10/12/11

Waiting for You

"Waiting for You"
8" x 16"

This is not my normal subject matter, but I fell in love with the photo my friend Lee Brown took in a restaurant in Paris and I lucked out that he posted it in another one of his now famous painting challenges. Click here to see Lee's photo. Using Photoshop, I cropped the figure tighter and removed the shadowed figure in the right foreground and added a chair in his place. The chair back points up to the figure and helps direct the viewers eye back up to the girl and also also adds weight and depth to the bottom of the painting. I also use a filter in Photoshop called "Median" that blurs the details without losing the shapes. When I'm plein air painting the only way to achieve similar results is to squint at my subject.

I painted my painting only looking at my Photoshop image on my computer screen. I have to admit I was surprised when I finished it and looked back at the original picture because it had tons of details I had lost, but hopefully I did Lee's beautiful photography proud. Thanks for another fun challenge. Make sure you visit Lee's "A Day Not Wasted" blog and see the other entries and tell him "Hi" for me.



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14 comments:

  1. Ann RogersOctober 13, 2011 at 9:04 AM

    Randy, I am blown away by this figurative painting. I know plein air is your preference, but keep this up as well! Love Lee's blog, so informative and inspiring. He was a great help in talking to my husband after our camera was stolen and gave Jim lots of advice on replacing it.

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  2. Lili Anne LaurinOctober 13, 2011 at 4:27 PM

    Hope you will do more figurative work. This is great.

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  3. Randy SaffleOctober 13, 2011 at 6:20 PM

    Thank you Ann for your support! I'm glad you know Lee too. He is a great guy. It's a small world.

    Lili, Welcome to my blog.

    I love all the comments...especially from great painters. Thank you both.

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  4. Douglas ClarkOctober 15, 2011 at 7:34 PM

    I love all the colors in your white areas.Great painting.

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  5. LS NelsonOctober 22, 2011 at 7:20 AM

    Hi Randy, I discovered you from a comment on John Cook's blog. I'm a big fan of his, but I'm adding your blog to my frequent 'Wow...look at this one' blogs. You do wonderful, expressive, emotional work!

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  6. JaneOctober 23, 2011 at 12:25 PM

    Beautiful interpretation , such gorgeous colors!

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  7. Randy SaffleOctober 24, 2011 at 7:29 PM

    Doug and Jane, Thank you for your comments. Nelson you must have great taste if you follow John's blog. He is amazing! Your comments made my day!

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  8. AnonymousOctober 28, 2011 at 9:48 AM

    Just like a great bottle of wine. It just keeps getting better with age. Like your paintings. I really enjoy looking at your new paintings on facebook. The Train is still my favorite.

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  9. speedracer1103October 28, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    I need a painting of my dog. Something patriotic. Can you help me?

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  10. JKOctober 31, 2011 at 7:33 AM

    You have captured parisian beauty with quintessential parisian ethos. C'est magnifique!

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  11. AnonymousNovember 12, 2011 at 2:50 PM

    I really like this piece. Nice composition and colours. You're work is truly amazing!

    -Dawn

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  12. Lorraine ShirkusNovember 18, 2011 at 2:31 PM

    I love this painting!!! Love all the warm tones on the left and the rich dark blacks, the tension and excitement of the white. You're a natural at figures! It feels soooo Parisian.

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  13. David ForksDecember 2, 2011 at 3:52 PM

    I love this painting... beautiful rich warm tones and inviting light from the window.

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  14. Vern SchwarzJanuary 5, 2012 at 8:54 AM

    Fabulous job on this painting. I like the way you cropped and simplified, and have to agree with everyone else on the beautiful warm colours.

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