With the trouble I had for our June Challenge of "Something Shiny From the Kitchen", I thought briefly about using this past painting. However, I knew I should paint something new, so it was only a fleeting thought. But perhaps you'll enjoy seeing it compared with what I did paint.
Original, unframed oil painting 8"x8".
Detailed portrait/figurative/still life painting of young man making faces, mirrored in shiny cooking pot, in warm and cool colors.
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
Contact to purchase.
This is one of the more complicated pieces I painted last year, which obviously took me more than one day to paint. I enjoyed the challenges of the shiny surfaces and bright background, contrasted with the face in shadow.
The piece also made other contrasts for me as I progressed; the silly face vs. the serious realism, the warm light background vs. the cool darker foreground, the childlike fun this young man is having vs. his beard revealing that he's not a child anymore.
His whimsical face in the reflective cooking pot reminded me of being a kid with my sister, visiting the Fun House and seeing our faces and bodies transfigured by the wacky mirrors.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
"Making Faces" Whimsical Portrait
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13 comments:
Great concept, Diana. Fine work. The reflection is great!
Thanks Don. I thought about naming it reflections on pot but decided against it since the model is my son.
I can see why you were tempted to use this...perfect for the challenge! Just like I felt like I was cheating by using a photo of last month's pigs!
The painting is great.
It was indeed tempting, especially as the deadline approached and I hadn't finalized my plan!
I don't know about you, but every month I struggle with these because I want them to be so wonderful.
To my mind, the Challenge paintings should be more exciting, more original, more unique, more everything than most of my daily paintings; which, often, are simple studies.
Studies are good, but I want the Challenge paintings to be more than that.
Amazing, as always. I also love the portrait of the little girl that arrived in my mailbox. Hope you are able to get outdoors to do some plein air painting- it must be lovely there this time of year. Take care, Cyndy
We've had rain lately, which was needed. Soon I do hope to get out to paint on location!
This is simply wonderful... Good for you Diana, it is always a treat to see what you do with your gift.
I had forgotten those mirrors. I have not seen any for years. I like part of the background being very similar to the flesh tones. It certainly does look very tricky to paint and you did it so well.
Thank you, Gerald. I guess you just never know what I might paint!
Bill, I think those fun house mirrors have been replaced with wide screen tv. Whenever I see the WS, it looks very distorted to me. Instead of normal proportions on actors or football players, everyone on wide screen looks shorter and wider.
I wonder if the screens simply aren't configured properly, or if it's a conspiracy to get audiences to accept wider proportions as the norm.
Love the composition on this one!
Thank you Jane. Sometimes I just have to make things complicated.
Hi Diana
Great painting! I love that the more I looked at it the more I discovered. The composition and subject really brings me into the painting, keeps me there for a while and leaves me with a smile :)
Hi,
Good subject and creativity.
You did an awesome job on the head's perspective and its elements.
Kind regards,
José
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