This Painting Upset my Wife

I dunno why she was upset - do you?

I enjoy doing imaginary pieces like this. It started off as a girl looking up, and then I thought of different things and it developed into this. I'm not sure if it's finished - I doubt that it is. It needs rendering, and well, I don't think I'm there with it, however I thought I'd share it anyway and see what you think. Do post a comment.

If you do it'll be the first. Thanks for visiting.

Still Life 'floater'

This looks like a croissant 'floater'.
My first shot at a reflection

It's a leaf.
Painted wet on wet.

Self Morphosis

Self Morphosis

No, no, no
something wasn't right
isn't right
never right

Morphed again
drinking coke, smoking.
searching - pushing
not right

Circles, more circles
red, black, yellow
circles around my brain, BIG
aarrggghh that's better
something is right

Light, there must be light
shade, paint, more
more
it's not right, never right

Darkness
not perfect for godsake nothings perfect
don't seek
don't

I don't like the circles
paint em
more paint
arrrgghhh that's better
feeling better now.

Morphed again.

I Can't Paint Day

I'm having an 'I can't paint day'. I've started a piece for St Georges Day which is on April 23rd, and it was going along well the first day (yesterday), but I managed to stuff it up today. So, I started something else. A 6 by 6 sill life. Bloody still life's. Well, it was a complete shamoosshhh! So, I quashed it. Went for a walk around the block. Did some real work, and now I'm back at it. I've started another self portrait - I think I'll refer to them as 'self discovery tours' as they seem to lead in all different directions that are quite unexpected. I also started another still life of an onion and a garlic. Surely I can paint an onion and a garlic. Frustrated! So, I decided to find out what I should be painting. What's my personality type? I went online and did this personality test which told me I was an ENTP. Here's the definition and where you can find out what you are. So then I tried to find out how this ENTP personality type might adapt to painting. Should I be painting abstracts, figurative, portraits, still life, expressionist, impressionist - well of course I couldn't find out. Why hasn't someone made a list of all the artists personality types, so we can discover which genre might suit our personality? Indeed shouldn't it be the first thing educators do at school? When you're five years old, you get tested, and streamed into different classes. Why didn't anyone ever offer an Art class to me at school? Why did I get pushed into accounting? I hated accounting. Educators need to get a grip on what the student wants, not what they want. Let the student decide when and how they're educated. Find out their personality type, and learner type very early on in their education and focus. Instead we waist all this time 'finding out who we really are' because the educators didn't do the job right in the first place. End of rant. So, I found out that Rachel Ray is an ENTP too. Mmmm no help there. Well, she's a cook and so am I, and she's creative, and sociable so yes there are similarities. Anyway, I'll keep painting and see what happens. At least 'artist' is one of the careers first suggested for an ENTP type. It means we can start lots of things and not finish them. We can dream. We can imagine things that don't exist and create them. We can have 5, 10, 50 paintings on the go at one time. That's salubrious!

I hope you're getting there in whatever you're doing.

Me: If not, like Churchill said 'never, never, never give up' right?

ENTP: Well, give up if you hate it and try something new. That's my ENTP advice.

Me: Be quiet ENTP. That's not good advice. Remember, never start what you can't finish. You're always changing your mind! You drive me nuts!

ENTP: Yep, it's coz I'm ENTP. A visionary! Get over it!

Me: You're right. Here's my onion.

ETNP: Aren't you going to finish it (laugh)?

Me: Later (cringe).

Daily Paintings

I painted my coffee cup tonight on a little 6 inch by 6 inch canvas. Why? Well, I have all these 6 by 6 canvases hanging about my little enclave and I need to paint on them.

There's a movement afoot called 'daily painters'. People who paint small original artworks on a daily basis. Various articles have been written about them. I noticed Daily Painters a few years ago, and since then I've seen other sites popping up like Fresh Daily Painters and Daily Painting Originals. It's a good way to make a buck and sustain oneself, whilst working on larger works.

So, I'm tempted to join. I need to get into the habit I think, and practice my brush skills.

The problem I have with it is that a lot of the work on these sites doesn't suit my tastes. Don't ask why. I just find it uninteresting. Of course anyone could say that about what I paint. It's boring, weird, or just plain unattractive. That part doesn't worry me. I listen to what people have to say of course, but I also have to think who says it, and well there are a whole lot of other factors that come into it. I mean it's completely subjective. What does concern me is how I might fit in. I've been giving it some thought. I'm not much of a still life painter. I get bored easily. Daily Painters suit a more deligent, patient, and technically minded personality. Not like me. But, then today I was thinking of Giorgio Morandi. Now, his still lifes are captivating. Perhaps I could use bottles, vases and cups as a theme? I think it might be a good idea. Morandi, yes. So, if you're wondering why I start painting cups, saucers, vases, and bowls and things just think of Morandi.

My Coffee Cup.

Who nose ? (2)

My second effort for the 'who nose' series.

I've included my colour palette here. In the previous 'who nose' I used black and white, and as you can see in this painting I've used ultramarine blue, crimson red, and titanium white.

There was a point whilst painting this that I wasn't really thinking about the nose but the composition of colours, balance, and such like. As if it were a landscape. I guess it is.

It was challenging getting my brush strokes right. As you can see I inadvertently mixed colours on the canvas, which is a big no, no. Sei la. I did manage to get a good range of colours from a limited palette. By the way, I didn't mix any oils with the paint for this work. They can be cumbersome to deal with, and I think I was using them too much. So, I'm going to try not using mediums unless necessary in future. However, I did use thinner for the sketch.

So, nose number 2. Yes, like the last nose it's a famous nose. A very famous nose. An iconic nose. Next 'who nose' blowing your way soon.

See ya.

Who nose?

I just finished painting this nose. It's a very famous nose. Can you guess 'who nose'? I'm thinking of doing a series of 'who nose'. I think it might be interesting to let viewers guess. Of course they'll be famous noses, celebrity noses, noses you know.

I'll give you a hint. He is an American actor.

'Who Nose', do you?

Dame Iris Murdoch Portrait (2)

I've been doing some more work on Dame Iris. Interesting journey - I think I'm getting closer to finishing. Wow, that'd be exciting. My first oil painting awaits.

Watch this space baby!

Depois.

Portrait of Dame Iris Murdoch

I've spent maybe 8 to 10 hours on this painting - trying to get a likeness. Now, I'm not sure what to do. I really like this work in black and white, so I might just continue accenting the light, and trying to add more detail in the hair, eyes and tonal values. The last photo is blurred and I included it here as I quite like the feel of it. Dame Iris was very intelligent so I need to try and reflect that somehow, and I think blurring the image is one way I can garner that. I don't know how the professional artists might tackle this so I'll just experiment and find my own way. If anyone reading has any suggestions - let men know please.

I used black and white as I recently read an excellent book entitled Gerard Richter Writings, and in it were these gorgeous black and white oils. If you haven't seen them - have a look at his website. He's definitely one of the greatest living artists. Well, in my opinion perhaps the greatest simply because of the broad range of work over many years. Anyway, I felt that the black and white images especially suited portraiture as they added a dynamic that couldn't be replicated in a colour image. Rather like a black and white photo compared to a colour one. Sometimes it's better to leave some information out, and give the viewer more - to ponder, to imagine, to speculate.

Another reason maybe that a blurred image appears somewhat spiritual. Iris might like that.

Portrait of Paul Recouer - Work in Progress (2)

My goal was to apply the paint in one stroke, and I almost achieved that but, but, but, but... I really like it texturally - thick lashes of paint. There's a lot of things wrong with this - but for me it's a step in the right direction. I don't like the colour of the jacket. It doesn't look good. I'll change it when once it's dry, along with a multitude of other things I don't like.

You can check out the previous version.

30cm x 30cm oil on canvas

I'll hang it on the wall and see how I react to it.

Patricia

24cm x 19cm oil on canvas

It's the second sketch so I started adding some colour. I'll try and get more detail and colour definition in the next stage, and I'll start loading the paint on the brush to add texture. I also like to see the brush strokes. Hopefully it'll come out ok.

I bought a book today entitled 'A Giacometti Portrait' by James Lord. You can read about it here. It's the story of Lord who sat for his portrait by Giocometti. The book tells of Giacometti constantly questioning himself - his ability and lack of progress. It's fascinating - just to listen to one of the great artists going through exactly the same frustrations as a beginner does. I guess this process never ends. Constant self examination, and lamenting at ones ability to create what one imagines on canvas. But Giacometti's resolve is unbearing. He repaints the sitters facial detail over and over again, constantly searching for the right form. At one point he says 'it's true, everything is a square, a cone or a cylinder - I've got to start over again'. He doesn't paint the rest of the portrait and just keeps sketching the head, adding tonal detail, and changing the form. It really is the tonic for anyone searching for inspiration to fight the demons that never abate.


Back at it.

Below is a Giacometti Sculpture.

Bleeding Eyes

5.9 x 5.9 inch oil on canvas

Don't ask me where this evolved from. I was watching a Francis Bacon video at the time so that may have something to do with it. It's quite macabre which viewers may or may not find appealing. More often the 'may not' I suspect.

Red Glasses

5.9 x 5.9 oil on canvas

Nectarines - Still Life

5.9 x 5.9 oil on canvas

Portrait of Paul Recouer - Work in Progress

Tap in Pink

5.9 x 5.9 inch oil painting on canvas