Creating Two Paintings From One Photograph

A while back I was drawing sketches from a picture that didn’t really work on its own but I liked the subject. I made two sketches, one vertical and the other horizontal. I didn’t know which one I liked better. The question changed to how to paint them and then I decided to paint these two different ways. Limiting the variables kept it simple.

Here is the original photograph which I took as a subject image.

First I focused on what I liked, “the white fence posts flower holders”. White allows reflective color to show through and I wanted to explore that with different light sources, so this was expanded in both pieces.

Two formats, same photograph

Vertical: Light source from left, cropped image draw in watercolor pencil, cool palette, use a grid, add Geraniums and Snap-Dragons.

Garden Greetings I – Photograph Progression

Garden Greetings I – Completed Piece

Horizontal: Light source from right, added an additional flower holder to use space better, draw in pencil, complimentary palette using orange and blue, no grid, use existing flowers.

Garden Greetings II – Progression Photograph

Garden Greeting II – Completed Piece

I think the success factor was that I kept the choices simple and I used this criteria to simplify my decision making process.

Weekly Update: 

For those who may be interested, there are still class openings for my upcoming Creative Watercolor Techniques Workshop. The workshop is from April 11-14 from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm at the Holiday Inn, Fargo ND.

Class Tuition is $215.00. A $75.00 deposit will reserve your spot.

For further information, contact me at [email protected], call (701) 234-4241 or visit Upcoming Workshops and Registration

©Ellen Jean Diederich RRWS, TWSA, WSA, WW