Inferior photos

Returning

Original oil painting 18x24"

by Susan Roux

If you ever get the opportunity to see my work hanging somewhere, please go. I keep telling you my images are not correct and I'm serious. Take this image. The blue's are too intense. The pinks aren't intense enough and the oranges harmonize way better in reality. Ouch! That's practically the whole painting!

Exactly.

That's why I'm telling you to go see my work in real life, if you ever have the opportunity. I recently found out that my computer is set on the wrong color setting. Its the reason I can't see many colors I've painted, on my images. The problem with that is I can't just change that setting. I would need to re-calibrate everything, including my printer, which would take me a long time and frankly I prefer to spend any spare time I have, painting. So I apologize for such inferior photos. If you do get to see my work, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the soft relaxing color harmony present. You can't even see all the hot pinks dispersed in between the green grasses! I cringe every time I see my images...

I know I'm not alone with this problem. It is a frustration for many of us. We work so hard to get our paintings just right. Every color change, every value matters to us. How long do you take to tweak your paintings? I'm surprised I haven't worn a trench in my floor from this process. I'm one of those put down one stroke and walk back 15 feet to see how it looks and to decide where to place the next stroke. Tweaking can be a long day's work, but on the bright side, I do get my exercise!

So you can understand my dilemma every time I photograph and re-photograph my work countless times in different light, trying to show you what my art actually looks like. I adjust so many images before I get one suitable to post. But honestly I think I just give up trying. Maybe I would save a lot of time if I'd simply reconfigure everything. Somehow, I keep thinking I would still be dissatisfied anyway...

So bless your heart if you read to the bottom of this complaining post. I'm going to go paint.

Thankful

Returning

Work in progress 18x24"

by Susan Roux

Thanksgiving being tomorrow, its hard not to stop at this time of year and reflect on all we have to be thankful for. Yes, many of us have struggled. The economy hasn't made it easy for a lot of people. Sickness and hardships may have hit you hard in 2010. But even through the difficulties life throws at us, there is still much to be thankful for.

I have many. I won't bore you by listing them. I do however want to take a moment to thank all of you who frequent my blog. This has truly been one of the things I give thanks for: the opportunity to have met all of you. Recent hardships in our family have kept me away from painting and posting. My last post was 14 days ago, yet you still continue to visit. You amaze me...

Posted is a painting my Tuesday night class is doing. We should finish it next week. I don't expect to change many things on mine, but I'm leaning towards developing a few of the flowers. Perhaps cutting into some of the round balls of the peony. I also want to identify the irises a bit clearer in spots.

This painting moved along quickly. We didn't draw anything, just hopped in with paint. My class followed along splendidly and with Luka Bloom playing in the background, everyone's work fell into place. Luka has that effect. You should really try it sometime...

This image is special to me. Its a scene in Cape Cod, though it isn't a typical Cape painting. The photo was taken on Memorial weekend, when I traveled there to the Blue Heron Gallery's opening. The female in my painting is none other than the well-known Martine-Alison! Certainly someone high on my list of people to be thankful for. Painting this brought back wonderful memories of her visit to the States. My last post was about painting your passion. This image stuck to that suggestion. Perhaps its why it fell into place so easily.

Note: The darks beneath the flowers are with transparent paint and in reality tuck deep under the flowers. They don't jump forward like in this photo.

I hope you can all find lots of things to be thankful for. I'm certain they exist...

Happy Thanksgiving.