Need advice on my strength card

[mythos]

I'll attach a copy of the strength painting that I am doing. I am having problems with the 'Sun' in one of her right hands. I firstly did a very Marseille type sun but it overwhelmed the painting and unbalanced it. Currently I have the spiral with the swirls of gold outside the main centre. Problem is that I feel that it should 'radiate' energy, not have it swirl around.

Colour is part of the problem, given the background. Oranges and reds are too stark. I was wondering about white rays?

What do you think? Any better ideas out in this wonderland of creative talent?

Thanks in grovelling anticipation

mythos

 

[Guiding Cauldron]

Just my 2 cents, if your interested

Lovely painting thus far, was wondering if you had thought of a glowing sunset color to your sun, maybe a vibrant bright pink. It would stand out against your background color. Think maybe a fire ball effect.

Also instead of swilring the suns warming energy make the actual beams of sun rays piercing out in all directions around the glowing flame colored Sun. The points are white, can be very intense energy.

My your progress be enlightened within yourself.

 

[blackroseivy]

I am enjoying the complete originality of the conception! However, her footie there is bothering me... Maybe it's just me!

 

[Chronata]

Wow. Just another gorgeous creation, mythos!

I really love the multi limbed beings...like exotic supreme dieties that live in your paintings!

I see what you mean about the sun, though.

currently, it sort of blends in with the background.

And no...reds or oranges are not really in this palette...(except maybe in the tiger...which is meant to stand out) so they won't do...

but I do like the spiral effect of the golden swirls.(reminds me a bit of the Gratitude movie in the Spirituality forum!)

I do think that some white rays that radiate out from it would be a nice touch...
not only would it balance well with the white of the moon, but I think it might resemble the haloes of renaissance angels in paintings...and she already sort of reminds me of that kind of glorious being!


Whatever you do, I am sure, will be wonderful!

it is always such a pleasure to see a new tarot painting of yours!

 

[wizzle]

Mythos,

The sun isn't very "sunny" but I think your fix might be pretty easy. Add some highlighting to the sphere itself, starting with a yellow center and possibly ending in an almost orange color and then put a "halo" around the sun by going from a darker color to a lighter one. I've attached a concept for you to ponder because it is so hard to describe graphics in words, I think. Since my "sun" is on a white background, it's not quite like your golden background, but I think you will get the idea. The "halo" will make your sun pop off the background and I think it can be pretty subtle.

 

[HudsonGray]

Yes, instead of going darker with oranges and reds, go lighter like a blast furnace, white and lighter yellows.

Sort of a 'starry starry night' approach, it seems. I wondered about her actually grasping it, rather than have it float somewhat or be handled more delicately, but the moon was grasped the same way so that's the theme. Very hands on, she is.

No problem here with the foot (unless you want to henna it?). And maybe add a little more lightness around the eyes of the tiger? They have light markings in two areas on their face. Though he is stylized, so maybe not.

 

[jmd]

You mean a little like the following? (applying an aspect of wizzle's suggestion and the colours already used in the tiger)

 

[firemaiden]

wow! that's gorgeous!!

 

[mythos]

Thank you everyone. It seems that wizzle and jmd have my sun problems solved for me ... and I will ease it out to white. It was way to flat ... just didn't work.

And Hudson ... a more 'floating' sun is actually a great idea ... I might be able to 'lift' it some by using the approach shown by wizzle. My thanks! You are right about the tiger's eye too ... I just haven't really finished that off yet ... in part because I have been so caught up in my 'sun' problem, and in part because I am not sure exactly how to create the effect that I want.

The feet are pure 'Durga' image (Indian goddess who rides a tiger) and I am happy with them mostly because it is the first time I have manage to paint feet without them looking like hooves LOL. Although the image is very 'Durga' (who was indeed, and still is, an image of wonderful strength), mine is far more gentle, more Sophia-Mary - as strong, but in a more compassionate vein. Durga is one incarnation removed from Kali and her necklace of skulls.

The broken pillar is Visconti influenced. The strength figure in that deck, holds a pillar that she has broken with her strength, but nonetheless still has the ability to hold it together. The abundance of 'floral' is, in part, just my style, but primarily, it is a comment that even in the most barren settings, the life force prevails. I sat watching a volcano puff smoke in Bali once and amidst the blasted surrounds, grass and plants were breaking through. Wonderful!

This deck creation is not only a profound inner journey, but stretches me so much purely in terms of painting. I have only begun painting in the last few years, after a break of almost thirty years. I was never very confident and thus my work was repetitive. Needless to say, practically everything I paint now is a first - like the tiger. So, although I recognise that he is a tad flat as well, I am not sure how to round him out more. I am completely untrained. Still, it is all part of the process.

All your help and suggestions have been wonderful. My sun problem is solved (except that I now have to figure out how to actually achieve the effect LOL). I am clearer on what I am happy with, and what I am not ... and on what I still need to work on.

Thank you all,

shirley

 

[arachnophobia]

Thank you everyone. It seems that wizzle and jmd have my sun problems solved for me ... and I will ease it out to white. It was way to flat ... just didn't work.

And Hudson ... a more 'floating' sun is actually a great idea ... I might be able to 'lift' it some by using the approach shown by wizzle. My thanks! You are right about the tiger's eye too ... I just haven't really finished that off yet ... in part because I have been so caught up in my 'sun' problem, and in part because I am not sure exactly how to create the effect that I want.

The feet are pure 'Durga' image (Indian goddess who rides a tiger) and I am happy with them mostly because it is the first time I have manage to paint feet without them looking like hooves LOL. Although the image is very 'Durga' (who was indeed, and still is, an image of wonderful strength), mine is far more gentle, more Sophia-Mary - as strong, but in a more compassionate vein. Durga is one incarnation removed from Kali and her necklace of skulls.

The broken pillar is Visconti influenced. The strength figure in that deck, holds a pillar that she has broken with her strength, but nonetheless still has the ability to hold it together. The abundance of 'floral' is, in part, just my style, but primarily, it is a comment that even in the most barren settings, the life force prevails. I sat watching a volcano puff smoke in Bali once and amidst the blasted surrounds, grass and plants were breaking through. Wonderful!

This deck creation is not only a profound inner journey, but stretches me so much purely in terms of painting. I have only begun painting in the last few years, after a break of almost thirty years. I was never very confident and thus my work was repetitive. Needless to say, practically everything I paint now is a first - like the tiger. So, although I recognise that he is a tad flat as well, I am not sure how to round him out more. I am completely untrained. Still, it is all part of the process.

All your help and suggestions have been wonderful. My sun problem is solved (except that I now have to figure out how to actually achieve the effect LOL). I am clearer on what I am happy with, and what I am not ... and on what I still need to work on.

Thank you all,

shirley

WOW, mythos!!! I think this painting your best ever, despite your doubts... I would not change a thing... The sun looks perfectly balanced with the moon, to me (reminds me of the "holding sun and moon" move in T'ai Ch'i)... Hold it right there! Also got chills up and down spine at the mention of the "gentleness of Sophia-Mary"... You have really excelled yourself this time! If you still want my opinion, please don't change a thing: it looks perfect from here (obviously not wearing my critical Virgo-rising spectacles this morning)... ;-))