Saturday, January 21, 2006
The Curtains Breath
As I begin a new painting I thought I would post some older work. This particular piece is about twenty years old. Yikes just saying that seems odd and makes me feel ancient. Twenty years, students attending college now weren’t even born then!
The medium is simply pen and ink on paper. The technique involves using short strokes with a pen and building one-layer of scratches over another until you achieve the desirable shade. There are really no actual lines forming the couch, chairs or window just variations of light and dark.
The style suggests motion, implies movement and the idea of constant transition. Overall it feels moody. I was probably brooding when I drew this. It sort of reminds me of the band "Coldplay" .
I see many mistakes that I would change now given the chance. Overall I would simplify the details and I would change the perspective of the chairs they seem a little out of whack. If you’re looking for some truly surprising pen and ink work look-up"Edward Gorey" he is an amazing artist who has always produced evocative and engaging imagery. You will probably know him best as the man who created the opening animation sequence for PBS’s Mystery.
The medium is simply pen and ink on paper. The technique involves using short strokes with a pen and building one-layer of scratches over another until you achieve the desirable shade. There are really no actual lines forming the couch, chairs or window just variations of light and dark.
The style suggests motion, implies movement and the idea of constant transition. Overall it feels moody. I was probably brooding when I drew this. It sort of reminds me of the band "Coldplay" .
I see many mistakes that I would change now given the chance. Overall I would simplify the details and I would change the perspective of the chairs they seem a little out of whack. If you’re looking for some truly surprising pen and ink work look-up"Edward Gorey" he is an amazing artist who has always produced evocative and engaging imagery. You will probably know him best as the man who created the opening animation sequence for PBS’s Mystery.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Soul Cloud
So I spent some time on monday working through this sketch. Its been in my mind for awhile. I have seen this image a number times in a number of locations not the least of which has been in my head. I tried to draw it a few times including a black and white version with a hotel in the foreground which winded up looking as weird as it sounds.
This sketch is really close to how I would like to paint it. I love the color combinations and line work. I may explore the line direction of the area that suggest falling rain because right now it sort of looks like the stem of a mushroom.
I have a canvas that is a little more horizontal then this sketch which I'll probably use for the finished painting this should give it a stronger panoramic look.
Well I need to get started on the new piece we'll see how long this one takes me to finish. Hopefully it will be less than three months.
This sketch is really close to how I would like to paint it. I love the color combinations and line work. I may explore the line direction of the area that suggest falling rain because right now it sort of looks like the stem of a mushroom.
I have a canvas that is a little more horizontal then this sketch which I'll probably use for the finished painting this should give it a stronger panoramic look.
Well I need to get started on the new piece we'll see how long this one takes me to finish. Hopefully it will be less than three months.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Jonah Wailed
Well I finally finished it.
The colors you see are not exactly accurate. The original painting looks a little richer and not so electric. There are a couple of mistakes but over all I think I’m satisfied with the results.
I hate the fish. The original drawing of the fish is so much better. It is much more fluid and free flowing where the fish in the painting is awkward and stiff. Some of the transitions in the waves are a little unfinished.
You can't see it in this photograph but the ocean in the painting is much more dark and rich than the waves and really sets off the kaleidoscope of colors throughout the waves. These vibrant colors really add important meaning to the painting.
I won't bore people with my thoughts on what the composition is really about but just let everyone apply their own meaning.
For the last couple of weeks as I applied the finishing touches to this piece I got to thinking more and more about what or who might have influenced the way I have been painting and "Peter Max" came to mind.
I remembered as a child one day my father had come home from work and gave me this book of paper airplanes. It might have been for my birthday. The book was made of heavy cardboard and you could punch pieces out of it and build a plane that really flew. Peter Max designed the book. The planes were bright, colorful, pop art-ish, and with Beatlesque type illustrations. Though I don't try to emulate this style of art I do find inspiration from it and not just the tactical parts of it but also the spirit of it too.
One last word on the paintings expression even though the painting depicts a desperate moment of imminent defeat that "reality" is very transient. It is mostly about hope.
Ok time to move on. I have no idea what I’ll be working on next. I will post some possibilities soon.
The colors you see are not exactly accurate. The original painting looks a little richer and not so electric. There are a couple of mistakes but over all I think I’m satisfied with the results.
I hate the fish. The original drawing of the fish is so much better. It is much more fluid and free flowing where the fish in the painting is awkward and stiff. Some of the transitions in the waves are a little unfinished.
You can't see it in this photograph but the ocean in the painting is much more dark and rich than the waves and really sets off the kaleidoscope of colors throughout the waves. These vibrant colors really add important meaning to the painting.
I won't bore people with my thoughts on what the composition is really about but just let everyone apply their own meaning.
For the last couple of weeks as I applied the finishing touches to this piece I got to thinking more and more about what or who might have influenced the way I have been painting and "Peter Max" came to mind.
I remembered as a child one day my father had come home from work and gave me this book of paper airplanes. It might have been for my birthday. The book was made of heavy cardboard and you could punch pieces out of it and build a plane that really flew. Peter Max designed the book. The planes were bright, colorful, pop art-ish, and with Beatlesque type illustrations. Though I don't try to emulate this style of art I do find inspiration from it and not just the tactical parts of it but also the spirit of it too.
One last word on the paintings expression even though the painting depicts a desperate moment of imminent defeat that "reality" is very transient. It is mostly about hope.
Ok time to move on. I have no idea what I’ll be working on next. I will post some possibilities soon.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Hydrangea
Earlier in 2005, I took a stab at a classic genre.
This was my second attempt at painting a traditional still life setup of flowers. My first attempt withered away about half way through as my frustration level grew trying to realistically render the individual petals and leaves of the Hydrangeas. They were fake flowers by the way. It was the painting that did the withering not the flowers. You would think painting a bouquet of fake flowers would be easier since half the work of reducing the plant to its most basic forms and colors is already done for you. Flowers are hard to paint even the fake ones. After contemplating the blobs and smears of my first failed attempt I realized I had to try a whole new approach. I decided to use an outlining technique. Working with what is essentially just drawing with paint I forced myself to think in terms of simple flower shapes and structures instead of individual petals and leaves. Once I had finished drawing the hard dark outlines I worked inside these lines filling in the details sort of like a child would work as they draw in a coloring book. My favorite part of the painting is the leaves. I like how they are simple, flowing, suggest movement and still hold the basic structure of a leaf. I really hate the golden rod thingies in the top of the painting I never really could resolve them.
Also the composition is a little too big for the canvas. The plan was for the whole arrangement to be contained within the canvas but I drew the pitcher too big. I think little kids do this allot when they draw don't they? Still I don't think the painting suffers too much for it.
I’m making lots of headway on my current painting and should be finished with it this weekend. I also contacted a local gallery. They said they were not accepting any more work right now but maybe I should try back in February. Sure sounds like I really impressed them doesn’t it?
This was my second attempt at painting a traditional still life setup of flowers. My first attempt withered away about half way through as my frustration level grew trying to realistically render the individual petals and leaves of the Hydrangeas. They were fake flowers by the way. It was the painting that did the withering not the flowers. You would think painting a bouquet of fake flowers would be easier since half the work of reducing the plant to its most basic forms and colors is already done for you. Flowers are hard to paint even the fake ones. After contemplating the blobs and smears of my first failed attempt I realized I had to try a whole new approach. I decided to use an outlining technique. Working with what is essentially just drawing with paint I forced myself to think in terms of simple flower shapes and structures instead of individual petals and leaves. Once I had finished drawing the hard dark outlines I worked inside these lines filling in the details sort of like a child would work as they draw in a coloring book. My favorite part of the painting is the leaves. I like how they are simple, flowing, suggest movement and still hold the basic structure of a leaf. I really hate the golden rod thingies in the top of the painting I never really could resolve them.
Also the composition is a little too big for the canvas. The plan was for the whole arrangement to be contained within the canvas but I drew the pitcher too big. I think little kids do this allot when they draw don't they? Still I don't think the painting suffers too much for it.
I’m making lots of headway on my current painting and should be finished with it this weekend. I also contacted a local gallery. They said they were not accepting any more work right now but maybe I should try back in February. Sure sounds like I really impressed them doesn’t it?
