2012/365 - Day 148

practice, practice, practice...

Today while working with paint on canvas #4 I decided it was time to make a decision regarding the two upcoming shows with the closest deadlines.  I care more about one than I do the other (submitting-wise) and I think I am probably pushing too hard to fit into the "other".  I am going to drop submitting something to that one although I really want to go and see the exhibit during its run.

The biggest reason is that I am not a painter...I am someone who stumbles onto things on occasion that work out at that particular moment.  It can be a bit frustrating at times, but mostly I am fine with that.  I really do understand that it is something that I can learn and it is something that takes lots and lots and lots of practice -- especially for someone that it just doesn't come to naturally.

LOL -- I think I like the idea of painting much more than the actual process of painting.  I sure know I enjoy acquiring paint and looking at the tubes all spread out.

This is an area of the foxish-creature's face before I tried to add shadow to it.

This is the area after I was done (for now).  It isn't horrible, the problem is that is the best area...the rest is pretty messed up.

However...

I did manage to mix some colors together that I added over the top of his hat and over his shirt.  You can still see through it in person and I really like the color.

 

But now I am back to several of my "normal" painting dilemmas.  Again, I realize this is a problem mainly for me and it is probably not as bothersome to the viewer.

• I feel like the more I add to the piece, the even more I will need to add...color-wise
• Now I feel like the color I added to his hat and shirt draw my eye more than I wanted
• I am thinking (now) that he probably needs an eye color -- how do I choose one that isn't too distracting but that stands out enough to distract from his shirt and hat?
• he still needs all sorts of shadow work

An artist friend is coming for a working visit during June.  I think I will set this canvas aside until them and perhaps he can coach me with the shadowing.  We'll see...

In the meantime, it will be a plaster cloth (and then painting) crazy place around here while I pull things together for the show I care more about submitting something to.

2012/365 - Day 134

experimenting on a collage

This is probably Painting 101 for most artists, but I'm not a painter -- so for me it is experimenting.

I wanted to make the llama lady and sleepy burro boy stand out from the background.  

I got out some acrylics in browns and one green and I got brave and I darkened in the outline of the llama lady.

This is canvas #8 close up in the "before" stage.

I mixed the colors together and darkened the outline.  Then I tried to use a slightly lighter mixture and pull it away from the outline, hoping to feather the color into the collage.

For a first try, I am fairly happy with this...not when I'm right up on top of it...

   

...but when I step back it looks kinda cool.

I am not sure how to proceed from here, but I will figure it out. 

 

 And when I step even further away it looks even better. 

I bet it looks the very best when you aren't in the room with it at all...LOL

365 Day 261

working on the goat-like plaster cloth guy

I am not feeling very wordy tonight, so I am just going to list the steps I took to set up and work on this stage of the (now) goat-like plaster cloth guy.


1. Get my hair out of my face and put on my plaster cloth making shirt. Snap a photo in the mirror on the bathroom door.














2. Open iTunes, put it on shuffle, close my eyes and "spin" the cursor to a random song, crank up the volume.










3. Spread out some well-used contractor trash bags in a half-assed attempt to cover the floor where I'm going to work.











4. Grab a stack of plaster cloth.
















5. Cut the plaster cloth into triangles.















6. Set the ears aside...not ready for them yet.









7. Set the cup of coffee at the opposite end of the
table...safely out of range of dripping plaster.













8. Get the container of hot-as-I-can-stand-it water and place it by the plaster cloth.











9. Set the victim...er, uh..goat-like guy in work area and cut off the aluminum foil beard...I will figure out something else when it is time for that.















10. Lay on the first few pieces of plaster cloth triangles and take a quick photo before hands get too plastery.











11. Yay -- snap a photo of the end of this stage.















12. Carefully set the goat-like guy against the wall so that I don't get caught on the end of one of his horns as I walk by him.













13. Think, "hey...I still have some triangles left...what else can I do?"









14. Choose the lion-like guy












15. Yay -- the lion-like guy looks pretty good, too!















16. Walk by the studio bathroom and notice this pile of towels...











17. ...and the incredibly wonderful shadow it is making on the wall -- sort of sheep-like or donkey-like...or some sort of creature-like.

18. Take a shot of it for later use.