Friday, July 1, 2011

Taking Liberties

Pause  watercolors 12x9"

Taking liberties with color  and composition is what I aimed for in this painting.  I had taken a photograph many years ago at Colonial Williamsburg of a costumed interpreter taking a break. As soon as I asked permission to take her photograph, she straightened up and posed in a stiff stance.

This past week I played around. I changed and simplified the background colors. I managed to give her  back the look I had wanted to capture on that particular day. I observed a few ladies carrying babies on their hips and chatting - that helped me to paint  her this way. I was pleased to be able to make the changes and complete the painting.  When I straddle between realistic and conjured depictions, I feel a different sense of accomplishment  as I finish the painting.  

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Meera, this is wonderful! I like that you are reaching beyond what's photo-real, and conveying a special feeling with your paintings, that no photograph could ever convey! The colors and the way you posed the woman against the background are beautiful!

Meera Rao said...

Thank you Katherine! I am always playing around with the compositions and simplifying elements in photographs or in what I see as I sketch and paint -never strictly adhering to photorealism. But this time I changed the look of the scene quite a bit :) I am happy you liked it.

Crystal Cook said...

It's fabulous meera! I think you've done a wonderful job capturing the scene. And she does look like she's carrying a baby on her hip!

Meera Rao said...

Thanks Crystal! This was a fun piece to change and paint this way :)

padmaja said...

Meera, thanks for your wishes!

Yes , when you try to go beyond reality and what a photo reference can offer, attaching your own perception and thoughts to arrive at a result that a camera can not offer, it feels really great,, a lovely composition, dealt with a style!

Sanctified Spaces said...

What a great skill...to observe and replicate the same in canvas..it is a gift indeed.

Meera Rao said...

Padmaja, Thanks! Trusting my senses as I sketch and paint is a slow process!

Meera Rao said...

@Sanctified Spaces, Shalini, Thank you! All this gives me further impetus to carry and use my sketch book all the time :)

Sadami said...

Hi, Meera,
Very lovely work, especially, colours are so eye pleasant. Composition is very interesting. Keep up!
Cheers, Sadami

Meera Rao said...

Thank you Sadami, that means a lot to me.

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