Sunday 7 September 2008

And another cornfield

...

This morning I finally took out the easel again after a while. I took out one - the only red! - already prepared greyboard (acrylics and pumice powder).

The bulk of the cornfield still kept me wondering - and the comments I got to my earlier request here pretty much went along the lines: yes, something I'd like to know about also.

Ok. My rationale was to do more persistent, stronger lines rights throughout the field, and to do them in acrylics - in highlights and lowlights.

Cornfields
Cornfields, Pastel/Acrylics on board
35x25cm
WIP: stage 1, underpainting

I then split the field into... hm, well,... really into a side view and a top view, trying to construct it somewhat 3d. While that wasn't the view I had IRL, it still seemed an appropriate way to counter the flatness.

Cornfields
Cornfields, Pastel/Acrylics on board
35x25cm
WIP: stage 2, pastels go on

In went a lot of repetitive marks - lines, about an inch long, overlayed and varied across the field.

Cornfields Detail
Cornfields Detail , Pastel/Acrylics on board
35x25cm
WIP: stage 2, pastels go on

For the foreground, I put in much longer lines. Then I went back in to really work on the negative space by adding a lot of dark values in the foreground - to work on the illusion that one could see into the undergrowth.

Cornfields
Cornfields, Pastel/Acrylics on board
35x25cm
WIP: stage 3 foreground

Well, it's not flat anymore. I did prepare two panels with a similar underpainting. With the second one I'm thinking about constructing the field much more obviously 3d in acrylics before I start with the pastels. Would that work?

5 comments:

Yellow said...

Gesa, I want a print of the 'detail' about 2 feet across. I love it. IN fact, I love stage 1 of the underpainting as an image in itself. You've give me a great idea of what to do next on my Penshaw project actually.

Gesa said...

Hehehe... I must say I'm rather fond of my many detail shots too... in particular with the mixed media stuff there's just so much happening in any one small piece... hm... prints... there's an idead :)

Brian McGurgan said...

I love that detail as well, Gesa. The color in this painting is gorgeous!

notmassproduced said...

hi - loving your work - thanks for the comment on my blog too :o)

Gesa said...

Thanks for dropping by, Kate and I'll need to have another look at those shop photos.
Cheers, Brian - I suspect part of that colour fest clearly is down to the cadmium red underpainting. It was a strange one. It upset me considerably before I had calmed it in part with the sky, well smudged btw.
Hm, red - it's not really a colour I use en masse - rather as individual highlights. So have the whole canvas RED was a bit strange.
Will try again with the field though, and I'll look at your recent post also, Brian.