Help or suggestions needed

Clara McArthur · #1 07-13-2004, 11:11 AM

A friend asked me to paint 3 little pictures for a set of frames that had been given to her. Without thinking about it too much I said "yes"

the frames are ivory coloured about 2 inches wide with a single stem rose embossed on the left hand side. The rose has a greenish stem and is a soft rose colour.

The openings for the pictures are 1 1/2 in X 2 in.
2 in X 3 in and 4 in x 5 in.

I did one set already, I did a tiny watercolour sketchs of the lakeshore for the smallest, I did a a twig chair for the second, and a deer in her garden for the third. But I am not happy with this. The ornate frames take away from the
sketchs. So I want to do something much simpler. And I just can't seem to think beyond the frames.

All suggestions would be welcome.

Nacre · #2 07-13-2004, 02:32 PM

As the frames already have roses on them how about some other kind of flower ? or perhaps a kitten or puppy?

Clara McArthur · #3 07-13-2004, 03:49 PM

Thanks for the suggestion....but I haven't painted kittens or puppies and wouldn't want to start this small!

What do you think of a rosebud for the tiny one, a pariatlly opened rose for the next one, and fully opened rose for the largest one. Or would that be too much roses???

I did ferny grassy sketches and didn't like that either. I think it is the frames that take away from the actual sketch/painting.

**painterbear** · #4 07-13-2004, 04:12 PM

Wow, those are really tiny paintings you are doing.

I agree that the ornate frames limit your scope of what to paint. I think maybe a single object might be nice.

Someone, Christy maybe?, just did a really nice painting of one of the glass beads someone had posted in the Image Library. It made a lovely vignette.

I think she just did a single Koi fish which was quite dramatic too, posted last week, if I remember correctly.

Maybe a single candle stick or a sunflower or tulip in a bud vase?

How about a marble still life, Em has some very nice photos of them in the IL with wonderful cast shadows full of colors.

Go to the Projects Forum and check out this year's Postcard Project Gallery. People did a lot of simple but lovely paintings as postcards, they might trigger an idea or two.

Please show us your trio of paintings when you decide on subjects and paint them.

Sylvia

baba · #5 07-14-2004, 02:56 AM

Clara, although this was done in pencil it may trigger ideas. The squares are 2x2in and I simply took household items which showed a nice texture and filled the frames.

CharM · #6 07-14-2004, 07:16 AM

Hi Clara... Can you take a pic of the frames and show us??? Those will be tiny paintings... I kind of like the idea you have of the stages of a rose...

Baba... FABULOUS drawings!!!

ingegerd · #7 07-14-2004, 09:44 AM

You might consider three diffrent kind of roses maybe in a botanical style. I visited rosegarden ( http://www.nt.se/default.asp?TargetF...D=2&ClientID=0 ) a few days ago and the roses came in many diffrent shapes and colurs from tiny white ones to large blodreds. There are also many types of rosehips leafes and thorns.

Clara McArthur · #8 07-14-2004, 03:44 PM

Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I can't use my scanner (haven't been able to for several months.) However...new computer is installed...we are now waiting for high speed line connection. Only one service provider in this town and they really take their time.
I'm sending this from my work.

Baba..I really like your drawings...don't know that I could draw like that.

I will post as soon as I get online again.

Thanks

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