Monday, March 29, 2010

EDM Challenge #76 Draw some flowers


Okay, yes, I'm addicted to dark backgrounds. Next drawing I'm going
to try to not use one. This one is actually dark brown, not black. And
the flowers are small. The text is scanning kind of bad, kind of hard to
read. It says, "Suddenly I turned around and she was standing there,
with silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair."
.
It's from the song "Shelter from the Storm"

28 comments:

Alex said...

I see it! It's beautiful =) Who doesn't love dark background really. The problem is that I don't know how to work with dark background hahahahaha! But I'd love to see you doing something different of course, and I like what I've been seeing so far.

Janet Ghio said...

Yes, this is really beautiful and I would think that working with a dark background would really be difficult!!

nanke's stuff said...

I can finally see her, and she is stunning! I love the highlights you've put in, and it's such a sensitive pose. nancy

donna said...

Just stunning, really beautiful work. I say keep the dark backgrounds, it is working for you. But you knew that ;-)

Nicolette said...

This is absolutely stunning....I love her hi-lights. What medium do you use? Pencils? Chalks? Pastels?

Janene said...

The back lighting in this piece is very effective. The composition and lighting give it an air of mystery. I am curious about what medium you use as well.

rrARTz said...

this is gorgeous!!!!

Yevgenia Watts said...

I like that song. And I like the quiet mystery of this drawing, due probably to the dark background you promise not to use :). Well done.

Dan Kent said...

I love the dark backgrounds, and I love what you do with them. This picture is intriguing. She seems worried, pensive, alone with her feelings in the dark night. She is obviously unaware that the narrator had just seen her - and that her fortunes are going to change, perhaps? Love how you did the hair, and the subtle highlights on the skin, and the whiteness of the flower as the centerpiece. Excellent, as always.

Johanna said...

You do great work whth the dark backgrounds, so no need to apologize for that. It's gorgeous.

Timaree said...

You do so well on the dark backgrounds though! This is a wonderful take on the flowers. Small doesn't matter when you've designed them to stand out as they do. I love that song too.

Ellen Burkett said...

Thank you Alex, Nancy and Donna! I'm so happy that you like it.
.
Janet it really isn't as hard as you might think. I actually find it easier. (Probably so did all of those painters who worked on that cheesy black velvet! haha!)
.
Nicolette and Janene thank you so much. As for the medium, it's Prismacolor pencil on a ground of clear gesso (kind of grainy) with a coat of dark brown over it.
.
Thank yourrARTz and Yevgenia. I like the song too!
.
Dan, thank you so much. Interesting insights! And I am so happy that you like it!
.
Thank you Johanna and freebird! I'm sure I'll get back to the dark backgrounds. It's so much fun to paint on them. But I want to do other stuff as well...although I'm really drawn to the dark! And I thought it was a bit funny that the flower was so small. Originally I thought of doing Billie Holiday with the big gardenias she wore.

Anonymous said...

This is lovely! Looking forward to seeing what you do with a light background!

Anonymous said...

This is lovely! The black background just adds to the drama and mystery.

Krista Meister said...

LOL, I just read the words on your banner and realized everything was Bob Dylan-related on your blog! How cool. I personally think it is tough to draw on a dark background because you have to re-think your colors and values. You pull it off very well!

debra morris said...

Great picture !

Ann said...

Well, I can see why, this one just glows with the dark background! It is lovely.

Alex said...

Thank you Ellen for your feedback on the Bali Bird post. Yeah I absolutely agree with you that my friend should get as much credit for her silly ideas =) She liked it a lot too.

Rosa Phoenix said...

I thought of Billie Holiday and also Gauguin's Tahitian women! I like the dark background.

Ellen Burkett said...

Thank you everyone! I truly thank you for your comments.
.
Rosa, I was thinking of Gauguin's women when I did this one. I'm so glad you noticed.

kazumiwannabe said...

I love how you use the dark background, how you enlighten your subjects and the richness of the colors you use. Here it seems that the night is warm and enveloping the woman - and I love the subject (Tahiti + tiare flower = dream ^^)
Your dog in a suitcase on the post below is completely awesome, too. Fun subject, wonderfully done! (I dreamed of a fish in a suitcase, recently, and drew it... I should finish it for the Edm!)

Ellen Burkett said...

Ah, the tiare flower. I flew to Paris last year on AirTahiti Nui and they handed everyone a tiare flower. It was cool. The attendats wore muumuu type garments. Nice atmosphere. I'll be flying with them again in a few weeks. Nice airline! As close as I'll ever get to Tahiti I suppose....(sigh...)

jyothisethu said...

ellen,
the dark background is the beauty of this picture...
you have successfully and beautifully brought her from the darkness for every art lover to watch and enjoy...
congratulations...

Ellen Burkett said...

Thank you so much jyothisethu! You are very kind. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Pattie Wall said...

One of my favorite Dylan songs. The flowers and your subject are lovely in the soft light of darkness. Very 'island' looking.

Jana Bouc said...

Your work is stunning and unique! And I love the Dylan influence. Thanks for your kind comment on my Dylan portrait. I'm honored.

Gary said...

Beautiful work as usual Ellen. The contrast is quite a powerful statement.

martinealison said...

Très joli portrait, rempli de poésie... Bises