The big question was whether to start on the figure or the background... one will inevitably influence the other. I was really enjoying how the figure looked in simple black lines, so I started on the outside. I did my best to not overthink it and working with wet-on-wet paint really helped. Now I still … Continue reading The Artist Self – Two – A Surprising Start
A Crowd of Me – Four – Who Knew Hair Was So Transformative?
Seriously though, I had no idea how much the hair would change the composition. You really need to go back to yesterday's post and compare the images. (I'll put them side-by-side below). I was plowing on loads of paint to diversify and enrich the volumes of the different bodies and I knew I'd have to … Continue reading A Crowd of Me – Four – Who Knew Hair Was So Transformative?
A Crowd of Me – Three – It feels oddly cartoonish, for now…
While I'm enjoying the annotated feel of this and how it feels cartoonishly alien, it isn't what I was intending. It feels... incongruous. Some of the faces aren't in the same style or emotional range. At this stage, I feel that I've fallen back on my older drawing style and not kept with the spontaneous … Continue reading A Crowd of Me – Three – It feels oddly cartoonish, for now…
A Crowd of Me – Two: I see some change in perspective
Yesterday, I mentioned that I originally intended to input my self-portrait as only one of the crowd. I wanted to be the small face in the back, right of the composition... the spectator behind the crowd, looking at whatever they were looking at. Hmmm... I wonder if this means I have a secret desire to … Continue reading A Crowd of Me – Two: I see some change in perspective
A Crowd of Me – One
Staring at the big (30" x 30"), white canvas is often the most stressful part of my process. How do I start? Where do I start? That very first mark is so important to me that I find myself in a battle against my fears and insecurities. A multitude of voices clamour for dominance in … Continue reading A Crowd of Me – One
Tourist Under The Windowed Wall – I think the hat will fight me…
Yup, the hat is the spot that is bothering right now and I'm going to have to sleep on it. Until then, the face shape was a big change and that dictated something unintentional... well, an unintentional question. Do I make this a self-portrait? If so, do I add glasses? The addition of volume has … Continue reading Tourist Under The Windowed Wall – I think the hat will fight me…
Tourist Under The Windowed Wall – Starting without waste
Just to make things clear... the title is intended to be "Tourist Under The Windowed Wall". I started this one a little differently than the any other painting to date. I hung a black canvas next to the previous piece I'd been working on and used the excess paint on my pallet to start this … Continue reading Tourist Under The Windowed Wall – Starting without waste
Waiting to be seated at the the Rainforest Café – A Few Questions Answered
Yesterday, I mentioned my uncertainty about how this would get finished and gave you some of the questions I was asking myself. The one I was most uncertain about was the dry-brushing the wet paint across the background. I couldn't visualize what it would look like and that made me a little anxious. I reminded … Continue reading Waiting to be seated at the the Rainforest Café – A Few Questions Answered
Waiting to be seated at the the Rainforest Café – Do I stop Or Continue?
At this point, the brushstrokes and touches are quicker and more instinctive. I'm feeling there might be more to do, but that feeling changes when I step away and/or look at it in different lighting. Here are some of the questions I'm asking myself: Do I add more colour to the shirt? Do I add … Continue reading Waiting to be seated at the the Rainforest Café – Do I stop Or Continue?
Waiting to be seated at the the Rainforest Café – Initial brushstrokes
1st - This is inspired by David Park's work. I don't pretend to be as good as him; I am only saying some of his figurative work has me really excited and I'm loving his style and techniques... I feel my voice is coming through more in this style. Park has a small portrait, close … Continue reading Waiting to be seated at the the Rainforest Café – Initial brushstrokes
The New Renaissance Mindset 