The return of fresh asparagus to the produce department is a sure sign that spring is here. I love the tidy bundles—I even love the lavender rubber band that surrounds them.
I left this piece unfinished...or is it? I actually like how it looks, and may leave it like this. I find work-in-progress shot very appealings, and sometimes they have a vitality and movement that makes the "finished" piece looks kind of static by comparison. To my eye, especially with pencil drawings, the unfinished image seems to be emerging from the paper.
What do you think? Does it look unfinished to you?
I think you're right. Sometimes sketches and even rough thumbnails have more soul than finished pieces in the end. I think with your wonderful rendering of the tops, this image looks great. Of course I love process. Nice work.
ReplyDeleteIt looks perfect! Very exquisite piece!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the way it looks! It's almost as though it's "ripening." And I do love that you added the ubiquitous lavender rubber band. This is a wonderful, wonderful drawing!!
ReplyDeleteI also like this piece as is. This is my first IF post and I am loving the variety and style. this is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI think this is an effective transition from the flat white background to the highly rendered gorgeousness of the asparagus. A fully completed drawing would have its own appeal, but this has an artistic uniqueness to it that gives it character. Keep up the awesome work!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah --
ReplyDeleteLong time no see, eh? I've come out from hibernation. ;)
Asparagus is pretty much one of my most fave veggies, and you have captured them spectacularly here. I wouldn't have thought this "unfinished", so much as "spatially balanced". The whiteness really emphasizes the rich colors/values elsewhere.
Well done.
Hi Sarah, I like it like this, I almost think of the sun shining on the white part making it white with light. I was just at my local produce shop and looked at the asparagus...if it had looked as good as yours does I would have bought it!
ReplyDeleteRita
Wow - what a great illustration. Really good. Congrats
ReplyDeleteOooh, I like it the way it is too! It's like it's sitting in very bright sunlight, with the top in shade. It's a really great effect! Beautiful asparagus, better than a photo.
ReplyDeleteThis is so good! I like the colors and how the stalks curve so gracefully into each other. Would you believe I was in my Kroger store yesterday and took a few photos of the fresh produce? I skipped the asparagus, but I was mesmerized by the turnips, the radishes and the carrots!
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DeleteHaha...yes, i've received some funny looks from other shoppers while I'm carefully selecting my "models" in the produce department!
DeleteSeriously! Seriously! I thought this was a photograph. I showed this to my husband (who loves asparagus. We love asparagus around here). This is incredible! Do you have a store?
ReplyDeleteHow sweet you are, Ces. No, I don't have an etsy shop or anything yet. I contemplate it from time to time, but haven't taken the plunge!
DeleteI am always struggling with the question of "when to stop". When I opened your blog and scrolled down, I thought how wonderful it was to see the drawing fade into the paper tone - letting the viewer complete the composition.
ReplyDeleteAh, this is really lovely!
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely. It makes me want to run out and buy some and cook them up. I love the softness of the colors and you have nailed the colors so well! I too like how you refrained from fully coloring in the bunch. It has a very appealing look to it just as it is. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIt's perfect the way it is! I wish you didn't have to "complete" it. Asparagus spears just beg to be drawn, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteYour work is so precisely beautiful. And I'm also in the "like it unfinished" camp - the detail is appropriately placed in the lovely texture of the nodding heads of asparagus.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, everyone! I definitely think I'll leave it as it is. I like to achieve a realistic drawing, but not something that could be replaced by a photo. The "unfinished" area helps to say "drawing" instead of "photo" or even "Photoshop". :)
ReplyDeleteI love this drawing Sarah, I agree that it looks as though the sunlight is shining on it. It looks good enough to eat ;0)
ReplyDeleteJane x
Add me to everyone else who likes this as is, though I wonder if maybe a background behind part of it might be nice too? Just a thought. Very nice, and now I'm wishing for asparagus too :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful colours, the rubber band is the perfect colour too!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, delicious asparagus!
ReplyDeleteI love this drawing! Interesting decision to decide to call it finished, and it works! Kudos.
ReplyDeleteIt's simply gorgeous, Sarah. This is a beautiful piece..probably one of my most favorites of yours, though all of your work is so beautiful! It's finished and I think that it give you such a great feeling knowing that someone has meticulously illustrated it, and that it was not purely for photographic-ultra-realism, but for a more personal artistic approach. "unfinished" pieces intrigue me...2-D to 3-D sculptural work..I find them to be very very rich indeed. Super congrats on the magazine illustration!! That's wonderful that your work is getting such great acclaim! And I wish you and yours a fabulous holiday weekend ahead..we are to have sunshine, I believe. : ) Always so good of you to pop by..thank you Sarah!
ReplyDeleteWe had steamed asparagus tonight with dinner, and this looks just like a "before" shot of it. :-) Great drawing, and I agree--stop now! I love the way you let the drawing disappear into the paper. Colors are perfect right down to the rubber band.
ReplyDeleteIt's perfect! The colors and the detail are gorgeous. I think this may be my favorite of all your drawings.
ReplyDeletePlease leave it. It seems PERFECT to me.
ReplyDeleteI agree! It is perfect as is. There is just a real sense of something fresh and just picked. Beautiful, Sarah!
ReplyDeleteWOW Sarah! Amazing!
ReplyDeleteI love to see the line work. It's fantastic the way it is.
ReplyDeleteTruly the beginning of spring. and I love the lavender and green together too.
Beautiful illustration Sarah, makes me hungry looking at it. I really like the way the simple lines at the bottom grow into all the lovely detail at the top.
ReplyDeleteJust perfect - and I like the 'unfinishedness' of it very much.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful, and I love it just the way it is!
ReplyDeleteIt looks so perfect the way it is! I love the "finished-unfinished" look! Beautiful illustration.
ReplyDeletedivine and simply beautiful........
ReplyDeleteBeautiful as usual. I really like the unfinished look too.
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