Work in Progress, Paintings I like

Here is the work in progress on one of the collages I'm doing for the first assignment. I decided to do them digitally since we'll be painting them and I feel I have more control this way. Here is the b/w version (I changed the photos I used to b/w, adjusted the contrast, then put them together) and the one with color added.

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In the painted version I will try to make up the contrast to give it more of a sense of depth. I tried to do that with the color but it didn't work as well as I hoped. I'll also try to make it clear that the salamanders are on top of each other, not just on separate planes. I want this to look more physical than it looks now.

Paintings I Like

Sunday, Edward Hopper



This is one of my favorite Hopper paintings. I like how the man seems so isolated, but he doesn't seem particularly lonely or sad, he just looks like he's sort of enjoying a moment by himself. I also love the colors on the building behind him- the dark grey blue, and the sort of ashey red windows- and the way he's able to paint dark shadows but still imply kind of a bright morning.

Coffee Sketch, Rene Engstrom



This was a watercolor sketch that was finished in coffee when the artist ran out of water. I like how otherworldly this image is, but how the character's expressions are still sort of normal. I also like how Engstrom can do features so simply but still convey so much. I love the strangeness of it, but also how simple the piece is, and how unfazed both the characters look. I also like the big dark space in between them. It might be a river, but I like to think of it as just a huge shadow that doesn't really make physical sense.

I Danced My Legs Down To The Knees, Chris Onstad



I love the colors, and how blocky and iconic this is. I like how the character appears to be dancing by himself, in a corner, just sort of bouncing up and down to the music. His expression is sort of content, but not particularly excited. It's like his mind is wandering and he's almost forgotten that he's dancing.