raw scan


It is my goal to make the actual painting be exactly what is seen in the book. To do otherwise is to cheat. But I'm going to have to fix that boneheaded misspelling of "KETCUP" and as long as I'm in that area I'll probably clean up the lettering. But not much! I promise!

I'll probably enhance the black outline of Fred's nose a bit. But that's it! No more!

Hmmmm - I wonder if that dark area at the top of the medallion on the wall of the yellow building is a scanner smudge. I bet it is. I might fix that.

This is the last Fred painting I'll blog, and Fred is most likely going back on the shelf for a few weeks. But not forever. It may help if you nag me. We're all in this together!

4 comments:

Jed Alexander said...

Is the ketchup truck important? Being a vibrant red in a sea of pastels makes it seem so. Maybe you could tone it down a little and make it recede. Otherwise, is we see the ketchup truck later, and it IS important, then go for it.

I see where your going with the red, setting off the green, But you're already doing that with the red of the doorway. Having something in the background pop like that flattens things a little.

Jed Alexander said...

And digital tweaks aren't "cheating". I know you want to be pure, and do it the old fashioned way, and have beautiful originals, but as far as I'm concerned the thing that sees print IS the point, and if you can improve it, do whatever it takes.

Mark Martin said...

No, actually you can't see where I'm going with the red vs green etc - because I don't think that way. Cool colors, warm colors, complimentary colors - I'm kinda deaf and blind to that stuff. I do think about it. But I can't see the forest for the trees. All I know is I want interesting things in the picture, and a Ketchup truck is kinda cool.

But you are right! It is competing for attention, and very distracting!

I'm going to tone it way down. I don't want to lose it entirely, because the street being totally empty seems lonely and uninteresting to me. But it definitely needs to scream for attention less.

Good input, Jed!

kneelsen said...

I love those juicy brushstrokes!

Also, I agree about the red truck jumping a bit too much.

Maybe a couple of strong highlights on the toolbox would help bring the focus to Fred.