Mother Nature abstract figure

Mother Nature
Well this week's lesson was a doozy, packed full of so much by a master artist, Cathrine Edlinger-Kunze . She is a spectacular artist who does abstract figurative paintings. The goal here was to create an abstract beginning. Then you need to visualize the figure or portrait that would go into it. Yes, I forgot to just take a picture of the abstract itself, so you got it when I had already started filling it in.

I have done pictures like this previously, but setting out to do it this time was a bit scary.  I had this reference picture that I have been hanging onto, knowing I would do her some time.  I wanted to call it Mother Nature - or maybe is should be Esmeralda?  Anyway, maybe she isn't old enough to be Mother Nature.  

But anyway, when I saw the picture I liked the idea of the swing and couldn't really come up with a background that could be nature.  But here with the drips I think it can pass for either sun, sky, trees, or creek flowing to the background - ok, ok, maybe I am reaching here.

Anyway, I know I will be trying to do this again.  Need to rewatch the 6 videos as she gives color recipes, brushwork tips, she also corrects with charcoal adding it into the painting itself.  

Thanks much for taking a look.


Abstract background

Comments

Joan Tavolott said…
It amazes me that you could have a figure that you want to do and figure out that it would work well with an abstract background and a swing...what a great idea. Your mind is definitely more creative than mine. I love the background with the drips and the flow of colors! Lovely!!
May 9, 2019 at 4:30 PM
carol edan said…
Love the background! Wow those drips! Who says "mother nature" has to be old?
May 10, 2019 at 4:03 AM
Mellowood Gallery said…
This is fabulous Nelvia! I think the background works well with the theme and Mother Nature is ageless - lol
May 10, 2019 at 12:01 PM
Sheila said…
I think it is great Nelvia! Trees moving in the wind, water, sky, earth. It is busy, but not overwhelming. Mother Nature has a lot to watch over right?! And if she is eternal, only fair to let her stay on the young side! LOL :) Love the movement and variation in her skirt. She is at rest here, but it is sort of a metaphor for her perpetual work. Haha, Maybe I am reaching too.) You don't say, but I am guessing this is watercolor. Or part of it. If you do try again, remember you can use acrylics like watercolor. Thin them a bit. That might give you more options. You won't have to worry about lifting the acrylic layers. But you know that :) Have fun my friend!
May 10, 2019 at 1:44 PM
Helen said…
That green dress is just... delicious!
May 10, 2019 at 8:49 PM
hmuxo said…
this is finished beautifully, Nelvia. Awesome background... and it almost looks 3-D .. she's perfect...
May 11, 2019 at 8:10 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bold woman's portrait

Image
Bold Ok, for today's portrait I went out of the box and decided to try a different look and approach. This is on watercolor paper, I applied a layer of paper collate over it (you can see that some of it started lifting - so got to use more medium to glue it next time)  Anyway then I tried to leave part of that under collage showing, even in the face.  Went back in and applied several more light lawyers of transparent and opaque paint and then put in the hair using my dagger bus.   Gosh that brush makes hair so much easier While this might not the best example what are your thoughts to taking portraits this more dynamic direction? Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.
Read more

Her Highness mixed media woman portrait

Image
Her Highness   I just absolutely loved the expression on this lady and knew I wanted to try to capture her elegance and serenity.  I knew that I didn't want an exact portrait and decided to try another mixed media piece.    I added blobs of paint and used my large scraper to make the areas of color.  Just put paint on a piece of watercolor paper.  Then I inscribed and mixed the colors together with the end of my brush and got all the wavy lines (in real life they actually stand up so there is a 3D effect to the background).  Where I thought I wanted the face I really scraped most of the paint off, and ended up with color blotches and tones, and if you look in the forehead you can sort of see the design that was left.  I thought it would add some variance to the skin tones. I also want to keep her very soft so I tried to stay in the pastel tones, even with the lips.   Once I got shadows and lights added in, and went over it with some skin tone and more blue colors I let
Read more

In The Garden acrylic painting Redo

Image
In The Garden Original painting Well, thankfully I have some folks who tell me what they think.  I value their objective opinions very much and appreciate that they feel strongly enough to tell me when they feel something is off.  In the original painting no one liked the addition of the yellow flower, and felt it pulled the eye and overshadowed the focal point.   Well, I sat on it a bit and starting playing with how I could work it back into the composition.  I wanted the third flower, but I couldn't just really dull down the yellow.  As you an see I ended up making it darker in shadows and then burying it into the foliage.  I like it better because it now looks, to me, like it is part of the picture instead of just being put on in the corner.  Moral of the story, fix it first because it is hard to come in and match colors later. What do you think of the changes - for better or worse? Thanks much for stopping by and taking a look.
Read more