LESSON #4 - Anthuriums

[MaryAnne Long]

Thanks, Denise. 

Where do you get the MaimerBlu?

aloha

mea

[Steven]

Well done Mea, I'd fire off a quick note to Santa bout some new professional grade paints, you are just going to be frustrated with inferior colors!

[ncwren]

  Just lovely!

[Val]

Don't worry overmuch about trying to get the exact colours as Dennis. Even using the same paints as Dennis, chances are slim you'll actually be able to match. If both paintings were side by side the colours would still have differences. Just learn to work with the paints that you have. It's these little differences that make the painting your own. Find a brand you like and stick with it. Don't worry over perfect colour matching...just work on perfecting the techniques. 

[dennis]

Wow! Mea Just look what is happening to you now

Well said, Val

[MaryAnne Long]

Thanks, Dennis.  If you are pleased with my progress, then I am very happy.  I would never have gotten this far with you folks at Paintbasket.

Thanks, Val.  OK, I'll be happy with the techniques being correct and the colors looking true enough to life.

Thanks, Natalie and Steven.  I'm going to be as good as you folks some day.

aloha

mea

[Bellarina]

Great attitude

[CarolHorvath]

Mea, your painting is wonderful!! I love it--now for me to get started with the first one! Have a great holiday! 

[Bellarina]

Why is color not so important? Techniques I understand, mixing is where it gets time consuming, maybe it's just me since I've worked with colors for a long long time. Very important in my eyes. Harmony is what I strive.

[MaryAnne Long]

Robin,

Not sure to whom you are addressing the question.  To me, the color that looks most true to life is important. 

I was trying to match Dennis's colors because that's what I saw on the screen.  I was disappointed that my colors were not the same as his. 
 
He and Val were trying to reassure me that learning the techniques was the most important thing at this point. 

Hope that makes sense.

aloha

mea

[dennis]

Robin, you will probably have noticed that the colours I use in the paintings are normally quite different to the colours you see in the photograph.

First of all the camera does NOT record all the natural colours your eye sees in nature or in the natural. I can't go into the details right now but the camera, for colour, only "sees" within two iris stops. The light metering also not record all the proper tonal ranges your eye sees. If it compensated for bright light everything in the shadows will not be  recorded and come out black or nearly black.  Similarly if the camera meters correct for the shadows then everything in the bright light will be washed out - no details at all.

Take careful note and you will see me taking all this into account when I am painting.
 I don't know of one quality professional artist who does not change the colours to suit his personality and feeling and emotions he adds to the painting.

Another point to remember is that the screen you are loooking into when painting will very seldom match the one I am using - which really means that the colour you see on the screen will not be the same as the actual colour in my physical painting.

PLEASE don't get hung up in trying to match my colours exactly because on top of it all I will be using a different make(s) of paints than you are using. I demonstrated in the advanced flower clourse that as long as you have the tonal ranges right you can virtually use any strange colour to complete a beautiful painting.

[Bellarina]

I got it, thanks for the clarification Dennis.

[Sacgal/Sharon]

Mea - you should be so proud of these Anthuriums - they're gorgeous!

I saw a lot of different colored anthuriums at the botanical gardens in Puerto Vallarta - some like yours, some like Dennis', some I've never seen before...I've learned that diversity is the key to life - and I'm glad yours and Dennis' don't match!

[MaryAnne Long]

Thanks, Sharon.  The anthuriums are a great lesson.  You will do really well on these.

So glad you are back safely.  I think we all enjoyed your trip through your art.  Sounds like a dream vacation!

Happy holidays - whether they be Jewish, Christian, or any other denomination.

Christmas aloha

mea

[Happychappy]

    Wow, Mea, you are just doing SO WELL!!!  As I said in my very first post to you on this course, you seemed to have reached a "maturity" level in your painting if I can put it that way.  It is just wonderful to see. Carry on to greater heights.   


Patricia