Friday, August 28, 2009

The myth of upside down



Summer day
acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009
You know the idea. You can't figure out the angle,
the details, the way things work together? Turn the
painting upside down. One problem. It has to work
right side up again, if that's what you want. I was
painting this small portrait, and I love the mood,
colour and the small reference face I'm using, but
the final image has some problems.

But hey it's Friday night, and I've been working solid on
commissions. If I fix it after I show it to you, I promise
to show you what I did. Meanwhile I like the quirky
not-quite-rightness of the face.

Have an enjoying-distorted-reality day
at

8 comments:

  1. CHRIS MURRAYAugust 29, 2009 at 7:20 AM

    ah, my favorite kind of day. I love your painting and the clever title.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Barbara MuirAugust 29, 2009 at 10:22 AM

    Hi Chris,

    I'm glad you like my painting. Do you have a blog? I'd like to see your work too.

    It turns out that every rule we were ever told is just someone trying to figure out how to do it. It works for them. We need to discover what works for us.

    Take care,

    Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  3. http://www.onpainting.wordpress.comAugust 29, 2009 at 6:41 PM

    An interesting color combination. I like the colors.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Barbara MuirAugust 29, 2009 at 10:40 PM

    Hi onpainting. Thanks. I'm so glad you like the colours.

    Take care,

    Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gwen BellAugust 30, 2009 at 1:38 PM

    Wonderful color and emotion in this, Barbara! Love the asymmetry of her face. Gives her lots and lots of character.I know symmetry is supposed to be the ideal, but I find asymmetry to be much more interesting and appealing.

    I do that upside down thing too. Isn't it funny how "what's wrong" just jumps out?

    ReplyDelete
  6. eldon warrenAugust 30, 2009 at 7:31 PM

    There was some artist, I don't remember his name, a sculptor I think said the beauty in a piece of art lies in the distortion. Hmmmm, don't know why that stuck but it did. I believe it to be true.
    Eldon

    ReplyDelete
  7. Barbara MuirAugust 30, 2009 at 7:35 PM

    Hi Gwen,

    Of course turning the work upside down is from Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. But I only find it
    partially helpful. Sometimes it looks great upside down, and still wrong right side up. I like the painting too, for no particular reason. Thanks for being a kind artist friend.

    xoxoxoxoBarbara

    ReplyDelete
  8. Barbara MuirAugust 30, 2009 at 7:38 PM

    Hi Eldon,

    I was thinking about some idea for a future blog about it can't just be a good painting, it has to be your painting -- meaning it has to have your eye (the artist), your mark, or there's no point in making it. Maybe that's how I can like this painting. I don't feel entirely responsible for it, but it does feel like it's mine. Thanks for your kind thoughts.

    Take care,

    Barbara

    ReplyDelete

Your thoughts and positive comments make my day. Thank you for stopping by.