Cherry blossom

[Mike A]

Lots of this stuff about at the moment, so I thought I'd paint it. A homage to Japanese print makers and to Van Gogh, whose early work was inspired by those same print makers. Ink for the sky, unthinned watercolour for the branches and blossom, and watercolour & chalk for the leaves.

[D Akey]

Lots of this stuff about at the moment, so I thought I'd paint it. A homage to Japanese print makers and to Van Gogh, whose early work was inspired by those same print makers. Ink for the sky, unthinned watercolour for the branches and blossom, and watercolour & chalk for the leaves.

I've got a grand tree in the back -- not a cherry tree (I wish it were cause I love cherries) -- that blossoms like this that I've taken photos almost identical to your painting here. I never had the patience. You clearly do and it paid off.

I don't know Japanese prints of this kind of subject too much but I know Van Gogh was greatly influenced by them. So you're in esteemed aesthetic company for sure. I must admit however, when I see my tree in bloom it's almost like hearing music.

You did a particularly nice job on this one. Lots of life in it. The value of the blue makes the blossoms really show brightly.

[Mike A]

Glad you like it - spring blossoms always give a lift when you see them - and it's that lift I've tried to capture.

[pixelstate]

Very effective.. I like the use of mixed 'media'

[Mike A]

Heh heh... sounds a bit better than 'mixed tools'... Seriously, the two things I love about ArtRage are the ability to pick'n mix the paint media and the layering. Allows for all kinds of effects without the worry of scraping off, repainting, scraping off, repainting, starting again, etc.

[D Akey]

Heh heh... sounds a bit better than 'mixed tools'... Seriously, the two things I love about ArtRage are the ability to pick'n mix the paint media and the layering. Allows for all kinds of effects without the worry of scraping off, repainting, scraping off, repainting, starting again, etc.

Absolutely right about using layers. Makes most things reverseable and adjustable. It was the greatest boon to being a painter in a world of so many great new tools. I watch some of these videos on YouTube showing works being painted in time lapse and I can see folks who paint in ways that have no similarity to what one had to do in the pre-digital times. It's especially apparent in portrait painting where they're working up form almost recklessly, back and forth and suddenly it all comes together as a perfect masterwork.

I've seen that process being done also for people who are inventing landscapes and so forth where they just keep slapping paint around, adding moving, removing mountains or whatever, feeling their way through it.

'Infinitely Adjustable' seems to be the by-word with digital where you can keep modifying until you either get it right or just accept it at the point you call it quits. Very different from the old days where paint viscosity was not necessarily your friend with making changes.

You're absolutely right.