Peony the Third, and some Questionable Photography Methods

Peony the Third, 4" square oil on canvas by Tracie Thompson

Sadly, the peonies are pretty much gone now, which means I'll be moving on to other flowers. These studies are giving me a lot of joy and sharpening my skills at the same time.

Getting photos of them is a whole other thing. It requires good lighting, but not so bright that there's glare on the painting; and daylight works best because it shows the colors at their truest (no matter what, the colors in a photo are never ever exactly the same as what you see in reality. Never.) Often I end up doing the kind of thing I did this morning, when I set this tiny painting on the front railing of my apartment building in order to get the shot you see here:

See, this was the spot where the painting was well-enough lit but at an angle that didn't cause glare. Creative thinking: it doesn't end when you put down the brush!

Tonight's agenda in the studio is at least one more 4" square study, and finishing the portrait of the black German Shepherd Dog, which needs just another hour or so to complete.