Warm & Cold

With the weather outside changing dramatically now that we are heading into winter, I thought I would add a nice warm sunny watercolour.  This is called 'Cuddles' and is both warm in colours and  in subject.  The reference photograph came once again from the Paint my photo.ning website.

This was quite a bold attempt to put warm hues directly next to cool ones.  Lots of reflected lights here.  The red on the elderly lady's cardigan has been bounced up towards both of their faces.  You can see on her sleeve, the colour has been bleached out.  This is the way it appeared on the ref photo.  I like to think that the colour has moved directly from there up to their faces.  It is just a little thought I keep in my mind when I am doing this type of painting.  It helps to keep everything in harmony.

So now we move into the winter months, and to mark this, here is a much colder painting.  Just two colours used here, ultramarine blue and rose madder.  Once again the subject photo is the flute player.  This is actually version three of this subject.  

In this painting the focal point is the area around the hands, although her foot is fighting for a bit of attention too.  Creating more than one focal point can be worth considering.  It encourages the eye to move over the painting. Her face is only hinted at.  This was quite deliberate on my part.  I feel that those hands and feet deserve centre stage.

Finally, here is a flier for a lecture / demo / workshop that I will be doing at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum next month.  If you are in the area drop in.