Sunflower by Dee Ott

Photo © Dee Ott.

"Sunflower" by Dee Ott. 11x14" (28x35cm). Pastel on Bristol Paper.

From the Artist: This pastel painting is on 11x14" Bristol Paper. I tinted the paper with metallic bronze and gold acrylic paint. The painting is done with vine charcoal and Conté pastels.

I was attempting to achieve a realistic image in sepia tones, and create an "old world" feel to this little painting. I love the works of the old master painters and their realism. I believe I have captured the mood and feel of that style of work.

Unfortunately, I had to use the camera in my cell phone to take a photo of my still life set-up, so you see a lot of glare on the flower itself. By the time I had the use of an actual digital camera the flower had died. So, we're stuck with this photo.

From the Painting Guide: The cellphone photo isn't great but it certainly shows there was a lot of light falling on the sunflower, and does enable us to see your set-up which is the important bit.

I think you've definitely create an old world feel to this painting; it's just bursting with mood and atmosphere. Though I admit it seems somewhat melancholy as the sunflower seems to be stretching out of the darkness to the bit of light on the left.

Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Artistic Realism: This painting is what I think of as "artistic realism", or realism as filtered through the eyes of a painter. It doesn't attempt to be a photograph or a scene from nature; it uses light and dark to create mood, the composition is carefully considered for maximum impact, and it doesn't hide that paint was used to create it (that is there are some visible brushmarks, they're not all smoothed out).

Composition: Look at how the background can be divided into three roughly triangular shapes of light, medium, and dark tone. How the diagonal lines lead your eye across the composition, towards the subject.