Oh, What a Difference a Few Changes Make!

 Looking objectively at our "finished" paintings 

can really make a difference! 

Being willing to redo, or even wipe out (gasp!),

an area that we slaved over can be

the best possible tack to take to improve our work.

 

 Keeping that concept in mind, here's your chance

to identify assorted "redo" areas and even "wiped out" areas in these two paintings. 

We will take a look at these two totally different paintings,  one bright and full of color, and the other more subdued with nuances of color, light and shadow.

 

   Let's start with the painting of the flowers.
  After leaving the pink and yellow roses to move on and paint the silver teapot and white pitcher, I returned a few days later to take a fresh look at the flowers in the vase -  and decided they could use some adjustments.

Here are some Before and After images of the same flowers.

Can you find the modifications made to the pink roses?

Specifically what differences can you see

between the two paintings?  Don't the changes make the pink roses "fresher" and more "crisp" ?

EXAMPLE ONE - - BEFORE IMAGE

 

EXAMPLE ONE -- AFTER IMAGE

EXAMPLE ONE -- FINAL IMAGE

(*color a bit off, but wanted to show the "final" version)

 

 

We can make similar changes to whole paintings -

now compare the Before and After images for my painting entitled Along the Silk Road (below). 

 

 

EXAMPLE TWO -- BEFORE IMAGE

                                                  

This was one of my very earliest still life paintings - and as a beginning painter, I struggled with many of the objects as well as the composition. I seem to have made every common mistake, as new painters will sometimes do! 

 

Let's analyze:

• Looking at the super-white cloth peaking out from under the rich, black cloth, it's clear there's too much contrast.
• The apple on the right has stolen the show due to the odd placement and color/value contrasts. 
• Now, what about those grapes pouring out of the copper container? There are way too many grapes - and they create a distracting "border " of sorts around the middle apple. 
• Also, notice the very "stiff" depiction of the statue? How to make him appear more relaxed and dimensional?
• Lastly, what about the large, blank area of the background into which the man/statue seems to be looking?  In fact, our eye doesn't travel easily around the painting. The painting seems cut in half diagonally. The flow is interrupted.  Perhaps rearranging objects (apples) and adding something (the large ornate disk) will balance the painting and help the viewer's eye circle back through the composition.

Hmmm, lots of adjustments seem to be in order - so, scroll down further to see the latest (though not yet complete) version of the painting.

  

EXAMPLE TWO -- AFTER IMAGE 

(*see final comments below this image)

How many differences can you find

between the before/after images?

 

(HINT: Consider: objects included or deleted, color adjustments, temperature changes, modifications to objects already painted, reflections, shadows, etc.)

Please note, this painting is not yet finished -

it still need some work in a few areas, such as with

the roses and the shadows of the apples.

Okay, now it's your turn to "revisit" some of your older works -

perhaps with a little thoughtful tweaking they can be improved, too!