Magic

There is a concept in art called the Gestalt Theory, which basically says, "we see the whole before we see the individual parts that make up that whole".  It is a concept that continues to fascinate me. Looking close up at the brush strokes on the cape it makes no sense. It's simply a bunch of lines. But scanning back, those lines come together to not only create the shape of the cape, but also the movement as it folds in and out, and the texture of the straw. How magical is that?

The Waters Appear

The scriptures say the Lord created all things. I'm getting just a small taste of that as I create dry land, and now water. I can't imagine what it would be like to create the real thing. It's fun to simply try to recreate it in 2D form. But to some extent creating is creating is creating. And no matter how we each do it, in our own individual ways, there is something about standing back, looking at it, and seeing that "it is good". 

The Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly

I was a little intimidate to paint all those stars on the flag. I tried to think of ways to make them suggestions rather than actual stars. But as I began it just kept flowing and pretty soon, there they were. They aren't perfect, but it was fun to pay attention to which ones were full stars, which would be lost in a fold here or there, and which would be more faded into the shadow. I always feel a great sense of pride when I stand for the national anthem, as the flag is presented, or the Pledge of Allegiance.  Painting the flag was an honor as well. 

Painting Private Ryan

It will become obvious as I paint the uniform that Ryan is not a Private. He is, however, a pretty private person. His dad, who commissioned the piece, is also a quiet and unassuming person. It's an honor to be asked to create an heirloom for their family. When I finished this session I didn't feel like I'd made much progress, but when I came back to it, I could see Ryan beginning to emerge. I have to say that I really enjoy what I do. 

Paint By Number Face

Well, it's back to Ryan. And boy has he got dirt on his face today. This is the stage where I play with colors and values, general placement of lines, and try to find the planes on the face. It looks pretty messy, but it's actually quite an exciting stage. It's the beginning of the puzzle, like when you get all the edge pieces in and now you can really start getting to work on the meat of the thing. Good times, good times.

Happy Birthday... And I Cried...

Roger Final 8x10 WM.jpg

Today is my brother's birthday. He passed away in 1999. Painting this portrait of him has been an emotional journey on so many counts. Like I said, bad references were a major issue. My emotional issues were also a huge barrier. Then, I kept seeing my son instead of my brother on the canvas. But the other day I looked at the canvas and my brother was smiling back at me. I sat there and cried, and cried, and cried. I felt him in the room with me. I felt his love, and his approval, and the joyful essence of him. And I missed him. And I loved him. And I was filled with gratitude that I was able to do this. A month from today is our father's 80th birthday. This painting is for him. I hope he sees Roger too. 

Let's Face It

Sometimes we're faced with truths that are hard to accept. Other times, we realize something that is actually pleasant. I've been pushing myself to get this series done  in a short amount of time because I've been invited to show my work at the Bay City Arts Center in December and I wanted a body of new work. It's amazing how exhausting it is to be creative under a deadline. At the same time, when things shape up nicely like her face did today, it is also amazing to realize how much I love it. 

Getting Your Feet Wet

My little beach boy finally got his feet wet. This was a fun day of painting. I love how the shorts came out. I love painting fabric. It was as amazing this time as the first time I painted fabric. It took just three strokes of bright red and he had folds in his shorts that defined what his legs were doing. Crazy how that happens. When I learned that painting flesh was just like painting fabric, I was on my way to figure painting. Flesh is simply live fabric that lays over muscle and bone. It reacts the same way as fabric over a solid structure. So cool. I love my work!

Cheers!

While I thoroughly enjoy painting and easily get lost in it, there are some days that are easier and some that are harder. Today was a grueling day, as far as painting days go. I'm not really complaining. It was simply a lot of hours in one day, and a lot of working and reworking and building layers. But in the end, Grandma Ruby is now able to say to one and all, "Cheers!"

Hair Day

We all have bad hair days. Grandma Ruby is just having a hair day. I may touch it up a little, but having it a bit mussed is the point in this case. So I may just leave it. Her face is coming along and in the end I'll decide if they read well together. Her age is beginning to show a bit. That's good. Hopefully one more session and I'll have her.

Seeing Is Believing

She now has eyes to see, and a mouth to speak, but still needs an ear or two to hear! Poor dear... Sometimes it gets frustrating, but for the most part it's fun and fascinating to watch the paint and colors move around here and there and everywhere until suddenly they are just right and the figure is looking back at me saying, "You found me!" Grandma Ruby isn't there yet, but she's wiggling her way out.

Lights and Darks

When starting a face I first try to find the areas of highlight (lights) and shadow (darks) that define the plane changes on the face. It's tempting to go into great detail on one facial feature, like an eye, but it's better in the end to make sure all the general areas are correct first. I've made the mistake before of perfecting an eye and then realizing I painted it too high or too low or too far to the right or left and having to repaint it. Lesson learned...