From Tight to Loose

Yesterday I once again joined my friend La Vonne to work on another painting from Italy. You've seen it before, but I took it to La Vonne's for her expert critique. Although I felt it was done, she was able to help me improve it in one large way and several small.

Here is "Sisters" before.

 

The large improvement was to wash down the street to get rid of the "connectors" I had added and lightening the street in the distance and to the left. I did a bit more of a wash in areas and then redid the splatter, ending up with a much better street.

I also curved the skirts, blouses, pants and nun's wimple, changing the rather straight, stagnant shapes.

 

I also worked on softening the edge of the shadow to light on the left, reshaped the plants, and finally added the touch of color several folks mentioned a lack of by adding a red logo patch to the backpack and red trip to the nun's bag.

 

And here is the result--I consider this painting a job well done!

 

Sisters 18 x 21

So after finishing this rather tight, realistic painting in my studio, I took off on a different approach to a figure painting--loose and juicy. This is my interpretation of Liz, poet/gardener--done in one afternoon.

 

Liz 21 x 18