Yesterday was a bit of a disaster for me in life drawing class. I was almost in tears with sheer frustration at how appallingly bad my painting was. I kept going, and I have to say I got practically nowhere. Today, it was back to the drawing board, and I wondered if today was going to be as bad as yesterday. No life drawing, but I had to start work on my painting for Contextual Studies.
I showed you a couple of ideas I had for composition yesterday, and I started out this morning with a fixed idea of what I wanted my painting to look like. I thought to myself that it probably wouldn’t turn out anything like I expected or wanted. It so happened that it didn’t turn out quite how I expected. I even told my tutor in detail what I was going for, and she liked the sound of it. I did too. However, as most of you will know, nothing ever really turns out how you expect it. That’s not to say my day wasn’t productive. It was. It was extremely productive and I felt much better today.
I went into class, and started on my work immediately, while people were still coming into the class. I was desperate to get on with my work. I laid down my background, and it looked hideous! I then attacked it with my graphite stick – quite frantically, I may add. Then I started adding paint. I kept my palette really controlled – just using burnt umber, mars black, zinc white, and cadmium yellow. I was trying to keep it fairly monochromatic. However, it was feeling rather cool even though I liked how it was going. So I added alizarin crimson into the mix. Adding it to the cadmium yellow and burnt umber. This made a huge difference.
By the time class ended 2 hours later, I didn’t want to stop. I was in the zone! I was worried that I wouldn’t get my mojo back in the afternoon, after my second class. However, I was able to get back in the zone. Then I hit ‘the wall’. You know that stage when you know it needs work, but you haven’t a clue what to do about it? So I got a bit of expert advice from my tutor, and I added a touch of colour in small areas and voila, it was done! Three and a half hours of bliss, and this was the result. Click to enlarge.
Acrylic on paper (42 x 60cm)
Now it is actually a bit darker than this in reality, but that’s down to the camera and the light. I think it has changed quite a bit from the original Dali and Picasso images.
Picasso – Seated Bather
Picasso – Dream
Dali – Pierrot Playing The Guitar
Picasso – The Studio
I’m really chuffed to bits with this painting, as you can probably tell. I have one more painting for this subject, and that’s me finished. The problem is that I still have almost 5 weeks left to go. So I’m thinking that I will create some more based on all of the paintings I selected for study. That will at least give me more paintings to take in for my interview at uni!
Hi Heather! Just stopped by to say hello!
Hi Mark! Hello back to you! Hope you are well.
I like your painting very much. i like the depth achieved in the background and how you tied space together with the white post-like things in the center.
Thank you Leslie. I am really pleased with it, although my hubby thinks I should create paintings that aren’t so dark. He likes my paintings to be full of colour, but I can’t help myself. I’m drawn to these things. The post is supposed to be a bridge, although in the original Picasso piece, it’s a table. I wanted to create the illusion of looking through the centre of the piece into the sea, hence the boat beside it.
Nice job, Heather. It's always a great feeling when things go the way you want them. You've got a great problem being ahead of schedule with completing your paintings. It's great that you're going to put that time to good use.
-Don
Thank you Don. Considering the near tears the day before, it was such a relief for things to go so well yesterday. Plus, I’ve now got the time in that class to do other things without any pressure, so I can just enjoy the process.
The darkness will take care of itself in time. You create what is called "low-key" paintings. That is OK. Many artists do.
Yes! I agree. Many artists do create low-key paintings. Sometimes I don’t but often I do. I feel that I’m just starting to get to grips with some things, such as shadows, and highlights. I’m understanding where to put in warm and cool colours, although I find it much easier with a limited palette, and where the colours are low-key. It’s when things start to become higher-key that I start to struggle. Perhaps as you say, that will come with time. Thanks Leslie!
wow Heather – I think this is a wonderful painting! congratulations
Thank you so much Jeane. I really had no idea how I was going to paint this, but it’s great to see that friends’ art can pull me out of the that big black hole and inspire me. Thank you for that!
Great job, Heather again.
I like the way you paint and you describe your thoughts too.
Thank you for share it, my dear friend!
Enjoy the moment!!!
Thank you Alina. I try not to pin myself down to one style, and try to be as imaginative as I can. As for my thoughts, I never think about that side. I always think my pages sound a bit stuffy. Perhaps that’s just me, and because I know what I sound like when I talk to friends! Lol.