Friday, November 6, 2009

Art Critique #2

Alright, I am ready for the next critique. Hope you are too.

This particular painting is... well more of an experimental process. I found an artist here in Asheville that I really like and watched this youtube video about her process. I thought, "ok. i'll try it." So I started...wait. Let me first tell you that this is a canvass I bought at a moving sale. I have painted over her abstract painting. However, she used some kind of paste to create some different textures and lines. This has become the biggest challenge. Neither I nor my main source of encouragement (maybe soon to be you, though :) ) likes the texture. I have tried to subtly build a little paste of my own over it. Then I repainted it. It's arguable whether or not it helped. I don't want to kill a ton of paste on it, just to have it look awful and obvious that its a cover-up. This has kind of led me away from the original process.

Ok. So I started painting the canvass like Jane Filer explains that she does. Just putting done random colors here and there. Using the oldest paint or some I have a lot of. not worrying so much about the color combinations. walked away for a few days or more. add some color here or there again. a few more days away. finally stared into it like you would the clouds, and objects emerged from my strokes. 2 dragons and a tall building. the tall building consists mostly of the texture. i outlined and highlighted a little to bring forth the dragons for all to see.

This is its current painted state. If you would, look at this for a bit and form your ideas before reading what i have in mind.

big picture


(my favorite corner. its not quite as dark as the big picture indicates. the right side of the big picture is a little washed out from the sunlight.)


textures


dragon details


the building

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if you are having a hard time forming any ideas, either walk away from it for a bit (believe me, i have spent lots of time contemplating it so if you take awhile to think about it that's fine. i so so appreciate your feedback) or you can read on and form an idea from there.
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everyone good?

ok. this is my current plan of attack. i have drawn and cut out fire that i plan to decoupage on as so. paint it reds, oranges, and yellows.


then i got stuck again. ive been working on this one for quite awhile. i decided it needs more characters. so i started sketching a sort of woodland fairy. but she's a little big in comparison to the dragons. plus she's not quite enough. so i've starting drawing some little fairies that are tiny like bugs or birds in comparison to the dragons. i figure she is their leader and so its ok if she's big. and so the story of the painting continues to develop. she and the little ones are fleeing/fighting the fire. i plan to draw a bunch more of the little ones. coming out of the building's windows and flying left to her and then maybe swooping down and around the building where there is sort of a swirl of colors below the building before the fire. im hoping the story will over power the texture and the fire will break up its pattern. not sure if this is enough. enough to make it good. something that im happy with.


Woodland fairy and friends

(woodland fairy head placed to indicate where she will go)


hugs and kisses to everyone for "playing along"!

happy friday

5 comments:

  1. Jess, the dragons are wonderful!! Hope they can be the focus for this work. I think the colors as they are now work really well, but I am drawn (no pun intended) to cranberry/dark blues/dark greens. Is this becoming a political comment by any chance?

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  2. Hey Jess, I, too, love the dragons and the fire works well. I am a little concerned about your main fairy being so big. To keep with the mythical concept, all of your fairies and woodland creatures should be small. Because no matter how small, strength in numbers can overcome and prevail. I see a fairy using wings to shield the fire. Make love and peace not war comes to mind. :)

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  3. WOW! You blow me away with your talent! I love the dragons! Gorgeous. I agree that the fairies should stay small...like the idea of using wings to shield fire and strength in numbers. I found the video interesting. Thanks for sharing that.

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  4. Jess!! I didn't notice the link to the video when I first read this post! Glad Gotkids mentioned it, because the video is soooo good, and reminds me so much of what Sarah's space is like, but not her painting as much. I can't wait to show her this video when she is here for Thanksgiving. Thank you, thank you! Such a great possibility for inspiration for you.
    btw, the textures under your color do not distract, at least from this distance!
    love,
    m

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  5. this looks great! i love the canvas with the flames added to it! I can't wait to see the finished canvas.

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