Éclat

[Hermes2020]

This painting started off as an exploration of my interest in Voronoi diagrams. There are many Voronoi generators on the internet, but my favourite one is https://voronoi-editor.web.app

It was used to generate the backbone for this painting, which was made for someone who likes saturated, strong colours. I don't usually give titles to my paintings, but as this one progressed, it became clear that it was crying out for the title Éclat, since it suggested a dazzling, colourful burst or explosion.

I have included some closeups to show details of textures.

Winsor & Newton Griffin alkyd paints on hardboard, size 760 x 610 mm.

I notice that the photos as uploaded here do not show subtle variations in the reds and oranges and look quite harsh. I guess it is caused by the compression used by the site, because the colours look much better in my photo editor (ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2024) and are very close to the actual painting.

 

[Hermes2020]

Here are links to some of the the photos in my Google Drive to show what I mean about the quality loss.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VfeeKo9c1KfmZoDQnEVE2jukQ-X5iZOc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JGpiPSW5DqaMrjUmZbm40NTIakNcgdmI/view?usp=sharing

 

[joe1It]

Wonderful job

 

[Enyaw]

Very striking. The green blues are especially great. Nothing compares to a painting.

 

[Hermes2020]

Very striking. The green blues are especially great. Nothing compares to a painting.

Thanks, Wayne. I was just busy again trying to get the reds to be more realistic in the photos here in Creative Spark, but I just cannot improve the reproduction. In the actual painting there is a lot more orange and even bits of muted yellow that simply do not show correctly in the photos. It isn't my monitor, which is colour calibrated, because here at home the photos look identical to the painting that is propped up near my computer. Perhaps I am being too obsessive and should just accept that something is lost in the colour accuracy when one posts to a forum. Sorry, but my control freakishness is just getting the better of me today and I will try to stop whining.

Please just believe me that the painting is much more subtle than it appears to be here.

 

[Enyaw]

I believe you .. had a 600.00 camera and was not happy so I got a 1500.00 camera and the story line seems to run along similar lines. Camera's just can't cut it: at least not for an amateur like me. I'm not sure I have one painting that holds to the similar hues all over. I even bring the photo in Photoshop and manipulate it to make it look like the one I am holding in my hand and some hues are good while it leaves out the others. It never seems to tackle the whole. Not to matter it's a nice piece even if we don't get to see it as a whole.

 

[Hermes2020]

In this case it isn't the camera, because the photos I took of the painting are exactly the same as the painting on my PC monitor. I am always very happy with the photos from my Nikon D600. The problem lies in the process of uploading the photo to the website, so there is probably very little one can do.

 

[Donna T]

I have never heard of Voronoi diagrams so thank you for the link, Hermes. Your painting is so dramatic and the reds against the blues and greens is powerful. This reminds me very much of the stained cells I used to see under a microscope. The sculptural effect you gave the blue shapes (cells) makes this piece stand out!

 

[Hermes2020]

Thank you Donna. That's the thing about abstracts: everyone has a very private interpretation.

 

[Hermes2020]

Sorry, guys at the risk of looking deranged, I have given it another go! I think the reds look less strident now and a bit closer to the painting:

That's it, I will now walk away from it.

 

[Terri]

First off - both photos look good to me. Beautiful work, with the strong colors and shapes. Thank you for the links. I just adore the palette and textures here. Wow!!

I've yet to read ANYONE online ever saying: This is a GREAT photo of my work!!! Ain't gonna happen, for a myriad of reasons and thankfully we've all been there.

 

[Hermes2020]

Thank you Terri. I just hate having a situation I cannot understand and control. I will spend time investigating it, but I am beginning to think it has to do with my using a wide gamut colour profile on my monitor, but web browsers use the sRGB profile.

 

[Mississippi Hippie]

I’ve always wanted to use textured medium!! I’ve used beach sand, but whatever you used worked!

 

[Triduana]

I love this! It is very interesting to look at (I admit to not understanding the subject, such things are beyond me). Great composition and I love those colours and textures.

 

[PaintBoss]

Loving this. I like the intensity of the first one and I like the less saturated one as well. It is just striking. It feels organic and I keep thinking of Star Trek. Lol Some land or creature they have discovered! Absolutely like the depth with the texture and the graduation of colour amongst the texture. Striking!!
LOVE IT!

 

[Hermes2020]

I’ve always wanted to use textured medium!! I’ve used beach sand, but whatever you used worked!

Thank you very much. I only used medium heavy textures in the central blue areas. I never buy commercial texture paste, but add some sand to my paint, along with a bit of Liquin if needed. I don't use beach sand, as it contains too much rubbish, but I have a bag of play sand that has been purified to make it child safe.

 

[Hermes2020]

I love this! It is very interesting to look at (I admit to not understanding the subject, such things are beyond me). Great composition and I love those colours and textures.

Thank you, I'm glad you find it interesting.

 

[Hermes2020]

Loving this. I like the intensity of the first one and I like the less saturated one as well. It is just striking. It feels organic and I keep thinking of Star Trek. Lol Some land or creature they have discovered! Absolutely like the depth with the texture and the graduation of colour amongst the texture. Striking!!
LOVE IT!

Wow, thanks for your enthusiastic response. I'm sure you have gathered that the saturation issue has been a bit of a nightmare! However, I think I have made a breakthrough in my understanding of what's been driving me up the wall. I'll just play around for a day or two more, then will report back on what I think is the solution. Wayne has said that he has encountered similar problems with colour reproduction, but I am sure many other members would like to show their work more accurately here as well.

 

[PaintBoss]

Oh yes, I’ve run into that problem before, sometimes some colours just punch up for some reason when posted. Almost 3D. Usually the problem is the opposite. A bit lacklustre compared to the original.

 

[Hermes2020]

I will post what works for me in the All Things *Not* Art forum to make it more general.