Jungle Flower & Vine

[Trier]

23 x 17 in acrylic, polyurethane, pastel, sharpie/paper

I started with the vine shape from the Speedboat Series and a flower from my 'Firelilies' and things got out of hand from there with a 'lost in the jungle' feeling. The white suggests an opening and a way out. A struggle, but I am glad to have it and to be done with it.
The worst jungles are in the mind.

 

[Artyczar]

Lots going on, but definitely a jungle feel. I like all the colors, though I wish it were just a wee tad lighter (the darker greens and purples), but that's me being way too nitpicky. I love the (lily) flower to the right side. It makes the piece.

 

[Terri]

The palette is lovely! It does look tangled and thick, which gives it a definite jungle feel, so you succeeded in that regard. Your values are about the same, which adds to the dense feel. The touches of white and yellow help, and definitely the beautiful lily.

Having the lily in the white outline helps it stand out. More outline like that could break up the density if you ever revisited. It's a lovely and interesting piece.

 

[Donna T]

What an amazing jungle you created, Trier, and I love the mood that resulted. It does feel like we're inside and looking out toward the light (and possibly safety!) Did you cover it with polyurethane at the end or was it part of the process as you went along?

 

[Enyaw]

I like the jungle but wish that purple flower wasn't there ..

 

[ZenDruid]

I like it, than sinuous thing in the middle could be a snake dripping off a tree

 

[Trier]

Lots going on, but definitely a jungle feel. I like all the colors, though I wish it were just a wee tad lighter (the darker greens and purples), but that's me being way too nitpicky. I love the (lily) flower to the right side. It makes the piece.

Thanks Arty - I debated about making the darks lighter, but decided to keep the deep, dense jungle feel to as a foil to the unexpected fragile beauty of the lily, which as you figured, is intended to be the star of the piece.
Maybe I overdid it.

 

[Trier]

The palette is lovely! It does look tangled and thick, which gives it a definite jungle feel, so you succeeded in that regard. Your values are about the same, which adds to the dense feel. The touches of white and yellow help, and definitely the beautiful lily.

Having the lily in the white outline helps it stand out. More outline like that could break up the density if you ever revisited. It's a lovely and interesting piece.

Thanks Terri, I also thought of outlining some of the leafs and shapes in white, but did not want to compete with the lily.
Maybe I will revisit that with some easily reversible pastel or chalk.

 

[Trier]

What an amazing jungle you created, Trier, and I love the mood that resulted. It does feel like we're inside and looking out toward the light (and possibly safety!) Did you cover it with polyurethane at the end or was it part of the process as you went along?

Thank you very much Donna - the being inside looking for a way out feeling was also what I had in mind.
The polyurethane (PU) was part of the process of mark making along with the acrylic and pastels. I mix water-based PU with powdered pigments as I go along for the darker colors or values because the PU darkens and yellows colors in varying degrees, as I found out the hard way.
For an example of a 95% PU painting, my earlier post of "Braintree Road" is one.
I did not coat the painting with PU as a final varnish because it would
darken the white light and lily.

 

[Trier]

I like it, than sinuous thing in the middle could be a snake dripping off a tree

Hey ZD - as a matter of fact I tried that! - using snakeskin patterns I could find on the net and a beady eyed head, but it was the snake or the lily, and I decided to try the snake another time.

 

[Trier]

I like the jungle but wish that purple flower wasn't there ..

Hey Wayne Thanks ! This gives me a great chance to learn something from a painter whose works I admire, if you could find the time to tell me what your thoughts were in that regard and any advice.
Anything would be appreciated.

 

[KreativeK]

I could get lost in this jungle. The purple flower livens it up a bit.

 

[Artyczar]

Trier, I've come back to this piece a couple of times now and I don't think it's too dark. It has grown on me and I do like the contrast between the flower and the rest of the vines now.

 

[Trier]

Trier, I've come back to this piece a couple of times now and I don't think it's too dark. It has grown on me and I do like the contrast between the flower and the rest of the vines now.

Thanks a heap Arty, so good to hear.

 

[trufflecat]

Vibrant and full of life!

 

[Nufocus]

Very expressive, very moving and I like it a lot!!

 

[Reddyman]

Trier,
So rich in colour and contrast.... very nice work!
John

 

[Trier]

Vibrant and full of life!

Thank you Susan for seeing and saying that.

Very expressive, very moving and I like it a lot!!

Thanks pal, I sort of knew you would get it.

Trier,
So rich in colour and contrast.... very nice work!
John

Thanks John, nice to hear from you.