Monet's Poppy Field at Argenteuil---Jamie's tiny version

[JamieWG]

I did another of my Micro Masters series last night. This one is Monet's famous painting Poppy Field at Argenteuil. Monet painted this in 1873. It's pretty intimidating to take on a copy of a Master, but I've learned so much in the process. I've also seen a tremendous amount of fabulous work while searching for paintings to paint!

1.25x1.5" (unframed size), Golden Fluid Acrylics on Strathmore 500 plate bristol
Actual size (quarter for size reference):


Enlarged version:


Ready to send out:


It was an amazing feeling to try to retrace Monet's stages as I painted this. I started with a very light wash of transparent yellow oxide to tone the support. From there I used cerulean blue chromium, ultramarine blue, pyrrole red, yellow ochre, titanium white, hansa yellow light and burnt sienna. In the end, I added a drop of phthalo turquoise to some mixes because I wasn't completely satisfied with the chroma in the sky, though Monet surely didn't have that pigment at his disposal!

Jamie

[idcrisis55]

So well done, Jamie. I find these micro painting so intriguing.

[idylbrush]

incredible small works. I have to admire your tenacity and talent.

[JamieWG]

Thanks so much, Ann and Howard. This is the most fun I've had in a looooooong time! These tiny paintings do take a lot of time to complete and frame, but I find it very satisfying.

Jamie

[Charlie's Mum]

An absolute gem Jamie - and beautifully presented- I hope they're selling

[JamieWG]

Originally Posted by Charlie's Mum

An absolute gem Jamie - and beautifully presented- I hope they're selling

Thanks so much, Maureen. All the ones I've done so far are already sold! But I have to say, I'd do them anyway.

Jamie

[SunsetSue]

Great job Jamie, I would be cross-eyed working on one that small!! Wait a minute, I am cross-eyed lol Amazing work!
_____
Sue

[Phantelope]

these are so much fun! But how do you hang them? Or maybe display them in one of those board things used for showing little figures?

Actually, a friend of mine once staged the smalles gallery in the world, a box painted white with tiny pictures hanging on the walls. You had to climb up a step ladder to look inside. He put that up on the street in San Francisco, I thought that was a fun idea. could work with these too, build something like a puppet size gallery and hang them.

The ones I've seen are done very well and the original is immediately recognizable. I just paged through my impressionism book (by Taschen, only $20 for a massive book!) and this one was in there too.

I'd go insane working that small, but I really like seeing them!

Oliver

[C_Line]

One of my favorite paintings of all time. Wow!

[JamieWG]

Cross-eyed Sue, LOL. Too funny. I paint them with just my regular glasses until I feel I've taken it as far as I can. Then I put on the magnification and it's always surprising how much there is left to do!

Oliver, the painting gets hung from the gold string, which is affixed to wire loops on the back of the frame. I include a little gold tack (see photo above) to put into the wall. I'm considering just gluing a wire onto the back for hanging instead, but there's something so charming about hanging them "salon style" from the gold string. What do you think?

Celeste, thank you. It's one of my all time favorite paintings too. There are a bunch of Monets that I'd like to do. I'm not yet sure who my next "victim" will be. I really enjoy doing the impressionists, but I'd like to do some others as well.

Jamie

[rmc]

OH MY - Jamie - this is so perfect and so tiny...... do you think you'll continue with the micros or do some larger ones??
Has retracing Monet's and the other master's steps altered your overall approach to painting?
I am so impressed with your patience and dedication to detail

[Katie D]

This is great Jamie! I've done a lot of copies of the masters myself and have found the same good things that you have about it. Love the idea of miniatures, too. You've done a beautiful job--can we see the rest?

[JamieWG]

Ruth, many thanks. No, I don't anticipate doing larger copies of The Masters. Part of the charm is the fact that they're so tiny. Plus, I have three shows to get ready for this spring, and three or four more coming up in the all. I have to spend my time with larger works on the ones for the shows. I'm thinking of doing some micro paintings of my own scenes too though---not just copies.

Katie, I appreciate your comments! You can see the rest by going to my blog and on the right sidebar, click to view the "Jamie's Jewels" category. That will bring up the tiny framed minis to the top.

Jamie

[Nitsa]

BRAVO

Absolutely stunning Jamie and I just love how you gift wrapped it.

[~JON]

Wonderful. I am enjoying your series so very much.