Not every painting I create is a success, which is why I like to work in a series. Last year I created these funky flowers in different formats and color combinations.
Most worked. BUT …
There was this one piece that just did not make the cut. What to do, what to do?
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one this happens to, so I decided to make this a teachable moment. I filmed the revamping process I went through, including my thoughts on WHY I was making my next move.
I believe it’s essential to understand how to use the principles and elements of art in order to create strong compositions and successful art. I love the colors but, oh my, it’s so busy. When that happens, it’s difficult to hone in on the focal point - which should be the flowers. Do you notice how the bottom area keeps drawing your eye away from them? The top and bottom are fighting for your attention but only one should dominate. It’s about letting one thing be the star and everything else is just support staff.
When you see the before and after below, it looks like the colors of the flowers changed, right? They did not. What changed was the color around them. The color combination of complementary blues and oranges stayed the same; what changed was the background. I took away the busy-ness by using a solid color to surround the flowers. I also eliminated all those unnecessary lines from the bottom, which let those funky stems shine.
So, head on over to my YouTube channel to watch the whole process. I’d love to hear your comments. (Oh, and please subscribe so you don’t miss any new videos.)