Okay, we've got our New Year's goals. (And if you were like me you didn't get around to writing them down until this week!) Suddenly that slew of stuff you had to do has settled into a more calm organized form that actually seems workable... that is, if you assigned a due date for each (and of course the steps that have to be taken before you say things are finished).
It took me some time to finish my last painting. I was stymied. I'd followed Bob Burridge's general instructions and was doing a picture primarily in yellows. I'd gone from cruciform layout to symbol layout but the painting still sat there. Finally I recalled my blog on doing value sketches, shouted, "DUH!" and did one.
All at once the painting was Saturn. I finished quickly. Ah, organization!As I've said before (I hope) I'm trying to learn (1) abstracts and (2) acrylics this winter. So I started another painting, the one that should be at the top of this column. Oh, I began with the vertical striping that Bob Burridge had shown in his classes and videos. Then I received Bob Rankin's DVD and was reminded of what I'd learned when I took his class. Now I started developing areas of color. Uh... well... It just sorta sat there.
And then I shouted, "DUH!" and did my value sketch. Now it's going somewhere. I show it to you now before its final painting session (which may turn into 2, to allow for one layer to dry well), just in case you were interested. You can also see a bit of the studio behind it. And may I add: my tabouret is not usually that piled with junk. I'd just cleared off my drawing table.
On which stands this:
Is Donna Troy not beautiful? This is a 4" lead statue that came with a tabloid-sized "Who is Donna Troy?" (HAH!) booklet. My wonderful, adorable, generous friend Mart sent it to me all the way from Scotland!
And of course just because it's Donna the statue has to be perfect. So I'm going to dab on some black gesso so her cleavage is a little more bearable, add the Starboy starfield to the outfit with white dots (is that why I retired my toothbrush last week? Should be fun to spritz it on!) and will go out on Monday to buy some silver glitter, of which just a few bits will make it to this outfit. I'm thinking of doing them in a subtle pattern against the white starfield a la the pattern that Nick Cardy did on Donna's original red longjohn costume. Ah, anal retentitiveness!
It's easy enough to begin a project. Just ask any writer or artist. Or anyone. It's finishing that's the big accomplishment. And of course, it's the journey along the way that is life and learning -- the very marrow of our existence. Oh my, did I say that? Well, it's the IMPORTANT stuff.
Now let's hope that all these visuals are placed properly. Sigh. Technology...
2 comments:
I cannot wait to see the transformation of Donna Troy! Thanks for the shout out.
And I have this horrible image of myself, a magnifying glass, a razor blade, and a pile of glitter trying to cut the stuff down to teeny-tiny size. Hope that some matte medium will hold it in place, as the costume is now a lovely matte black (with a star-sprinkle) and I don't want to ruin that effect. I may add another coat of gloss medium to the hair just for contrast.
Turns out the costume DID have a star sprinkle on it already! When I took off my glasses and peered at it, there were the faintest ghosts of stars on the outfit. Or it could have been a fine dust.
Post a Comment