"Paintings With Personality"

Woodstock Diva, 18x24 watercolor

In my exploration of pattern, I have continued to consider the elements and principles of design. As a refresher, the elements of design are line, shape, direction, size, texture, color, and value. The principles of design describe the way artists use the elements in their art work. The principles’ are balance, gradation, repetition, contrast, harmony, dominance, and unity.

Element number two became of particular interest to me in this painting because of the shapes of the large leaf patterns. While creating the shapes I was thinking about movement, depth, texture, where the viewer’s eye would enter the painting, and where I wanted the area of interest. I decided on the dog and woman, making two centers of interest. I made the dog the lightest area with the blue eyes of a Husky. The woman’s red dress gains attention because of the intense color, even though it is a middle value.

I combined the leaf shapes and the woman into one big middle value shape. Looking at the image on my computer, I’m thinking I should change the vertical leaves at the woman’s feet and at the dog’s side on the lower right into a dark value. I have to be careful to maintain a dominant value (papa bear).  I’ll try it out on my computer before making the change on my painting.

Above, I have put a black outline around the three value shapes. “Mama bear” is the dark value, “papa bear” is the middle value, and “baby bear” is the lightest value.

This painting is strong because I have limited the basic shapes and the values. I created depth with color temperature, without changing the values. By simplifying the shapes into three major shapes (the dog being the smallest), and limiting the range of the colors and values, I was able to create harmony in the painting.

There are still things I want to change, particularly in the values. For one thing, the middle value is too close to the dark value and not close enough to the light value. What do you think? I would appreciate a constructive critique. Please comment below.