Latest Painting (nudity warning)

[painterx@hotmail.com]

"Andromeda: In the Shadow of the Kraken" 18x24, oils

click image for full size

[CarlOwen]

Nice painting of course. Now to some of the elements. I like how you succeeded in making the human form appear to actually be touching the rock with the use of the darker shading on both arms. The highlighting on the face and chest/breast area is superb in supporting the illusion of three dimensions. The facial expression of being resigned to her fate and hope of escape at the same time is complex drawing the viewer into her emotional world making the nudity in this painting totally secondary to the story being told. The water swirling around her legs would be better formed without the swirls and have the same type of ripples in the water around her. I get the idea with the blue water shading the legs but I think it disturbs the context of the green water. I think it should be the same shaded value seen in the blue, but it should be green. Anyway, this is how I see it. Like I said, a nice painting.

[painterx@hotmail.com]

Thank-you. I spent quite a bit of time trying to come up with something original for this character. I'm quite happy with the results.

In my color comps green didn't work. Using blue pulls the blue from the rock behind down below and helps to balance out the colors. Otherwise she'd be surrounded by green.

I came across this photo years ago and saved it to my computer. While working on various ideas for Andromeda I suddenly remembered this image and finally had the pose that I knew would bring something new to portraying Andromeda.

click image for full size

[CarlOwen]

Good morning Joseph. It is not nice to have some old photos laying around? Never know when one or more can be of use at a future date. Thanks for sharing. I can see the hands and light around the form in the photo as the influence in your painting. I understand your perception about the blue in the water. Nice painting.

[Pooch]

This is great. It has an illustrator quality about it. Is that what you do for a living?

[johnsmetalsculpture]

Hello Painterx,

I seem to see faces in most everything. The 1st thing that I seen was the large shadow behind the girl. And it looked to me it was the shadow of a man's head.
But of course it's not. The last thing I seen is an octopus.
Now maybe the man is a giant. And his name is Kraken.

John

[painterx@hotmail.com]

Hello John,

I've received a number of comments about the sea monster's shadow. I played with various shapes and was unsatisfied with them. So I decided on one that was nondescript and rather circular so as to utilize the classic compositional design of the central figure inside a round shape.

[painterx@hotmail.com]

Pooch,

Used to be an illustrator, but now I focus more on doing fine art classified as "imaginative reality." Though I would say much of what I create could simply be labelled "romantic fantasy." There's been a growing market for such imagery as realism comes more and more back in style.

[davideo]

Hi Painterx- I love that you are innovating, constructing, devising this picture- which suggests that you could devise most anything that may arise in you. ( I know it's not easy, but that's the fun of it!) I think it is almost impossible that the color of the young woman wouldn't appear substantially in the water below her, coming forward. However, you are the boss! Nice work.

[painterx@hotmail.com]

Thanks. I am working from a photo reference of a woman standing in the water. She is supposed to be in the monster's shadow.