Monday, November 12, 2007

Wishing for Spring

$204.00
Original Watercolor on Paper
15"x11"

Pie birds and silk flowers on the window sill of my studio catch the filtered light from foggy windows. The rain outside is not from April showers. It's only November, but I'll remember spring today.

3 comments:

  1. Hi Michele! What a nice combination...pie birds with flowers. I've never owned a pie bird and I've always wondered if they really work. Speaking of wondering... did you lay in your wet-on-wet wash before painting the flowers and pie birds? I never know when I should do the background...first or last? Any clues to this question would be welcomed! Smiles, Cindy

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  2. Hi, Cindy,

    Yes, pie birds really work. My grandmothers used them when they had a deep dish pie or when the ingredients were especially moist or dense. It lets out the steam from the moisture in the bottom crust to keep it from getting soggy.

    Question regarding background: I wanted to create a composition of alternating chroma and color temperature. So I painted the subject first, knowing that it had to be strong enough to contrast with a pale, neutral wash in the background. It's a little risky, because it would be easy to lose the effect of light if your initial painting doesn't have good value and chromatic contrast.

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  3. Hi Michele! Thankyou for answering my questions. Your answer gives me insight into why my own work loses the light! I'm trying! Smiles, Cindy

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