Finished work.

Here the painting is, finished. I’ve decided to officially title it, “Please Remove your Belt”. I’m so glad it worked out the way I wanted it to- even better than I hoped and it was done in time too to enter it in the show. I’ve got my fingers crossed, but feel really good about it. This was a very challenging work as far as new technique and maintaining the single line while trying to also keeping the objects identifiable and yet detailed, but it’s equally rewarding. I’m happy it’s finished and can take these new things learned into new works.

Security checkpoint original photo

The original photo, here, is very dull and boring ( as far as colors) but it was the only image that gave me any inspiration so I went with it. I’m glad I did, now. I took it with my cell phone after going through the security checkpoint in the courthouse.

Ignoring the Lump in my Gut and Painting over it with the Line.

I started covering the whole work with the line. I was really nervous about doing that, it was the first time I used that technique with a painting and wasn’t even sure it would work. Plus, I really liked the traditional painting I’d already done and was painting over. I had to keep fighting myself to do it and ignore that lump in my gut. I had to do what I had set out to do and kept telling myself that I painted the first one, the underpainting, and that I could do it again- over the top of the lines. I just had to do it (paint over it with the lines) and keep going. It did get easier, but only after it was more than halfway and too much to go back.

Sometimes for me, my art is experimental and feels a little like jumping off a cliff with an unused parachute. It’s scary, but exhilarating and usually works out. In order to grow and learn, I’ve got to do something new, holding only onto the faith that I’m pretty sure I can do it and still knowing that I might fail too. I’m so glad I did this- I’ve been wondering if this could work for a long time and am planning on doing the same technique on a very large painting. It’s much better to experiment on smaller works.

Finer details added in today.

Today, I cleaned up and sharpened the edges of the objects and added in the highlights, shadows and darks. I’m starting to really like the looks of it and am ready for the next stage of painting over the whole work with the continuous line. It’s getting there. I hope it’ll get there in time though- my deadline is approaching very quickly.  I have just about a week to get everything done.

A little more progress today…

I blocked in most of the pieces with the base colors and some of the shadows. I’m planning on overlaying differently colored lines covering the whole painting. Still feeling out the process and just how I’ll do it. I’m liking the feel of it so far and its colors, it’s leading me in the right direction. The work is very messy right now, I just threw on the paints so far with only one brush. The end work will be much neater with the lines and not so bold for color. My inspiration is the picture to the right, Van Gogh’s work, “A pair of leather clogs”.

The picture on the top there, is the original photo I took one day, after going through the security checkpoint in the courthouse. It really irked me that they made me take off my belt- how necessary is that, really?  So, I’m standing there, holding up my pants, trying to get myself back together and not feel too foolish and it just angered me. I don’t need this humiliation- esp. on a day I’m already stressed and doing really important things and needing to keep cool and together. I’m not some crazed McGuyver person hiding weapons under or in my belt of all places. They’d usually scan the wand beeping thing in front of me, the belt would make it beep and they’d let me through. Not that day.  Would you like a side of embarrassment with your order of justice, Ms? Um, no thanks.

I hate that these days our privacy is so disrespected in the name of “security”. All these procedures are so ridiculous and for nothing (positive anyways). I don’t think it makes any of us more secure at all- I don’t feel safer seeing my belt, keys and glasses in the bin- or your’s for that matter. I really think it’s just to remind us proles who’s in charge. It’s the proles who really have the power though- we are by far the majority.

Security in the Courthouse (working title- I’ll change it later.)

I started working on my newest painting yesterday and am this far along on it. I’ve transferred the image from the photocopy onto the canvas. A few tweaks here and there, and then I will start blocking in bits and pieces with color. I’m thinking I’ll color it in with solid colors and overlay them with lines. I’m really not sure what the process will be exactly, I’ll figure it out as I go. I don’t have much time on this one though, the deadline is in less than two weeks!

Progress on my Colors and Lines Study

I’ve been working feverishly to finish this painting.  I want to finish it while I have the time, before my baby is due- in 3 weeks.  After that- painting will happen during nap time if I’m not too tired and need a nap myself.

I’ve been working on this project for over a year now.  It’s a study that shows what happens when each basic color is mixed with each other basic color, half and half.  I wanted to have a visual reference of each color’s relationship with each other color.  Some of the results have surprised me.  When I finish the painting stage I plan to write about my findings.

I started with solid blocks of color vertically and then overlayed them with a single line in the same colors (as best I could using paint markers) going horizontally.  The negative space in each colors block is the solid base color and the line is the overlay.

My paints and palettles as they are beside my easal.

I’d better get back to work- I don’t have much time.