Put in More Hours.

I put in another five hours today in the studio.  I am tired, but it's a good tired.  There is a lot more definition and detail in Caleb's face and hands.  I will try and get some pictures posted soon.  I also had a great critique with my professor.  He gave me some good feedback.  It sometimes takes another set of eyes to see what you're missing.  The painting of Caleb and Mason is really still in the very beginning stages.  I would say there is easily another 20 to 30 hours left to get it at a good stopping point. It was funny when I took a step back and really looked at Caleb's body alignment, it looked like he was in a magic act that went wrong, like the box was sawed in half, but he just wasn't quite right when put back together.  His legs were heading downward into the couch and his upper torso was heading straight along the line of the couch - too funny.  That has now been fixed - wallah!   I had posted the photo of me working in the studio on the Caleb, Mason, little monster painting on facebook, and Caleb noticed it.  He liked it so far, but asked his ol' mom to pencil in some shorts.  I replied...hmmmm.....nope. Too funny.  Soon I will have to switch gears and start working on the zipper head.  I need to put in the graffiti elements.  It will be a great deal of tedious taping off of sections, spray painting and hand painting.  I''ll get there.

Working in the Studio-

This is great photo Eddy took of me painting in the studio.  It shows the large canvas I am working on, and you can also see Eddy in the window reflection taking my picture.  He always gets the best shot.  I recently had a wonderful person remind me that it is about the journey as much as it is the destination- I needed that little reminder- loved and appreciated. 

The Monster is Back....

This is a larger composition (48" x 72") that I am currently working on.  It is a painting of my son, my grandson and a little monster in the background.  This has many interpretations; it is what you see and take from the experience.  The images will show the different stages.  I have nearly completed Caleb. There needs to be some final touches, smoothing out, but he is looking strong.  This painting has been a real struggle.  The canvas is extremely rough and my white paint is thick and difficult to maneuver.  Mason will be painted in color, creating a strong sense of foreground, middle-ground and background.

In this photo, the monster, Caleb and Mason are still in outline only:

 

This photo Caleb and the monster are obviously painted- I am pleased with the texture on the wall in the background.  You would not believe that it took me nearly two hours alone building up subtle texture to the walls; I will have to add more at later stages of the painting:

 

This is a little closer look.  I need to add highlights to Caleb's hands to bring them out more from the couch.  This painting is starting to reflect the kind of film noir I desire to emulate.

 

 

This is a nice close-up shot of the monster's hand.

Some Detailed Shots of Zedie and Buildings -

I find this painting humorous.  Eddy has provided some really nice detailed shots of the Alter Ego painting.  What you are looking at are the little Eddys and one Lisa in the windows of the buildings.  These are the photos I reduced down and added as collage elements.  This painting is biographical and autobiographical- of course in a humorous tale.  I hope you enjoy the little people.  I also have a nice close-up of Zedie and the buildings in the background.

Arriving Soon!!!

Zedie Cityscape is Looking Good

I am going to post pictures showing small progressions of change.  This is very nearing completion and I'm very pleased with the composition.  I recently added some fun surprises- that will be posted in the near future.  Thank you Lou for following my blog - Love you and appreciate your support.

This first picture shows most of the buildings and Zedie in place.  The space ships are up in the right hand corner waiting to be completed.

Next you will see the space ships painted in place. Plus I have now added Zedie's moon planet up in the left side of the canvas. 

Now, I have painted a strong beam of yellow light power - to give Zedie his strength to fight dark crimes and the monotone grayness of life.

 

I think that the yellow beam of light really helped to balance out the composition and keeps the eye moving through the image.  There are also little added touches to the windows and the bridge now has little head and tail lights on the bridge to give the sense of traffic.  I will try and post some small detail shots later.   Also, the buildings wrap over the edges of the canvas and the moon planet is completed at the top edge of the canvas, so from any angle of the work, you can be a part of the story. 

The Progression...

So I am working on the two paintings, Zedie-Eddy and the Graffiti Eddy.  Both are coming together quite well.  I thought I would update the progress of the paintings.  The first is the Zipper-graffiti Eddy.  First images are of the face without the hands finished, the next image shows the hands and zipper in place, but the zipper is still in gray tones.  The final photo of this painting shows the zipper in the beginning stages of color.  Just a side note: hands and ears are very difficult to paint!

Hands not painted yet - just the face:

The hands are now in place- I am very pleased with them.  I really like the fingernails.  

The zipper has now been fully incorporated into the head and color has been added.  I will probably add a few more really translucent layers of color on the zipper, but it's pretty close to being completed.  I don't want the zipper to become the most important element in the image, but rather the battle going on between the top portion and bottom portion of the composition, and the personal battle going on in the mind of the subject (portrait painted).

The next photos are of the Zedie-Eddy.  I have finished the face (I think), and am currently working on the Zedie scene on top of the head.  It is going to be a very slow process as I have to go over the buildings several times to smooth out the paint.  I am using acrylic paints for Zedie and his city.  It's interesting going back to acrylics after all of this time working in oils.  I forget that I can water down, thin and smooth with just water mixed in with the paints - no toxic solvents needed; however, the paint isn't as easy to blend and smooth as it is with oils.   Zedie will be in bright vivid colors, but the scenery will be primarily in grays and black as they are in the night/dark of the story line.  I think the Zedie and space ships will really "pop" once the color is all in place.  I can't wait to see this one done!  I have a long road ahead on this one though.  I will most likely start a third painting to allow for drying time on these two in progress. 

The buildings are blocked in - but not completed.  I have to block in all of the buildings, paint the black background and then once all is dry, outline them with a sharp line to give a more comic book feeling. When I get all of them in and am happy with the results, I am thinking of adding little elements in some of the windows.  We'll see.

Close-up of the top portion of the composition.  You can see that the buildings are getting blocked in (roughly); I will then go back and smooth and outline them.  But I like how it feels and looks already.  The buildings also wrap around the sided of the canvas.

New Painting in Process

So this is a new painting I am working on.  It is a portrait of Eddy in black-and-white, but at the top of his head, the alter ego Zedie will be introduced in color with a comic book styling.  I am trying to incorporate different elements into the portraits.  This is just the bottom portion of Eddy; the top is still in the white outline waiting to be filled in.  The painting of Eddy still needs some work too, but it's getting there.  I really like the glow to his face.  I am thinking of adding some cartoon steam coming out of his ears. 

Me Watching Me Paint - Wild!

This is a great photo Eddy took of me while I was preparing my canvas with a black gesso base.  I love this picture because my self-portrait is watching me paint.  Eddy is very clever; he says this is for the coffee table book for when I am famous- too funny!

Painting Studio

These are some great photos of my studio space.  Eddy took pictures of the various stages of getting the space together; he also took a great photo of my supplies.  Thanks Eddy! 

Painting Studio

I was in my painting studio on Saturday and Monday; it was great!  I had the place to myself, and on Saturday, I painted five hours straight.  Monday for only around three, but it was very productive.  I am currently working on two paintings simultaneously.  I have four canvases already at the school, primed, sketched out and ready to go.  One painting will truly be a challenge; it is 4' x 6'.  When this semester is over, I will probably have to remove the painting from the stretcher bars and roll it up.  We are running out of walking space in our little apartment.  Selling the art would be really nice.  I will post pictures shortly.  

My Final - That's It

Our group for the senior exhibition has asked for a meshing of two designs.  So the two of us are each designing a final version - and the group will decide.  But for me, this is the end of the road- final version.