Thursday, November 29, 2007

Limes on Blue Plate


Limes on Blue Plate
Originally uploaded by linfrye
Returning to work and a 2-week compression of musts before the Christmas break has made sketching each evening a real challenge -- THAT and combined with my own 'can't stop futzing with my 'sketches' so that sketches become paintings ... SIGH!

These limes, done in my sketchbook last night, is an example. My INTENTION was to do a quick sketch, try to do a 'painterly' wash .. and STOP! HA!

The more I looked at my photo reference (it was after 7:30 PM when I started this and dark outdoors), the more I SAW -- and afterall, I thought, wasn't that one of my intentions -- to SEE better! YES! BUT.......I couldn't help but try to PAINT all those nuances I was seeing-- and doing THAT, moved me from my quick 'sketch' to more involved 'paint' --

So I"m still trying to figure out this sketch versus painting ... for my own way of doing things.

While I was waiting for some of these layers to dry, I did another quick sketch of some leaves and mushrooms ... but this time, I outlined the pencil marks in ink. I then very quickly, added a bit of paint in a more 'relaxed', FUN way. I haven't finished that sketch as I grew tired and turned it ... BUT, I'm wondering about the different attutyde I took with ink on the paper.

Hmmmmmm......

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can also sometimes "work" a sketch instead of letting GO! Then I usually switch mediums for a while...like graphite or pencil, charcoal, oil... That seems to help a bit. When I pick up the WC again, I'm a little looser(or messy/careless, depending)
I like this painting....do another one and let it rip!!
ronell

Teri said...

These two colors together work so well.

I don't even try to do a sketch versus a painting, I just let it happen...and most are sketches :)

Linda said...

Hey -- this is great! Lin, can you tell us what pigments you have on your palette? Those blues and greens are awesome!

I wouldn't call this overworked -- it's just a, well, watercolor sketch. That's what I call them.

caseytoussaint said...

I love the colors on this - it's beautiful.

Nita Van Zandt said...

I just a read a book on oil painting (which I don't do, never have done, have no interest in) and the best thing I learned was that in any painting you see what the artist chose to keep--not all he left out.

And in comparison shots of reality vs painted scene, there's soooo much that's not kept.

In trying to define a sketch vs a drawing vs a painting, all that thinking interferes with my imagemaking mind. So now I call it all drawing, no matter what it turns out like.

Your stuff is lovely and skillful, just keep doing it without thinking too much!

Lorraine said...

For me the problem of a reference photo or painting something I can see is very difficult. My instructor used to say: "you need to see it in your mind and paint what's in your mind" -- what mind -- I don't see anything in my mind LOL. I find I do better on anything creative if I just sit down and play -- if I try to copy something -- I run into what you are talking about -- of course I'm not developing skills like you have done!!!
Hugs,
Lorraine

Jana Bouc said...

You are such a master of light and your color mixing has become really masterful too. I know what you mean about not being able to stop, the more you see.