"From a Distance" (sold)

(sold)

If you've ever gotten too close to a cactus plant or been on the receiving end of someone's bad thought, this comparison makes perfect sense. Hopefully, you haven't experienced either one...at least very often. Anyway, I wanted to paint a cactus and this quote came to mind. It's kind of funny!

Of all the complementary contrasts on the color wheel, red and green are my favorite and the most powerful. Throw in the fact that Johannes Itten makes the case in his Elements of Color book that the optimum percentage of space for these complements to occupy is a 50 / 50 ratio and this image is feeling very happy! This little 6" x 6" definitely carries a power punch, even from across the room. It is still a fun and instructive exercise to look for the approximate percentages of space that colors occupy in a photo or image, but then to take it one step further and create a piece based on your observable percentages.

Using the contrast of complementaries is still the most powerful and direct way to capture the viewer's attention. Make a note!


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