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IvieMoon β California Wild Poppies
Published: 2010-11-05 22:47:35 +0000 UTC; Views: 1668; Favourites: 41; Downloads: 20
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Description
Watercolor on Arches cold-pressed, 11" x 15", March 2009.Another class assignment, composed using the golden mean. I deliberately chose a color scheme I don't often use. I still love the warmth of the poppies and the laciness of the background leaves.
Also, I listened to the Traveling Wilburys while I painted this. A lot. Because it's impossible not to be happy while painting California poppies, and it's impossible not to be happy while listening to the Traveling Wilburys. So they're quite well-matched if you ask me.
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Comments: 10
This is such a beautiful painting! The colors are muted without being dull--it just has a nice warmth to it. It's like a spring morning right before the sun rises.
The petals are so delicate and lifelike. I especially like the poppy on the upper right, for some the reason the way the petals are portrayed make it seem as if it's naturally growing toward the sun, cementing that lifelike quality.
You said in your artist's information that you like the laciness of the leaves. I agree! At first, I was a bit overwhelmed by the mass of plant life under the flowers. But at second glance I liked the balance of refinement and wildness. The leaves offer a nice contrast, and, as you said, the way they look almost like lace gives it elegance.
Great work!
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Thank you for your kind words! I'm really pleased with the colors in this one - there's something so happy and inviting in these oranges and yellows. And as for the leaves, well, this was my attempt at being loose 
Thanks again!
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This is my favorite piece in your gallery. <3 The composition is very pleasing to my eye, not only because of the ratio between empty space and the plants, but also because of the diagonal formed by the background foliage and the way the bright poppy blossoms interrupt that foliage and poke upward beyond it to spice up the background taken up by sky.
Gorgeous colors, as well. The yellows and warm reds pop out beautifully against the rich, cool tones of the foliage. I also love how the sky appears to be the same colors as the blossoms, only very pale. That makes the colors more harmonious without distracting from the beautiful petals as the main subjects of the painting. Additionally, the lacy texture of the leaves is awesome.
Faving!
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Thank you so much! I really appreciate your kind words. This is still one of my favorite pieces too - I actually have it framed and hanging on my wall (which I don't do for too many of my paintings). You've made my day!
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I have featured this deviation in my journalβ¦
[link]
>^.^<
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I love the harmonious colours of this paintings!
>^.^<
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