Friday, July 31, 2009

Golden Eve

Golden Eve, 12 x 24 diptych

Next week, I will paint a larger version of Golden Eve. Working smaller first helps me get the shapes, color and general direction in place before I commit to a bigger canvas. I was talking with my great painting pal, Julie Davis, about how this process can feel repetitive at times. In practice, I find that the scale differential usually changes things so much that the larger painting is a completely new challenge. It's really useful work out, or at least consider, some of the elements ahead of time. I don't always do it, but it can be a very helpful discipline.

16 comments:

Leia Brown said...

Beautiful! I love the colors you have chosen and I'm sure it will be stunning even larger!

Double "D" said...

I didn't get around to commenting
on your Ebb & Flow which I think is
beautiful. This post is great, with
wonderful colors and composition

loriann signori said...

Beautiful color in the light. It evokes a feeling of golden content and just feels soooo good.

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

Awesome. I also like to do a small one sometimes to sort of map out the bigger one. Like 6x6 converted to 12x12. The smaller format also helps to visualize it better. I grid too, if it's a very tough drawing.

Stephen Parker said...

Wow, absolutely beautiful. I love the early Georgia evening glow.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laurel,

These are beautiful. I don't usually do paintings, but I have been doing watercolour sketches as work ups for a big painting I'm going to do.
I love these.

XOXOXBarbara

Marilyn Eger said...

I love these!The colors move me. I also believe the small studies are helpful. For me they help with the correct placement on the canvas, color, and help me get familiar with the subject before I go large.

Anonymous said...

such an apt title: all i could think of before i looked at the title is the word 'gold' and striking with the purples. beautiful choices r.

Anonymous said...

I love this one Laurie!
I love you!
Erin :)

Marian Fortunati said...

Interesting....
It's funny... to me THIS painting is large. How large will you paint the next one??
Do you find that the large ones sell better?
Of course all of your paintings are beautiful so I imagine you have no trouble selling any of them.

What made you decide to make this a diptych? I really like it but am curious as to your though processes.

By the way... thanks again for the award. I finally painted and posted again, so it's there!!

David Westerfield said...

This looks like a really good start to a larger one. I know what you mean about being repetitive, but doing a study first definitely helps the quality of the next one.

Pam Holnback said...

We've been out-of-town for a week. Just catching up on my favorite blogs. These recent large pieces are incredible. I love the touches of lightness & glowiness (is that a word?) in the clouds.

julie davis said...

Laurel, seeing these recent works in person was a tremendous treat--they just sing. You've conveyed what I imagine to be the essence of these places--the mood, that quality that one typically gets only by being there. I think they're fabulous!

Kelley Carey MacDonald said...

Thanks for talking about that, Laurel. I, too, am always afraid of making the same image, only bigger, for fear of boredom/death of painting. But it's true, sometimes it just turns into a completely different painting, and is interesting and fun in its own right! This one's beautiful.

Laurel Daniel said...

Thanks everyone! In answer to Marian, I will paint the larger one on 24x24 canvases. And I do diptychs often because I just really like the format. Certain images lend themselves to it, and when they do, I go with it! :)

Jack said...

Waaaw u have a great talent..mind blowing pictures...no one can make as bigger than this..Thanks for sharing..

___________________
Jack
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