Sunday 17 February 2013

SEEING STRIPES


I love Zebras, almost as beautiful in shape as a horse, but with the appeal of those amazing stripes.



The thing with zebras is that they are so appealing that their black-and-white striped images appear so often in paintings, on carpets, on clothes - almost anything you can think of - and perhaps sometimes their impact can be diminished.

So, having drawn up the sketch of the zebra, I decided to paint him with blue and brown acrylic paints. 

Not a very good photograph, sorry, the left-hand side is too shadowed - but I know you nice people are not critical about non-professional photography.  Added to which, I never remember to take shots as the painting progresses.


Acrylic paint, Pencil and Pens    -   Jez Eden

When it came to deciding on an appropriate background I was flummoxed, but then had the idea of contrasting the stripes with curlicues.  Originally my idea was to add colour to them, but I decided that would overwhelm the zebra image, so I left them as drawn.




As always, I love taking my artwork into Photoshop and seeing how it can be changed - sometimes a success, sometimes not.  This is the first of three colour-change alterations.



I am pleased with the orange/turquoise one and with the yellow/blue version.





This green/red one, perhaps does not have quite the impact I was looking for, so perhaps she is a serene, peacemaking member of the herd.





I still like the original acrylic painting the best, even if I do enjoy the colour-changing and manipulation with filters, as with these last two out-takes.

16 comments:

  1. I'm inspired by zebras as well, and like you, I like the original acrylic painting the best. Maybe I'm a little biased because I am very much drawn to art that is produced entirely by hand, before any alteration using software. It seems that Photoshop is a good way to test out different colour schemes though.

    Your different-coloured zebras remind me of Andy Warhol's pop art. :-)

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  2. I like the yellow and blue one it's fun that you can test many different colors this way

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  3. I like all the different versions of the zebra... and it is inspiring me to get in and do some more play in photo shop... time to get back into some digital play I think...xx

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  4. Your painting is fabulous, I love all the other colours but the original is best.
    Von.

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  5. Love your Zebra Jez, I think the contrasting background really works well. Particularly like the blue/yellow and green/red version (the latter giving a softer feel) x

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  6. Honestly Jez, I really thought your first one was one of your tinkerings in Photoshop of a photo! That is an amazing, amazing painting. I just love the colours you used.

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  7. All the images look so awesome!!

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  8. Jez, this is wonderful! i love zebras too... don't you love the different color effects in photoshop? Great stuff. i hope you've been well. i'll write soon. Think of you often.. xox

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  9. Oh you just know I love this painting with all the digital changes... It's so fun to see how they might turn out!! Beautiful work my dear!! Love the swirly background too!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  10. Your Blorange zebra would also be perfect for this weeks APR, hehe :0) Mo

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  11. wow, very very cool. I do love zebras, they lend themselves to playing with color combos. great job.

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  12. Okay, I am confused by the out-takes. I can't decipher any picture there! Is it just squiggles of colors? Anyway, I love all your versions, but the first one is my favorite. Your drawing is just wonderful, and I love the curly-Q's in the background. Really wonderful use of orange and blue in the first one, too.

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  13. I love all your zebras, but maybe the original best of all. There are so many details in those stripes!

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  14. as I am playing with Carla Sonheim this year in 2013 Year of the Giraffe, I have deepened my allegiances to the giraffe, though I DO love zebras VERY MUCH.

    you are having some fun with the colour possibilities and it's wondrous to see that fun here!!

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  15. I just love that blorange zebra. Really gorgeous.
    Von

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  16. Wow they're simply stunning!
    It looks like you had such fun and I'm making a mental note to have a look into Photo shop myself.

    Have a wonderful week and I apologise for being so late visiting this week ;D

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