Saturday: Last night I went to the Crossroads opening - well attended. They had a basket full of good exhibits.... one featured four art friends with a book signing. The entertainment was, as usual, over the top and included children playing violins (missed that). Chatting art with my art buddies and friends is always a welcome diversion from self-imposed cave existence.
Today is about clean up work on 957 (updated photo is on last post) and start thinking seriously about 958, my next project..... because the mood is set for something new.
While blog tinkering, a possible blog title cropped up, "Oil Painter Exposed"......it certainly fits! I guess in the end I don't mind sharing the journey with the unknown. Perhaps useful for someone out there.
Sunday: Well, yesterday saw an early end to my clean-up work and a foolish attempt to start my new canvas..... I'm so crappy at it late in the day.
The vision is a feel of space.... an important concept in this collection. My last project started losing sight of that "less is more intent". So, that means roping in this project with fewer design elements too. We'll see.....
8:03am time for work. Clean and simple please!
958-1 30x66 oil on linen gallery wrap (3-23-15)
14x66 = 924 sq. in.
SQUARE FISHBOWL
sm.jpg)
30x30 = 900 sq.in
END OF DAY - SIGNED
Thursday: My last day on a project..:=) It was a good day for some serious concentrated painting and was well spent on the lily and some Koi noodling. Speaking of noodling, noodling can go on forever and ever. There comes a point when the energy is gone, as in anything really. If your interest is there the energy is too. No second wind is required. Perhaps the interest and energy level test is an easy way to establish checkout time and move on.
This particular painting lead me to another idea....the "extreme width panorama".... and certainly on to the next canvas, 959.......in my book a very good result regardless of any aesthetic value on the table.... something only time will sort out. My job with this painting is done. Aside from the usual opportunities an artist gives a painting, it will either find life on a good wall or end up as dusty storage. Today I'm more interested in the "next one".
I always like the "last day" of a blog post too. I get to review the week, my wife gets to proof it; find out what makes me tick..... while I get to start a new project....it's a win/win
I'm not sure what the "unknown reader" gets out of it......perhaps some eye candy:=)
Today is about clean up work on 957 (updated photo is on last post) and start thinking seriously about 958, my next project..... because the mood is set for something new.
While blog tinkering, a possible blog title cropped up, "Oil Painter Exposed"......it certainly fits! I guess in the end I don't mind sharing the journey with the unknown. Perhaps useful for someone out there.
Sunday: Well, yesterday saw an early end to my clean-up work and a foolish attempt to start my new canvas..... I'm so crappy at it late in the day.
The vision is a feel of space.... an important concept in this collection. My last project started losing sight of that "less is more intent". So, that means roping in this project with fewer design elements too. We'll see.....
8:03am time for work. Clean and simple please!
NEW PROJECT, CANVAS 958 - END OF DAY
Monday: With a fresh start, the 1st pass on my lily and pads is done. As you can see, by omitting quite a few pads from my feeble attempt Sunday, there will be more negative space than before. You'll also notice each design element is now outlined - shown more clearly in the Lily detail above. It makes short work of outside edges and helps proof my shapes. This simple last step helps clarify values from my white canvas. Currently there are (8) well advanced design elements that can be noodled with independently until finished....even before painting in my unifying background. The amazing part for me is, it's done in one movement, so the story unfolds very quickly. The energy that single move produces is a rush that makes the whole thing worthwhile. It's hard to get bored painting when that happens. The hallmark of this collection.
My separated design elements could allow this painting to be easily broken down into short sessions... a workable solution for night painters with a day job. I found most paintings can be staged with a little planning and a good working process.....mine is simple. Its broken down into structured sequences called "the process" listed below. In this case there are (4) with a variable number of sessions for each.
- Lily pads - structure
- Lily flowers
- Koi fish
- Unifying background
Because I have full sessions, mine advance more rapidly with fewer stop points. The more complicated the design is, the more time it takes. I always try to finish each design element in one session....allowing for some tinkering at the end. The 1st session is the most difficult because the structure or base composition needs to be established. The last one caused many lily pads towards the end to be simple rough block-outs.....not my normal way of working.
The lily, my second composition element, was the last thing yesterday and it would normally be left to the second session. The simpler lily pads gave me the extra time so I took advantage of it.
7:33 time to paint.....so today is fish day. It's my third element, actually an important composition detail..... in this case, the last piece to the puzzle. Right now it's still a mystery!
END OF DAY
958-2 30x66 oil on linen gallery wrap (3-23-15)
DETAIL
DETAIL
Tuesday: Yesterday, the Koi, my last piece of the puzzle, caused my painting to be more bottom stacked than originally planned. There were several locations the Koi would have been perfectly happy in, but this seems right with the more negative space intent.
While doing the background, there was a need for some additional balance that happened with some shadowed lily stems just above the Koi and to the left.
However, as it is, it gave me an idea of doing more extreme panoramas, like the 15x66 (crop) below. This is a shape I genuinely like......perhaps more so because it's also more unique.....something different. Perhaps a wonderful balance piece amongst my other painting shapes. It's basically the same size as my 30x30s but more impact! Its an oddly good solution to my small works needs with this collection. The extreme width gives the impression of space - not the cramping fishbowl effect squares did below.
While doing the background, there was a need for some additional balance that happened with some shadowed lily stems just above the Koi and to the left.
However, as it is, it gave me an idea of doing more extreme panoramas, like the 15x66 (crop) below. This is a shape I genuinely like......perhaps more so because it's also more unique.....something different. Perhaps a wonderful balance piece amongst my other painting shapes. It's basically the same size as my 30x30s but more impact! Its an oddly good solution to my small works needs with this collection. The extreme width gives the impression of space - not the cramping fishbowl effect squares did below.
EXTREME WIDTH CROP
SQUARE FISHBOWL
This 30X30 square using a "cluster composition" cramps the Koi with the fish bowl effect.... easily resolved by reducing scale and running the composition off the canvas. In larger squares, this works without reducing my design scale.....something that's important to this collection.
7:58am. It's that time again......
8:32: Time to work on that lily.....
7:58am. It's that time again......
END OF DAY
958-3 30x66 oil on linen gallery wrap (3-24-15)
Wednesday: Yesterdays work dried so the whole painting was in play. Most of the session was refining lily pads and extending the left lily stems - it did help balance my
composition. But, it should have established that part more clearly in the 1st session with the background. I really don't like working over my finished background. However it did result in some very clever effects.8:32: Time to work on that lily.....
END OF DAY - SIGNED
958 Koi and Lily 30x66 oil on linen gallery wrap (3-25-15)
DETAIL
This particular painting lead me to another idea....the "extreme width panorama".... and certainly on to the next canvas, 959.......in my book a very good result regardless of any aesthetic value on the table.... something only time will sort out. My job with this painting is done. Aside from the usual opportunities an artist gives a painting, it will either find life on a good wall or end up as dusty storage. Today I'm more interested in the "next one".
I always like the "last day" of a blog post too. I get to review the week, my wife gets to proof it; find out what makes me tick..... while I get to start a new project....it's a win/win
I'm not sure what the "unknown reader" gets out of it......perhaps some eye candy:=)
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