After my flurry of palette knife paintings, I've gone back to a more sedate pace. At least for now.
Watching the fire burn in the woodstove the other night, I wondered about painting flames. Like water, there are very subtle shifts of light and values, always moving, always leaving me to sear memories of colour and light onto my brain and pull out later in a painting.
Like a firestarter, I lit match after match in the studio til the place smelled like hell fire's sulphur, watching the movement of the flame and the process of burning. I need more practice and ability with the camera to photograph a match in the process of lighting to catch the quick flare of the initial burn and curl of smoke as it burns itself out. Practice and a good clamp with a flat base to avoid burned fingers.
This is a tiny gallery canvas just 4" x 4" and the painting is in oil. It is available for purchase on Daily Paintworks.
10 comments:
It's so hot it's cool!
:) Very creative and well done.
Well observed ! take care at your fingers :)
Thanks Tracy, it was fun to paint and quite tiny.
I have a clamp to hold them now Lydie so no scorched fingers. :)
Very well done Jeanette. I love how you captured the different things happening here. The head of the match, the burned stick of the match, the flames which turned out awesome. Wonderful creative subject.
Nancy, the textures were part of the appeal here I think. Its worth playing with fire. :)
Very interesting and unusual subject and you captured the look very well :) I hope you do more of these.
Its funny how such common objects can become works of art, isn't it? I did enjoy creating this and would like to add a few more match images in varying stages of burning. Its very similar to painting water, similar subtle value changes, etc.
very neat beautifully done a single fire lighter... ..i love watching both flames and water .
There is something about fire that fascinates us all isn't there Jane? And the same about water. Perhaps because we have little control over its shape or movement.
A simple subject that takes real skill to reproduce on canvas. Beautifully done!
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