Self-Portrait with Pink Zinnias

Sorry about the colors in this photo. No matter what I did, the flesh tones appeared strange. Try as I might, I couldn’t correct it with Photoshop. But at least you get the idea.

It’s been very dark and gloomy, and the first version I did, I made the shadow areas too dark. Up close, they looked fine, but when I photographed the painting, it was way off:

This morning I lightened up the shadow areas a bit.

The frame was a junk-shop find. I think this is probably the best use for it — in a kind of hippie-ish self portrait with flowers.

My 2 AM muse visited me the other night and suggested adding some butterflies. She’s usually right, so I put in butterflies typical of NW Michigan: Black Swallowtail, Orange Sulphur, Atlantis Fritillary, Baltimore Checkerspot, Question Mark and Wood Nymph. No, I don’t know every single butterfly or moth around — I just happened to have a copy of “Butterflies of The Great Lakes”. I try to learn the names of the creatures, trees, ferns, grasses I share the world with.

Is the “Pink Zinnias” series finished? Ha ha…..