Day 23 : #30x30DirectWatercolor : Found Photo : Late Night Ramen
June 23, 2020
Day 23: Another exercise in abstraction.
I’ve turned the people into the simplest possible shapes, then built up everything around them in a mosaic of strokes.
Here’s the photo. Also found on the web, but the owner deleted themselves, and there’s no trace on reverse image search.
So – I’m of two minds about my painting. I mean, I like it – the balance between drawing and abstraction is good. But the photo is really quite strong. Quite a good story-composition.
As much as I say – artists worry too much about copyright – this is one case where I feel my work here doesn’t rise enough above the level of a copy.
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Citizen Sketcher 
Remarkable story in your painting. The people eating and flags take your eyes first and the blocks of color around them help to define them. Love it!
My understanding about using a photo as a tool for a painting is to distort the photo enough so that it is not recognizable as say an exact replica. I think you did that distortion in your piece admirably. You maintained the integrity of the story of the photo without jeopardizing your work. Myself, I would have reversed the photo prior to painting it. Just my thoughts.
Marc. I love what you are doing. Gives me the courage to take one of my photos and try to abstract it. Problem is where do I start. Guess I just have to bite the bullet and get going!
You’ve absolutely nailed the atmosphere this time – I can smell the food and hear the people!
If this doesn’t rise enough above the original to be a work in its own right then I don’t know what does.
so much life and energy in these paintings. They literally breathe and pulsate. Super.
Mark taro holmes parking garage series. Are any available for sale?