A weeks worth of paint and canvas, Selfie 2

This one is an odd one. The reference has me looking at me painting me with a paintbrush. Not sure how that will work out. Started taking selfies a few days ago after playing with I-pad sitting at my easel. Trying to rearrange my workspace so more comfortable painting and sitting. Good thing working right, or left is doable. I am also working under natural light from the overhead skylights. 

Closeup!

Not a bad image being it was a ridiculously small section of the original shot! Happy camper, this beats the standalone monitor or a photo hand down. The pad holder adjustable arm is a bit stiff to adjust but strong with little bounce. There is a small section of the arm attached to the pad holder which is easier to adjust for fine tuning.

Selfie, Me, Painting Me 20x20 oil on linen (5/30/20 canvas 1339)

  (If you have time to spare)

THE STORY BEHIND THE PAINTING

At the end of the day this is one ugly start to any painting! Finding sitting a different experience than standing.

Still an ugly dude at end of 2nd session!

Looks like I am applying paint on my forehead

This time zoomed in on my face. The image seems lighter when done. It was an enjoyable afternoon pushing piles of chiseled paint, readjusting features closer to the photo, blending out when marks became overly fussy. A bit haggard looking but the likeness is closer than yesterday. The chin needs to be raised on the right side or lowered on left.... bad surgery day! 

 DETAIL OF CHISEL BRUSHWORK

Applying paint to my face.... wonder what colour paint will be on the brush?

 

Looks warm and fuzzy under LED spotlight or sunny daylight. Sorted a few issues out with the chin by lowering left side. I was dittoing with everything! Stopped before I messed up and moved to the hand. Originally thought the hand block-out was in a bit strange but fresh eyes shaped it up rather fast. At the last minute spotted a little black on to my palette, added it to my mud pile and painted in some background to isolate the head and hand. Waste not want not! Sometimes it takes a lot of paint to capture a ridiculously small areas on a canvas, nice when the waste can be utilized. Also works well neutralizing any high-key colour or as here plowed into the background.

Speaking of high key colour, fascinating grey scale below and how various value keys effect a single tone (center square)

The painting moved to a conclusion at this point!

 COMPLETE!

Selfie, Me, Painting Me 20x20 oil on linen (5/30/20 canvas 1339)

DETAILS - BLUE DIPPED IN YELLOW ON THE BRUSH

Staying on selfies until I have a better start than this one.... more practice!

My next will be started during SIP Sunday at Crossroads.

SIPSwimming-in-Paint

A virtual game, some internet love!

BoldBrush Gallery Exhibit - "LOCKDOWN"

Maymont, Summer Koi

44x50 oil on linen - Available as a Fine Art Reproduction on paper or canvas

As a participant in the BoldBrush Gallery's first virtual exhibit "Lockdown Exhibit" I was honored with a feature in the Informed Collector (5/28/20). The feature was also promoted on BoldBrush social media channels Instagram and Facebook 

My Instagram notifications started popping in the morning. So, I knew something good was up. A few days later still popping. When Gallery openings started canceling exhibits or going virtual Boldbrush stepped in with serious online marketing tutorials daily. One of their ideas was an online gallery to exhibit and sell from. Now you can pretty much sell from all FASO venues like the BoldBrush monthly contest. When you enter click the box your price and contact is posted with your entry.... about time! The Lockdown Exhibit was the first and they have made some sales for the artist who also receive all the proceeds. FASO also expanded the range of art beyond representational to cover 3-dimensional, digital and photography in the monthly contest. 

For artists this should be an extremely exciting time to be in the game of making and selling art. Over the last decade more has happened in the last 3-months to make artists standalone and in control of their art. Artist no longer must rely on the traditional system to get exposure or sell their work! About time! Online sales were the gift of the century. Took a while to take hold and when it did FASO was in the right place at the right time to help a segment of the art community get onboard a very fast-moving train. Build it and the public will come.... FASO did!  

Think of it this way, over the last 20-years bits and pieces were scattered worldwide and this huge magnet was turned on and drew it together in a nano second. The switch was C-19! We would have gotten there eventually, but this was a global switch! Everybody had to get a ticket and did so willingly.    

Every artist needs champions to succeed, our fans, collectors, and galleries if we have one or more fill that role. When the latter fails, and it happens all too often we must step in and look at how we market differently. If you are going to sell art or buy art as a collector FASO is the only place to be outside major auction houses selling high-end investment art.... if you're into that!

The traditional system has excluded artists from many important venues because of the need control the money. Art is big $$$$. Always down to $$$$. This year the foundation was blown up!! A virtual game now.... may the best one win!

SIPSwimming-in-Paint