Saturday, August 25, 2012

Determined-Personal-Prove It To Myself Paintings


 I took a class from a visiting artist here in our area.  She was pretty well known.  To make a long story short...It wasn't a real positive experience for me.  Actually it was quite painful.  I was left feeling like I was unable to do anything.  But I'll say it was more a personal learning experience than anything.

She had these  black and white photos on the table that were somewhat abstracted...(the intense contrast was zoomed)...but me....I had to find every little detail in them I could.  I now know that's just how I am.  I accept that.  I actually have another one that I haven't even worked on yet.  These, even though they were suppose to be quick and done in class quickly, came home with me for detail...I am DETERMINED THAT I WILL GET IT RIGHT!  Everyone else in the class was able to finish a good looking painting quickly.  I realize ...for me it's a process of layering and correcting.  I don't have the ability to get it perfect the first time around.

The top one after working on it more at home I came to the realization it was just plain boring...who cares if a girl is standing there staring into space...looking beyond a painting at the museum...so I changed it up and tried to make it "odd".  I'm hoping you ask yourself if she's leaving an office and that is a window with someone working...or ...is it a painting...is it a doorway...or a mirror...why is the room off kilter???? The painting may not ever work...but it was a personal challenge to do what I could with it.

The other one is the same way...these are things that will never ever sell...but I'm determined to do the best I can with them.  The second one is a group from out west..Aaron Kayce...Goldest Egg...I'm still working on getting the faces right.  I want this to be very contemporary in the end.  I see music notes with the hands and feet...and when I'm done I hope that comes through....I'll post it when I'm closer to being done....

Commission Gone Wrong

O.K., So I get a request for a commission.  Sounds good!?????
It'll be fairly easy....they have a photo they want me to do...but just change the colors to very bright colors to make it more contemporary...no problem!

So....I do it...but it needs to be more abstract they say....so I try to simplify it and abstract the forms...then I get a totally different picture to do.  Also sent examples of what they wanted which wasn't my style at all.  All this after I ordered a $65.00 frame to put this on.  Needless to say I had no contract because I knew this individual.  

Long story short....I now have this painting on a $65.00 wrap around canvas that I will probably need to just paint over.
BUT
During all this I started another Bird Of Paradise that I liked...and did it MY way....and I have had a way better response to it.  So....it was not all bad.
The painting on the left is the one I did during the time I was working on the commissioned piece on the right.  I have since made a few changes to  this photo.  
Life is a Journey as I say...learn...learn...







Went to life drawing at the Art Barn last week.  I thoroughly enjoy the  process.  Still need to practice getting it right the first time.  At home I have the luxury of working on a drawing..whereas at Life Drawing you have 5minuets-10min.-15min.-30min.and an hour for each drawing and you'd better get it right or it's just forever wrong.  I'm not use to working that fast...I'm not aiming for a pretty picture..I do it for study..When I get home and look at these I see things wrong..that I couldn't see at the time I'm trying to capture what I'm looking at.  At the Palette and Chisel in Chicago it's nice because you have the model for several hours..so you can walk away and come back to get a better perspective as to where you are with it.  I like posting things that aren't perfect..because I think it helps people that are just starting out.  I've seen quick sketches by the masters that weren't perfect...and when I see that...it makes me feel better.  Like...it's alright to make mistakes.  It's all a journey....