"Paint What You Love"

"Paint What You Love"
"Paint What You Love", by R.J. Ball, Pastel on velour

May 19, 2012

"Worn Traveler"

Back in 2011, when our Lantana was at their fullest, we welcomed a visitor to our back yard.  An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (derived that from my butterfly book).  Talk about a photo ham!!!  It was sooo cooperative in letting me take pictures, even up close and personal.  Either that, or it was very, very hungry!  I had a field day snapping my camera.
reference photo



One day, sometime later, I was going through my photos, trying to get inspiration for what to paint next.  I started cropping this photo, and came up with the 8" x 16" format.  I liked the way the lantana lead the eye to the butterfly.  Going through my pastel papers, I could see that the yellow/gold pastelmat would be good for the yellow/gold in the butterfly, leaving the paper to show (that's what instructors drill into your head).  So, the journey began.  Some of the leaves were changed, because I also wanted them leading the eye toward the butterfly.  The colors of the lantana were changed for more of a contrast to the green background.  There are lantanas that color.
"Worn Traveler", 8" x 16", Pastel



Framed(too much light on it)

This painting was a very good learning experience for me, and I loved doing it.  I have a lot of notes attached to cork board, above where my pastels are kept.  They are notes I've taken in class, from books, and dvds, on composition, design, etc..  I periodically go back over them, to see if I'm doing what they recommend.

"Worn Traveler" was entered in C.L.A.G.'s 2012 annual show, and received Third place in the Pastel/Drawing category.  The biggest award I received was a lady telling me her "want to be an artist" granddaughter wanted to save her money so she could buy it.


2 comments:

  1. It's wonderful! Wow! You did such a great job, and congratullations on the prize. This piece deserves top prize!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for posting a comment, and especially THANK-YOU for the wonderful accolade!!

    ReplyDelete