Next!

This painting I started a couple of years ago in Ireland. I got frustrated half way through it because I had purchased a cheap beginners acrylic paint set and the colors kept washing out. Basically not enough pigment in the tube. So I brought it home with the hopes of finishing it here in NY, but it never happened. I just placed it on my easel and ignored it.

Today I am setting up my work space (which a while ago became more of a cluttered storage space than an art space), so that I may finish it. I will be painting again, and building again, and animating again. I vow to no longer ignore this art of mine. I think it was the drive to digital that did it for me. I LOVE the smell, feel, and touch of paint and pencils and paper and canvas. I love ending the day covered in plaster, or paint, or glue, or with tiny little cuts from xacto knives (well maybe not the cuts, but glue gun burns, how I laugh at thee!). I am physical! That is why I couldn't finish my computer animation courses. I didn't want to do my art in only the theoretical sphere of virtual images. Where the only proof of a long day at work, was sore eyes, sore neck and back, and a wider derrière. Where walking down the street people know you only by the slumped walk and the hollow eyes of a computer nerd....

But I digress. I know it's not like that. And with Cyntiqs and faster and better computers, well I can see how much faster and better it can be. But you can't take away the joy I get from walking into an oil studio and smelling the paint and turpentine. And so I paint. And build. And continue to animate in the physical realm. That is my joy, and hopefully it's partly yours too.

Don't worry boys and girls, more to come very soon. Until then, go get dirty and have fun doing it!

C'est Fini

The painting... finished. The hair didn't come out great, nor Ok. But I've decided that I'm finished. I can continue, and continue and continue, but that may mean that I'll just mess it up. I think I got the face good enough for me after so many days, months, and years of not painting. Actually, I do believe that this may be my best self-portrait in all the years that I've done them. That makes me happy. Oh by the way the warmth of the painting compared to the other versions is due to the yellow light indoors. It's been to foggy in Ireland lately to paint outside. Fingers crossed for next time.

Now on to the next one.

Which after some deliberation from friends, neighbors and random strangers stopped on the street are going to be "studies" of other more famous and known painters and paintings. I am quite excited about this.

Don't worry boys and girls, there is loads more to come!

Today's studio space

Gorgeous sunlight and warmth today. So painting outside!

Paint, paint, and more paint

So the right is half way through the painting process yesterday as I started trying to get the portrait better. I also wanted to show it to you as well as showing where I ended yesterday so that you can't say that I just started another painting, instead of working over the first one. It's interesting to see them both side to side.

I think it definitely looks like an improvement, as I have "remembered" how to manipulate the paint a bit more, though still not with the confidence I remember I once had. I did stop the other day though because though I painted my face a bit better, I wanted to "style" my hair for the "final" painting so that I looked all pretty and dolled up. No one says that I'm not vain, so I may as well look my best. Though lets be honest I do have a worried look on my face as I paint, more from concentration that anything else. I'm happy where I finished and can't wait to take the time tomorrow to place the last couple of details and then maybe sketch out the next painting. Only 9 more to go!

Traveling studio space

Here is the "studio space" I'm working with. The other day I was set up outside. Today due to the typical Irish weather I've been brought indoors. A couple of corrections lines as promised and now off to paint.

First painting 2011....

So I haven't painted in years as you can tell. And on top of that I decided to do a portrait... self-portrait. It's BAD... REAL BAD. But I thought that maybe you can see the progress over time. My nose is off, the eyes not only off but cartoony, among other things. I'm hoping that in the next couple of days to "fix" it, that way I can "remember" my painting technique.

I'm using acrylics on paper and I love the texture the paper gives. I know that by the time I am done all that texture will be gone, but that's the nature of plastic, which is as we know all that acrylics is. I almost wish I had brought oils with me to be able to work the paint better, but acrylics are more forgiving (not going muddy so fast and keeping their pigment longer). Also I can wait a day and practically start over.

Tonight I will draw the basic portrait lines of eyes/nose/mouth, and start painting over this one. I feel like you can see that I have an IDEA of what I need to do with this one, but obviously technique is not yet there. That and I may need better and smaller brushes for some of the tiny details.

I actually can't wait to see how this progresses. And then maybe do some more. The acrylic paper pad I brought with me has 10 sheets. I have 2 weeks left. Here's to hoping that the pad is complete by the time I get back. Finger's crossed.

My giant tabi sock

So here it is. My first attempt at a sock, done in the toe down method. It is massive. Giant! It'll be a Christmas sock of course. But it was fun to make and I can't wait to make a human sized pair.