Lonna's Iris

Here is Lonna's new painting of an iris flower. I feel like this painting is successful as is. The inspiration for this painting is the photo below. Lonna's painting is an impression that works on it's own terms. There is no reason that a painting has to adhere to complete or even partial fidelity to the photo or live inspiration for the piece. In this case Lonna has created a beautiful painting that stands on it's own terms. There is an interesting interplay of warms and cools in the flower and the main petal coming forward is dynamic and nicely indicated. The composition is tighter than the photo and creats a more dynamic energy.

Here is a very quick Photoshoped, very crunchy illustration of a  potential alternative take of the painting based a little more on the lighting in the photo. In the photo we see that most of the flower is in shadow and the value in the shadow side sets up the beautiful light in the light side.

The photo shows that the two lower petals are more of a reddish violet than blue/purple. The interior of the upper part of the flower is both darker and feels as if it has more depth, an almost a cave-like space. It also has a translucent light in there and in some of the petals in the light side. I've also indicated a slightly greener background which is a split compliment of the violet petals and accentuates the petal colors.

However the above is all moot if representing these issues is not what your painting is about. This idea of determining what your painting is about and going all in what's important in a painting. As long as it works on it's own terms and has good fundamentals like composition and good color relationships it can work. Lonna's painting works on it's own terms.