Lily the Pug

"Lily"

11"H by 8.5"W, on panel. 

(click for enlargement)

This was finished a few weeks ago but I forgot to post it, and the unframed version of this photo was unfortunately corrupted by a memory card error. 

Pugs really do have some of the most enthusiastic and dedicated owners I've ever met, and it's seldom that I meet a dog of this breed that isn't sociable. As a commission, this was an enjoyable experience. I do experience a lot of anxiety over arrangments and custom paintings, mostly because if I'm creating for a specific person or audience I stop being able to be happy with the piece of art- and I seldom can tell if and when I'm finished. However, this one was straightforward and easy to paint, and when the buyer approved without any corrections I found myself hungry to do more of these.

Of course, the other two dog paintings I've started are not progressing so easily. At least I can put them off until the 22nd, when the State Fair deadline is officially up.

In Progress: Untitled 3 (shoes)

"Untitled 3 (shoes)"

48"H by 48"W, on panel. 

(click for enlargement)

This behemoth of a work has to be done by the 22nd of this month in order to be eligible for this year's State Fair Fine Art Competition. Unfortunately I'm still grappling with major revisions to my initial composition, which can be seen in earlier entries- the initial photo scrap can be seen here.

It's not the biggest work I've ever done, but it is probably the largest one to feature so much detail. There's very little resting space for the eye and the entire work is intended to be high in contrast. As a result, I can work on it closely, and back away about twenty feet to evaluate what I've done, but medium distance is difficult because there are so many areas that distract from the area I'm attempting to focus on. I've considered placing paper over some areas to keep it from distracting me, but because I tend to work all at once on my reds, grays, blues, etc., I need to be able to move from one area to the next quickly.

I've given a lot of thought to the titles for these shoe works, and nothing I've generated or heard has really stuck to the idea wall. Ferreting out a title is an arduous process, especially since "Shoes" strikes me as being far too simplistic.

In Progress: Untitled (Mantle)

"Untitled (Mantle)"

16"H by 20"W, on canvas. 

(click for enlargement)

 

 

A quick start on a painting is easy for me and often makes me think I should slow down. The corner of my studio is filled with false starts and paintings that have failed to hold my interest for more than a few hours of painting. With this piece, I thumbnailed only twice before drawing directly on the canvas. A wooden stick helped me lay my perspective lines, and I started painting the base layers of color.

At this point I feel it necessary to address that my work is diverging into a lot of different areas. Perhaps it's a bad habit left over from art school, but I always want more than one body of work to whittle away at. Of course, I'm not sure it's really a bad habit- painting as much as I can on as many bodies of work means that I'll have a diverse portfolio for different audiences to see. On the other hand, it would be so nice to be able to present twenty shoe paintings to a gallery in San Francisco this year or next, instead of in 2015.

In Progress: Untitled (shoes)

"Untitled (shoes)"

30"H by 48"W, on canvas. 

(click for enlargement)

The way the background looks at this moment is due to it being masked off by some paper that I'm using to make sure that the next step is the right one. I felt that the background needed a flat element but did not want to eliminate the blue power cord shrinking into the distance. Playing  with the idea of surface in a painting is an enjoyable exchange between the painter and the viewer for me- my goal is to amuse and entertain the viewer by playing on the anticipation of an artificially deep space and inserting a surprising element of flat pattern.

I have my doubts about this element of course; it could cause the painting to look too much like a decorator piece and take away from the pile of shoes in the foreground. I think if either of these things happens the solution is pretty clear- another coat of paint on the background.

In Progress: Untitled 3 (shoes)

"Untitled 3 (shoes)"

48"H by 48"W, on panel. 

(click for enlargement)

I'm very happy with about 80% of this painting. The way I generated this image was by collaging photographs together, and I adored it at first. But the painting is now what I would describe as an endurance trial. Portions of it are complete, and I love how it looks as a small collage.

Whatever my next step may be, I'd like to preserve the diagonal movement. If it's possible to do so by obscuring some of the shoes and the edges to prevent an overload of detail and dominant areas of the painting.

In Progress: Untitled (shoes)

"Untitled (shoes)"

30"H by 48"W, on canvas. 

(click for enlargement)

I've had quite a break from the blog after the move, and I'm also quite pregnant, so my attitude towards painting has changed a bit. Oil paints aren't inherently toxic, but a lot of mine contain cadmium, cobalt, and even lead- and the Gamsol I use to clean my brushes is also hazardous to breathe. So when I paint now, I use no medium to thin my paint, and I use dish gloves on my hands to make sure that nothing toxic can get on my fingers or under my nails. As an alternative to Gamsol, I've been using baby oil to get the pigment out of the brush hairs and then some dish soap in the studio sink.

This painting has taken a long rest but yesterday I found myself re-mixing the colors for the electrical cords and redefining their edges. Now that they pop, I have a bit of work to do on a few of the shoes which haven't even received any paint.

I must also remember to bring my larger camera, as my cell phone camera seems to be very dark. For an earlier look at the same painting, check out this older entry here.

Untitled 3 (shoes)

"Untitled 3 (shoes)"

48"H by 48"W, on panel. 

(click for enlargement)

This painting is heavy. It dominates the corner of my studio, waiting and reminding me that I must finish it soon if I wish it to be on the fresh print run of business cards. While I work on other, more pressing projects, it looms and draws my attention whenever I glance at my supply corner.

I may call this about half-finished. Color is absent from too much of the darks, and a few spots are still simply sketches. The editing process begins as soon as I am satisfied with the way the whole is painted, and consists simply of emphasizing the areas which I feel deserve the eye's attention. It is easily the most meditative and difficult part of the painting process.