Sunday, May 28, 2006

Pink or Yellow on Top?

I am working on an oil painting layout, and I could use your input. My friend Jill has some wonderful irises in her garden, which I went and photographed. I am planning a painting for her, and she requested that I include all three colors of the flowers she has. Okay, it's a challenge, but with some planning, I'll tackle it. I am not sure which looks better, the yellow irises on the top of the layout, or the pinky-salmon ones on top. I think the yellow would show up well against either a pale blue sky or the dark of the leaves. Mid tone behind the dark purple petals to make them come out. But I'm waffling between the two layouts. Scroll down to see the first layout, and the thumbnail sketches. Let me know what you think? or any comments, for that matter. (Except the comment that goes, like the "enemy," "Oh, Nel, just scratch the whole thing, you are kidding yourself!") I do plenty of that myself, don't you?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I vote for the salmon ones on top. That way you've almost got a complementary pairing and, as such, built-in wowability. As I've said ad nauseum elsewhere (;D), my particular complementary pairing is blue and orange, thus my vote for the salmon/blue combo!

Misa said...

I actually like the yellow on top better. It seems to "pop" more.

Anonymous said...

I prefer salmon on top, but especially I like the one with the falls of the lower yellow irises descending more into the bottom of the picture. The three similar shapes lined up is not quite as interesting as the one with more movement (the picture under first color addition).

I really enjoy seeing your working sketches as well as the final piece!

Lin said...

OOOHHH -- What glorious flowers --!! I VOTE for the PINK on top!!

LOVE THE LINES and the colors!!! WOWZA!!!!!!!

Jennifer said...

I like yellow on top better ... in the one with the salmon on top, it looks like the yellow ones are getting lost in the corner (IMHO, of course LOL!) But the salmon color seems to be able to hold it's own in that same corner. Look forward to seeing what you decide!

starrgirl's world said...

I am definitely liking the salmon on top, mostly because in your sketches, you have added some pink/salmon to the bottom of the yellow ones in the version with salmon on top. It seems to contain the yellow better and give a more cohesive arrangement. In the one with yellow on top, it leaves my eye going out of the top of the picture and not drawing me back in like the other one does. So for me, the composition is stronger in the one with salmon on top. Composition always beats color when you are chossing how to go, don't you think??

I'll be interested to see what you choose to do!!

Sue Seibert said...

I like the darker ones on top and behind and the lighter ones in front.

Very nice work!

Melly Testa said...

I like the yellow on top. Yellow is such a light color comparitively, that I think they make the yellow on the bottom version heavy looking. So is that a 50/50 split?

melissa said...

I like pink on top. I think the top one is overall a bit darker, so I may be swayed by my preference to the bottom as a whole, regardless of color. Best o' luck. Keep us posted at EDM!

quiltcontemplation blogspot said...

I like the yellow on top. Don't know why. I am inspired to take pictures of my iris this morning. They are just beginning to emerge in our little yard!

Anonymous said...

I am certainly no art expert. But being your Daughter, I have seen my fair share of Iris Watercolors over the last 31 years. Well deserving of the honorary Doctorate me thinks. I vote pink on top. The Tribe has spoken.

janenetindall said...

I really like the yellow on top, especially because there is a little salmon/pink in them to help tie things together, and because yellow and blue are further away on the color wheel than salmon/pink and blue, so they will stand out more. That's just my two cents, although both are nice. Be sure to pose the final result!

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