9.19.2011

#311 - Speedy Green Bug


5"x 7" oil on masonite  Sold
More playtime with color! Er...uh...I mean another experiment in color temperature and color key. "Experiment" makes me sounds more like a scientist right? After all, science is awesome.
With this cute green VW bug (as with the dog painting before it) I wanted to add a background (and foreground this time) of shifting color temperatures that contributed to the overall harmony but had enough variation to keep it interesting. Alas my camera, fancy as it is, still doesn't pick up the subtle color changes that the human eyeball can see. I tried to correct it some in photoshop but let it go after awhile. Trying to get a digital image to look exactly like an original painting? Therein lies madness, my brother. Get it good enough and let it go. It's better to have your hand on the brush than the keyboard.
So anyhoo, the interesting thing to me about this painting is that I get a feeling of speed from the treatment of the bug. Perhaps it's the way I've smudged some of the edges that contribute to a blurry motion feeling.  Well, or maybe it's the just the symbol of checkers in the background (like racing checkerboard flag?). Anyhoo, I like how it came out but then again I'm also a big fan of teal teamed up with neon yellowish green. The aqua color ground just seemed to fit as something Intermediary. I found if I made it any warmer and it would start to group with and deempahsize the pretty green bug. Blah blah blah. Yak yak yak. Are you still reading this? I'm not.



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10 comments :

milo said...

You know I love this!

Laurel Daniel said...

I love it too! The vibrant color, expressive edges, and the supporting/augmenting nature of the grid... completely satisfying little piece. Mmmm mmmm. A real eye catcher this morning!

BrandNewStudio said...

WonderfulWork

SamArtDog said...

Good fast color!

laine lea said...

Jeff, doug carter and I just 'shared blog listings" as I see you have too! Would you be interested in our doing the same....I looking to add others whose work I really like! Let me know!

carol morgan carmichael said...

Great edges and color! Like the organic shape of the bug contrasted against the squares.

Darlene Young said...

It conveys a feeling of speed and lightness. The weight of the car seems light because of the colour against the background. Love it!

Jeff Mahorney said...

Milo, I thought you might! Dogs and Bugs :)

Thanks Laurel and Sam!

Laine, yeah sure. Sounds good to me :)

Thanks for the words and insights, Carol and Darlene.

Michael Pieczonka said...

great job here Jeff. I dig the rendering of the bug and the cooler lemony palette of the whole painting. I hear what you are saying about a camera not picking up the subtle colour shifts vs something painted from life, but alas.. you have managed to infuse this with a convincing sense of colour.

Delsie Maidens said...

Nice! You can imagine a car just like that. I don't mean the exact model... but something that resembles the feel of that drawing. It's like seeing a car pass you by, relatively speedy but eye-catching.