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My Most Successful Paintings Part One

Post 1

Willem

Of the paintings I've completed so far, I'd like to point out the ones I consider to be particularly successful, and my reasons why I think they are.

Let's start here:

http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2197003940103203115wwTrjM

This is actually one of the very first acryllic paintings I've ever made! It also took me a long time, comparatively, to finish.

The subject itself is special to me. We bought a nice second-hand camera in 1996, one with a really big lens, so for the first time I could photograph things like birds properly. My big chance to use the camera was in July 1996 when we (our family) went to the Kruger National Park.

One of my favourite places is the camp of Letaba in the Park. This camp, situated on the Letaba River, has lovely trees and attracts a wealth of birds. There are also tame Bushbuck antelope in the camp (I took photos of them too).

One of the very special kinds of birds of Letaba is the Mourning Dove. These fairly large doves get very friendly. They often approach visitors making a 'Kooorrr!' cooing sound, so we (our family) call them 'Koerduiwe' (Koor Doves). We always look out for 'Koerduiwe' as soon as we enter Letaba camp.

I managed a few photos of the Mourning Doves but had difficulty with a nice background. The doves would be on the bare ground, or on tiled floors, or on furniture in the restaurant - but none of that makes for a really overall good photo. So I was very glad when I found a dove feeding in a large fig tree!

South Africa has a number of *wild* fig tree species - members of the huge genus 'Ficus', relatives of the commercial fig tree, as well as the rubber trees often used as indoor plants. Fig trees usually bear fruit year round and attract birds and lots of other animals - they are some of the most ecologically 'fruitful' smiley - winkeye plant species here. Letaba Camp also has many large, impressive wild fig specimens.

So there the dove was, feeding in the tree. There was already a photographer working to capture it; he had a huge-lensed camera on a tripod. I didn't want to disturb him, so I took a few shots of the dove from standing beside him, and then moved on.

When we came back from the Park, I had the photos developed. And they came up underexposed - dark and grey!

But I was sure I could still use them for a painting. I scanned them into the computer and worked to correct the underexposure using my graphics program; I got somewhat better definition and contrast but they were still grey and grainy.

So basically, in painting it, I had to correct the problems of contrast and definition, and put the colour back in.

I did that, I think fairly successfully, but that's not why I like the painting. I like it, because it really portrays the 'what-it's-like-ness' of the bird feeding in the tree. The rather inquisitive expression of it as it briefly looks up in the midst of feeding; the inviting, round, plumpness of the figs; the shadows made by the tree's dense foliage; the suggestion of more leaves in the background behind the tree's trunk. The highlights on the figs in the foreground; the figs in the background being darker and duller - I got the sense of 'depth' right. Whereas the bird in the photo was almost indistinguishable from its background, in the painting I managed to 'bring it forward' by the use of colour - the blue, and almost purplish-grey on the body, and the red skin around its yellow eye, and the glint in it.

In this painting I also managed to achieve a unity, integrity, of colour, texture and shape. The dove blends in with the tree, and the tree itself blends in with its background. Without knowing it I had employed some of the 'tenets' we learnt in the art class much later. One thing that helped was that I had for some reason figured out I can get all the colours I wanted, from a very small and basic palette of paint colours. The colours everywhere in the painting therefore come from the same basic colour 'foundation'. The colours I chose were yellow ochre, burnt sienna, burnt umber, and french ultramarine, for their 'naturalness'. Together with white, I got everything in the painting just from those four, and this gives the painting an organic quality.

I was still very inexperienced and naive when I painted the dove. I am thinking of again painting it, this time in watercolour, and making a few further modifications. But it is still one of my own paintings that I like most.


My Most Successful Paintings Part One

Post 2

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

Oh, thank you for that.smiley - smiley You're taking us through the work. Seeing it and hearing the description tells me a lot about the process.

You know, people usually charge for this sort of instruction...smiley - whistle

I know what you mean about the 'what-it's-like-ness' or 'is-ness' of the dove.

What I appreciate is that you're explaining the visual in terms of the tactile. That's what intrigues me about good painting - the emergent sense perceptions.


My Most Successful Paintings Part One

Post 3

AlsoRan80

Very dear willem

I went to look at your pictures but unfptunately I could not enlarge them because they were blocked. I tried to unblock them but wthout success.However, although I could barely see them with my wretched eyesight thank you for showing them to us. I liked the story about the ficus. Mnd you I always find them quite smellly trees and they always have lots of insects and things flying around.

Go well,

Christiane
AR80

31/III/2010 7.30 BST


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