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| "behold! the mule man cometh" (17"X15") |
i've been getting ready for a holiday show at the studio gallery 1311 here in la crosse and have neglected the blog. i will try to catch things up here today. i finished the painting that i entitled "behold! the mule man cometh" and saw not that much difference between the finish and the last post image. i know that i darkened some values in the shadows to bring them into congruity and added some texture to the background mountains and desert. i believe some washes were added to his cap and the railing from which is hanging the canvas and on which he is leaning. other than that i think that was all that i painted. here it is.
i also started a painting using an image that was shot at the modeling session with "anna". i have photos of pretty much all the stages in about 30-45 minute increments of work. i think most of the steps are self-explanatory to those following this blog and i have described how i go about getting myself in the trouble i often do many, many times…..just you can avoid them! old habits die hard.
i started this painting with the idea that i wanted to use different colors in the background than i usually do (away from the dark grey/black/blue) and a little warmer. i also wanted another of my challenging compositions and depicting the figure in unusual light as if she were illuminated by a spot light low and in front of her. other than that, it was free-wheeling all the way. i will just post the sequential photos. if anyone has any questions, please post them in comments and i will get back to you posthaste.
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| drawing…darkened over real life so details show |
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| initial wash of manganese blue, vermillion, raw sienna |
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| starting to model her features (same colors) |
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| ditto…adding burnt sienna and ultramarine blue for derby |
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| letters lifted and then painted with vermillion |
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"just a girl and her bowler" (12"X22")
darks balanced and shirt shadows cerulean blue, carmine, raw sienna
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so there we are. there is a lot that i like about this…unusual composition that i think, arguably, works, the unique background colors for me, the multi-colored shadows on the wall, and the lighting. i enjoyed doing the letters but i am still in a bit of flux whether just a dark shape would have sufficed. well, as i am heard to say on occasion……it ain't horrible.
I really like seeing the various steps , there is always inspiration and something to learn. Love both of your works and the situations , not just portraits, but portraits with a meaning.
ReplyDeletei have to thank you again, jane, for your nice comments. i try to put the folks i paint into a mood or situation where the viewer can up their own unique narrative. like, "who is that person?", "where are they going?", "what are they doing?", or even " i wonder what they are like and whether i would like them?" so, at least with yourself, i seem to have succeeded. thanks again.
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