This is the 4th painting in my Contemplation series. Yes, I realize it says #7, that's because it is Contemplation #7, not painting #7. They're mine, I can paint them in whatever order I choose. :-) I've already done #s 1, 5 and 6.
It is on a 24x24" gallery wrapped canvas, in acrylics, and it is a long way from complete, but I wanted to put it up in stages. This is just after toning the canvas with quinacridone magenta and transferring my drawing over, then using quin. magenta to establish some darks and lights. The white is gesso where I've had to go back in an get some lights back - they'll be toned down later. I'm planning on doing this painting in my modified Flemish technique, so the next thing (after I'm pretty happy with this stage) will be to create the dead layer and then start glazing.
Then, of course, I'll have to start adding the things in that make it a contemplation rather than just a portrait.
And I need to fix the left (viewer right) eye.
Okay, I'm going to try to update in this post, so it stays in the correct time sequence. We'll see if that works...
I'm kind of breaking the rules, because I decided to do my "dead layer" in the pink as well, just to experiment a little and see what will happen when I start adding layers. Will it work? I don't know...but here's where I am in pinkville...
The left eye is much better, but there is now a really hard edge on that side of the nose that I need to take care of before I start glazing. I'm trying to really even out the skin tones before I put on the first layer of color, so I have a little more work to do in pink.
rollin along...
Well, the wine and chocolate gave me a migraine, but trooper that I am, I pressed on. Now I'm kind of stuck. Should I leave the background my favorite (yet slightly obnoxious and disturbing) quinacridone magenta? Another color? Hmmm. I'm just not sure, yet. This contemplation is on Judgment - that is...how we judge others, not on exercising good judgment...that's pretty harsh, so maybe the harsh background fits. I think I'll let it sit for a while before I decide.
If you like seeing all the in-between steps, click over to my flickr account - they are all there. I'm going to update the YouTube movie later so it will show the complete progression until now.
If you have an opinion about the background - feel free to share it.
And could someone bring some excedrin?
very strong start! I'm pulling up my chair to watch.
ReplyDeleteTerrific! Bring some chocolate, would you? :-D
ReplyDeleteI'd recognize that face anywhere...I'm in. If Linda brings the chocolate, I'll bring the wine...
ReplyDeleteI love watching WIP. May I pull up a chair and watch also.
ReplyDeleteThe more the merrier! Hey Mo - bring the good stuff, okay? You know - the stuff in the box? :-D
ReplyDeleteI'll get back to it after school today...
and at that point, D knew she had her captive audience, slightly inebriated and full of chocolatey goodness...and thus, contemplation #7 began to emerge...
ReplyDelete(pant, pant, huff & puff)... I finally made it here with the chocolate! (My favorite -- Green & Black's Organic Maya Gold -- deLIGHTful with a nice boxed wine. Really.)
ReplyDeleteSo. This rocks. Yep, that's my official verdict so far.
I have to think about the background ... The pink is just so very, well, diahnnish, if you know what I mean, that I think it might work well. However, I wonder about that little element of visual texture that you're planning on incorporating into this piece. Maybe if it was repeated over and over again it would support, and be supported by, the pink. If that makes any sense. What do I know? I'm drinking boxed wine and eating chocolate for Pete's sake! Does anybody have any salty snacks?
Will chocolate covered pretzels do?
ReplyDeleteThis is a facinating post. See the final piece I would never have thought that it was all done in pink at first. Seeing how you work through a painting is such a learning experience. I love blogland, so many people to learn from.