"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Vintage Fire Truck Revisited

I guess it is true!!! You can't paint the same painting twice.  This is my second fire truck which I painted along with my students at the Riverside Arts Center Monday evening.  At first glance it might appear to be the same, but it is actually very different.  The truck, itself, is much tighter, and the background is different.  But even if I tried to get it exactly the same, it wouldn't happen - for me it just isn't possible to do it.  This one is slightly larger also.  I used the same colors, the same reference photo and the same type of paper - it is still different.  The student's paintings turned out very well.  I was very proud of their work!

16 comments:

jgr said...

This is beautiful! I have a cousin in Indiana who has been collecting old fire trucks/engines for many years. He has a barn FULL of them now!

Gretchen Bjornson ART said...

Barb....this is terrific! I love the complimentary colors.

Watercolors by Susan Roper said...

Either one is just gorgeous! I have the same experiences, I can never replicate the same painting twice. Last month I sold a painting just prior to a sale, so I hung a SOLD sign on it and so many people said they wanted one just like it. I said I didn't like to paint anything more than once but I would try. Well, yesterday I "finished" the painting and, once again, can see too many differences, none of them to my liking. I think surroundings, mood, time of year, etc. have so many things to do with our paintings when we try the second one it rarely turns out. But, your two are great!

RH Carpenter said...

That's the great thing about original art - it's always original even when you try to copy what you've done :) Both of these are beautiful.

debwardart said...

How true that is! You were probably trying to be very specific with the 2nd one, explaining as you went along, so it doesn't have the spontaneity of the first one, but both are great!

Barb Sailor said...

Jgr...I am so envious - a barn full of old fire trucks! How great is that and so much subject matter for painting:-)

Barb Sailor said...

Gretchen - thanks for your kind comment. I like to use complemnts - they add pizzazz!

Barb Sailor said...

Susan...I thought about you when I wrote this post because you had mentioned that others wanted a copy of the iris painting...it may not be like the original but I'll bet it is just beautiful! Your thoughts about mood, atmosphere, time of year may be right on! That is an interesting observation.
Congratulations on having your painting featured on the WcW Home Page!

Barb Sailor said...

Deb...I think you also are 'right-on!' I absolutely was more specific with the second which would explain that it is tighter and less spontaneous. Thanks for commenting.

Barb Sailor said...

Thanks, Rhonda...I hadn't thought about it from that perspective! Yes - they both are original!(just very similar! tee hee) Now...the question is: Are two separate people going to each want a painting of a vintage red fire truck? My son is a fireman - maybe I will give one to him! :-0

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

I really agree with you - I don't think any of us would create an identical second version. I recently had a commission for a piece from a work that had already sold at an exhibition, so I warned them it would be very different - and it was - deliberately so. Lovely subject and inspirational colour scheme.

Barb Sailor said...

Hi Joan...You are so right - none of us would enjoy doing the exact same painting even if we could - it would be boooooooooooooooring! - as the kids would say. I have trouble doing commission pieces because I like to paint what my spirit/muse leads me to paint - I would have a terrible time as a graphic/commercial artist.

Christiane Kingsley said...

The two paintings may be different, but I love them both. Great colors!

Barb Sailor said...

Thanks, Christiane! I appreciate your comment!

ashkelon said...

I wish you were my teacher :)
Nicole

Barb Sailor said...

Nicole...so do I!!! Thanks! After 46 years as an art teacher in the public schools, I have always considered myself a teacher first and a painter second. I retired in June for the second time and now have the time to paint to my heart's content!