9.01.2011

#309 - Good Boy In Green

6"x 6"  oil on masonite  Sold

This was an experiment in color temperature and overall color key. I wanted to take this pretty boy out of his environment and put in one that really complimented him. Something that answered what his colors seemed to want.

I used to think the idea of someone's color was a silly idea, but over the last couples years it seems like the color of a person's (or dog) skin really seems to ask for a certain compliment color. This boy seemed to want a yellowish green behind him. So I gridded a new background color into slight color variations to make the background a little more interesting. It's fun to push color a bit in different directions to get a varied background but not push them so far that they step outside of the general range of the over overall color key. I don't want one color block to stick out too much, so they still work together as a group. On the other hand, I wanted enough variation to keep it interesting. I dunno, maybe he'd be ok with the one right color in the background. Hmm, maybe I try that too, but I really like this one.

A little birdie told me that this also has a kind of 3d effect to it. Hmmm, not the story I mean to tell or at least I don't want to distract a viewer away from the color. Love to hear your thoughts.


See available paintings | Email me about a commission

13 comments :

milo said...

love love love! you know we're all going to be bothering you for pooch portraits now!

Anonymous said...

You nailed this pooch, Jeff! So much personality.
Love it!

Sheila Vaughan said...

Jeff, the way you have picked up hints of the background colour into the dog's skin works very well. It's a totally convincing painting to me. Yes, maybe it is slightly 3D but I think that is because of the black gesso underpainting showing through at the edges? As you have also allowed that to happen in the background too I think the whole thing works and it doesn't detract from the colour impact.

carol morgan carmichael said...

So happy to see this beauty pop up on my blog roll. I think green was the perfect compliment to his pinky/whitey coat. I like the background. Think you should enter this or one of your other paintings in the daily paintworks challenge. Rectangle challenge. More folks could see your wonderful work and learn from it.

Jeff Mahorney said...

Milo- Careful, I'll take you up on that. I've noticed the beautiful photos of your pooch on fb.

Kris- Thanks! Good to hear from you. I know I've said it before but I swear I'm about to start making a lot more paintings and much more often. Email me if you want details :)

Sheila- I'm glad you like it and I was thinking the same thing. Thanks for the confirm. I think I try this some more times but without the separation lines (maybe underpainting?). It's funny I think I had a harder time making the squares (with the color adjustments) than the dog. Thanks much for your feedback.

Carol- Hey thanks, and I'm happy to be on your blog roll. Hmmm, I dunno if it qualifies. Didn't she want it to be completely made of squares? I'll check it out. I did just recently join dailypaintworks.com. I still am trying to figure out the nuts and bolts, but I'll look into the challenge thingy.

SUZY MORGAN said...

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED .... Great Dog ....
I CAN SMELL HIM !

Suzy

Cathleen Rehfeld said...

This is SO cool! I LOVE it!

tj said...

I love the background. The painting looks more contemporary.

Leigh B. Butler said...

Love the dog, the colors, the squares in the background and the square brushmarks on the dog's body playing off them.

: D Leigh

Helen Cooper said...

A great painting Jeff. I LOVE the bold brushstrokes !

laura l. sweet said...

I love it.

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

I love it!!
I'm a fan of playing with compliments and I really love the brushwork here!

Jeff Mahorney said...

Thanks very much you guys! Nice to have compliments and visits from some of my favorite painters.