From the Artist: All my iris were blooming and I was excited about getting some great photos for reference and sitting in the grass and doing a few quick sketches. It rains in Oregon, so during the sun breaks I managed to at least get some photos. I absolutely had to try and paint this 'Dewy Iris' and capture the droplets. I wanted to avoid any detail in the background but am not satisfied with the result of splashing and spraying pigment and water for a mottled wet look. I would appreciate any suggestions.
From the Painting Guide: What I really like about this painting is the angle, which is not one flowers are usually painted from. To me it has turned what might have been an ordinary flower portrait into a very powerful one. I immediately recognize it as an iris, probably because they're one of my favorite flowers, but the angle is unexpected (as the project wanted it to be) and most intriguing.
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Composition: The center of the flower is dead center in the paper, which in compositional terms is supposedly 'not done', though sometimes it can be very effect. I'm not sure this matters here as the other colors and textures keep my eye moving around the painting. Although if the flower had been perfectly symmetrical (identical on both sides), it would be too static to do this.
Background: You say you're not satisfied with the background, but I like it. Particularly in the top right-hand corner there's a real feeling of depth behind the flower, rather than it being on a flat background, which a solid color would have given. Possibly you're dissatisfied because you know what you were trying to achieve and this wasn't it. But to me the background has a great texture, variety in color, and creates the feeling of the iris reaching up into space.
Water Drops: Having the dew drops on the flower is another thing which lifts this painting onto another level. It really feels as if you would get your finger wet if you touched them. However, the position of the highlights and shadows in the drops varies. I would expect the highlight to always be in the same spot, given that the light would be coming from one direction (see Which Direction is the Sun Shining From? and How to Paint a Water Drop).
From the Painting Guide: What I really like about this painting is the angle, which is not one flowers are usually painted from. To me it has turned what might have been an ordinary flower portrait into a very powerful one. I immediately recognize it as an iris, probably because they're one of my favorite flowers, but the angle is unexpected (as the project wanted it to be) and most intriguing.
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Composition: The center of the flower is dead center in the paper, which in compositional terms is supposedly 'not done', though sometimes it can be very effect. I'm not sure this matters here as the other colors and textures keep my eye moving around the painting. Although if the flower had been perfectly symmetrical (identical on both sides), it would be too static to do this.
Background: You say you're not satisfied with the background, but I like it. Particularly in the top right-hand corner there's a real feeling of depth behind the flower, rather than it being on a flat background, which a solid color would have given. Possibly you're dissatisfied because you know what you were trying to achieve and this wasn't it. But to me the background has a great texture, variety in color, and creates the feeling of the iris reaching up into space.
Water Drops: Having the dew drops on the flower is another thing which lifts this painting onto another level. It really feels as if you would get your finger wet if you touched them. However, the position of the highlights and shadows in the drops varies. I would expect the highlight to always be in the same spot, given that the light would be coming from one direction (see Which Direction is the Sun Shining From? and How to Paint a Water Drop).