Monday, February 28, 2011

Spring In California


"Spring In California"
24" X 30" Oil on Canvas
I painted this scene over a year ago on an 8"x10" canvas. The painting came out pretty nice so I entered it in a California Art Club show and it sold. I honestly didn't think it would sell and had planned on using the painting as a reference to paint a larger version. Luckily I had taken a good photo of it so the other day I got that out and used it as my ref. I went larger and also made some changes to the painting. The original had a lot of poppies in the foreground but the last few paintings I've done had poppies so I didn't want to paint those again. I like this version and think it is going to look very nice in a frame.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I remember the original and when I first opened this I thought this was it. You've done your usual fine job in making the new picture. I think the original with its foreground poppies probably had a little more bite in that area. The more I look at the more I think it could be slightly improved by a tiny bit more intensity in some of the foreground hues. Or maybe I've just got a monitor that isn't showing the hues in the best light.

Ron Guthrie said...

Hi Mick,
I can see your point. I just looked at the image posted here and compared it to the original painting. My photo doesn't catch the more intense colors in the foreground flowers...they have more oranges showing here in the original. The yellows don't quite stand out like the more intense oranges did.

I used more dry colored grasses in the foreground so maybe going back in to add some additional greens there would enrich the foreground a bit more....good eye Mick.

Marian Fortunati said...

I'm sure it will, Ron!
Hope all is well with you and yours!!

Ron Guthrie said...

Hi Marian,
Aside from me having a slight cold everyone is well up here. A friend of mine told me she went to see Karen Winters at the show reception for the paint out the CAC did up here in San Luis Obispo. I can't believe I forgot all about it. I wanted to stop by and say hi to Karen...what a dork I am!, haha. I haven't seen either one of you since that turn in day down in Pasadena. I'm feeling like a hermit.