Kangaroos moving across the landscape?

[lenday]

If you feel its not going to work for you, its easy to cut and restretch it - to make 2 16X20s instead.

[MaryThompson]

At first thought, I imagined a long horizon; then after reading the other suggestions I like the idea of a herd of animals on the long horizon of a grassland or tundra... perhaps silhouetted against the sunrise or sunset. Silhouettes against a sunny sky is also one of my favorite things in real life, too.

[bobweekend]

You could use shapes to divide up the space then fill the shapes with images in the aspect ratio you are more familiar with.

[byron]

you could draw inspiration from greek or roman frieze ornament

[crafor]

Years ago, (1940's at least, and beyond) my grandmother had a long narrow panorama picture of the Niagra Falls-both sides. It was to be mine, I loved it. It hung over the head of her double bed in a beautiful frame. Long and narrow, I remember the blues and the mists, and the water. It went from one edge of the bed to about the other.
Crafor

[caldwell.brobeck]

Perhaps vertical? Then you could do something decorative, like a tree of life. (The link is to a google image search on "tree of life painting", which might give you some ideas.). Lots of room for stylization, and things moving up and around.

[artyczar]

You can do a story if you went horizontal. That's what I have done on some that were similar in size. Like things that have evolved over time.

[yellow_oxide]

I would go vertical and paint a cross section of a world with the surface near the top and caves going down into the depths. Something like this- link

There could be hidden treasure.

[creativechrissy]

Thanks you all for your replies!!! Unfortunately I had 1 canvas and now more ideas and wish I could have done 2 or 3 different paintings with all these great ideas. But I went with what I felt comfortable with. I though it isnt the best painting I have done, I am happy with it.

Please see the thread here in the "Abstract and Contemporary" section
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/show...2#post16305782

[friesin]

In addition to what has been said I suggest a modern stillife: jars and glasses, maybe some fruit.
I did work on similiar formats:
one is an abstract red painitng, showing a heart that is somehow blurred and tehrefore not recognized by anayone.(30 x 150 cm)
The other one is a landscape wth a few hills in the background and a frozen space beyond them. (40 x 120 cm)
the third one shows some Greek pottery, one on the left side, three on the right side.
It really is fun to work on such a rather extreme format!
However, I started the other way round: first I got the idea, then I thought about which format could transport it the best way.

[kingocolors]

I'm thinking of a train...like "The Little Engine That Could", for example.