Deborah A. Leger: the pears, all together!

Sunday, March 30, 2008

the pears, all together!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...: Hi Deb,
All the pears look great to me. Not a one of them is beyond finishing up. Look at them as individual paintings rather than comparing them to the photo(s) used for reference.

Each painting can have a stem and further loose splashes added to them, a background - try all manor of loose runny backgrounds - and highlights with white gouache.

Many pears have a red cast to their fat parts. Add that cast with a sweep of pale red draped loosely across the sides of the fat part...experiment.

The one you mentioned "could be worked on" is very nice. But don't disregard the others! All can be turned into excellent paintings.

I'm not certain where it comes from, school perhaps, but so many artists are far too critical of their work and aim for a perfect control of their watercolors. Watercolor is a loose medium that does as it wishes. That is where it's inherent beauty is. Let it work. As I mentioned before, many times the painting does not hit the completed or nearly completed state until the last decision is made with the brush. One thinks it is a failure, then POP! it suddenly looks fine upon adding a highlight or lifting color here and there.

Keep at it! You're doing well. Paint outside the lines to be loose ;-)

I'll keep checking in.; April 1, 2008 at 9:23 a.m.
Anonymous said...: Me again, look at your "Self Portrait" on your site...second gallery. Paint the pears like that ;-) All can be finished up with that attitude and become fine examples.; April 1, 2008 at 9:30 a.m.
Deb Léger said...: Hi Don,

You bring up some good points! Yes, I'm comparing them to the photos. I need to keep in mind that they are not supposed to be realistic - I'm trying to get away from realism.

I'll add stems tonight as well as more shadows to some and those red splashes you suggest.

One of the reasons I love watercolour so much is the challenge of it and the way you need to work with it rather than try to force it to work for you. I often forget that when painting. You're so right - it does as it wishes! I need to keep that in mind too.

Tonight, I'll work on some of them! Did I mention that I did not draw these first? I did as you suggested and 'drew' with the paintbrush.

I have that 'self portrait' of me hanging on the wall - I'll go and take a close look at it. ;-)

Thanks very much for your comments and suggestions! Both are welcome!

Deb; April 1, 2008 at 12:59 p.m.

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