Friday, December 19, 2008

Near Carpinteria Bluffs

"Summer Field"
9" X 12" Oil on panel

I started out doing a scene of a flowering field being farmed next to the bluffs in Carpinteria. By the time I got to the mountains my ref became more a less just an inspiration more than a ref. These mountains are very different in color to the ones down there since I started messing with them...not a bad thing, that's how you learn and it can get boring sticking to your ref for a scene anyway. What I ended up with a really just a generic, but pleasing, summer field of flowers. I'm happy with it.
I was going to paint this scene 3 times but never felt the flowers would hold the painting together subject wise. I finally just decided to go for it and see how much interest I could generate with just a field of flowers. I think it worked out ok especially considering I'm not the greatest painter of flowers at all.

6 comments:

Marian Fortunati said...

Sure looks to me like it works!! You've managed to make the near and far flowers realistic and they lead the eye into the painting.

Another wonderful job!!

Happy Holidays to you, Ron!

Ron Guthrie said...

Hi Marian,
Hey, thanks for the comments and taking a look. My thought for the very foreground flowers was size and color/value intensity. The patterns were all worked out along the way. Got lucky!

You have a wonderful Christmas Marian!
Ron

Anonymous said...

Great work, Ron! I feel like running through that field of flowers with my arms outstretched while making aeroplane noises (nutter...lol). Seriously though, beautiful work.

Ron Guthrie said...

Hi Alexander,
I would be fine with you running through that field but I refuse to answer questions from people asking why you are making those airplane sounds! hahahaha. Thanks for the comments and taking a look...much appreciated!
Ron

Helen Read said...

I really like this! I have a sense of the atmosphere and "being there".

Ron Guthrie said...

Hi Helen,
Thanks for the comments. I liked this scene and hoped the flower work would support itself in the painting. Once into the painting things started to workout. I'd see distance starting to appear and play with the atmosphere. It's fun when the painting helps paint itself.

Thanks again for checking it out and commenting Helen.
Ron