Tuesday, February 24, 2009

San Francisco

Untitlted (San Francisco), 24 x 12 inches, oil on linen


A study for a larger painting, which I hope will be in the fall show. This one is just 12 x 24, which helps to keep things simple because I just can't paint the small details even if I tried. At a larger size, it'll be a big challenge to maintain the simplicity and spontaneity, but having done a small one first should help enormously.

This painting is still wet. Once it's dry, I want to go back in with a little bit of staining here and there and see if I can't add another layer of abstract mark-making.

Also, as I'm typing this, the image is scrolling up and is now half hidden by the top edge of the text box. I am only able to see the bottom half of the painting, and I'm liking what I see. Here is a composition that I hadn't considered - I think there's another painting in there. Back to the easel!!


12 comments:

craigstephens said...

Beautiful painting Terry! I have to say I really like the cars. Cars are hard!

David Lobenberg said...

I'm really liking this one, Terry...the hotel sign popping, red awning and lights, and I agree with Craig...very nice autos with great window reflections. The soft neutral hued buildings in the distance are lovely. It's gonna be a winner when you get to the larger final! S. F. is your kinda town.

Kathleen Weber said...

Beautiful work! Love that red canopy against the muted green of the hotel.

Terry Miura said...

thanks craig~ yep. cars are tricky. not so forgiving like trees or boulders eh?

Terry Miura said...

thanks david~ I started the big one, and already i'm in trouble. just can't seem to hang onto the fresh strokes! ugh.

Terry Miura said...

hi kathleen, thanks for visiting :-) i followed the link back to your blog. awesome paintings! really love the shapes you make with your strokes!

bonnieluria said...

Terry- you call this a study. I'd say you already passed and can skip to the next grade.

It's terrific, love the red car against the neutrals behind leading to that ghost like faded building.

Terry Miura said...

Thanks Bonnie~ yeah, often my studies are of some specific element in a composition, and I'm done when that one problem is resolved, but with something as complex as this, I'd have to take it all the way. Otherwise I'll struggle and flounder and get all frustrated when I do the big piece! (and fail spectacularly!)

Lisa B. said...

I absolutely adore your cityscapes! Eye candy- YUM!

Terry Miura said...

Thanks Lisa!

Holly said...

I really like the verticals in this painting! I was thinking that I'd crop the street at the bottom to the curb in order to give the veticals more emphasis. That, to me, forces the eye to come in from the left, along the curb (forcing a bit of tension), then up to the the red awning, to the "Hotel" sign, up the corner "tower" to the "pyramid" building, then down to the street to the last car, thus starting all over again.

Terry Miura said...

Hi Holly, yep. that would work too. It would say something different about the scene, but as a composition it would work very well~