Painting
FluidBeauty.com YouTube Channel
I made a video of the last painting I did, from start to finish. The painting took about three days to complete, the video spans those three days.
The drippy real fluid stuff starts at about 2:30 or so. The end is a little boring because I’m just focusing on the details of the eyes and mouth and because I haven’t figured everything out with the video quality, it’s tough for you to see.
Please let me know if you are interested in seeing more of these.
The painting
Veronica 3: Dyes
It’s been a week or so since I painted. Usually my “first painting back” is a little wild and this painting is no different. Luckily, I’m learning some control even when I’m all jacked up to paint. In years past, this painting would have sucked. Heh. I’ll post some pictures of these types of paintings to illustrate the point and help me to see my growth.
Meanwhile, I really like a lot of what turned out in this painting.
Also, it’s my third painting using watercolor canvas and I continue to fall in love with it. I never, ever thought I’d replace my cotton illustration board, but with this specially treated canvas I’m getting the effects I want with the added bonuses of more control, no warping, and a gallery-ready piece.
Here’s another of Veronica, who’s just an exceptional model to work with and creates amazing shots that make it easy for me to paint. Higher quality photos next week.
New Painting. Easier than I thought
I finished this about 10 minutes ago.
You may remember the color study
The hold up was that I didn’t know what music to play while I painted. Sounds trivial, but the thing is that I didn’t know that was the hold up for a couple of weeks. I figured it out earlier today. So, clearly it didn’t take long to fix.
I listened to Firewater, BTW. I’ve only painted with these colors a few times before. I’ve used Alice in Chains, but it’s a slightly different feel. If you’re reading this and think I’m nuts, I have synesthesia so I see colors when I hear sound. It makes it easy to come up with color schemes. Sometimes I pick the music to fit the colors, most often I pick the colors to fit the music. At some point, I’ll mention which music goes with which paintings / colors / styles.
Right now I’m going to enjoy a feeling of accomplishment.
Daily Sketch + painting series
Today’s sketch(es)
Also, I’m working on a series, here’s how far I’ve gotten.
I don’t shoot a series all at once, I actually shoot poses for several series with a model and then let the series come together over the years as I match the right model to the series. So, I’ve been working on this series for six years. I have all the rest of the paintings for this series on canvas, ready to be painted. I’d like to finish it this month.
This series has kind of been my main thesis, about portraying feminine strength and confidence. I’ll write more about how I got here when I’m complete, but for now, that’s a peak into how this works and the long term plan I started back on ’03 when Trish asked, “why don’t you try to get a gallery show?”
Julie. Green
One of the things it’s easier to do with oil than the dyes is paint with green.
Here’s an image from my second or third shoot ever. I recently got back in touch with this model after a very long time. Thanks, Facebook.
I’m working on more from the shoot. I’ve tried to paint from these images for years, but because of the lighting, they just didn’t work well in watercolors or dyes. Now that I’ve learned to paint in oils, I can give them another shot.
Recent painting, new color palette
Been busy. Working on my last run of paintings before my new boy arrives in September and I go on hiatus.
Here’s one I painted in the past couple of weeks. It’s a new color palette. If you know that I have synesthesia, then it’ll make sense when I tell you that I see the colors in this palette when I hear the Ting Tings.
Recent paintings
Last week was a pretty damn productive one. I finished a painting last Sunday, then I did another Monday and Tuesday and then Friday I nearly completed a painting that night.
Here’s crappy pics of the them, I shot some quality ones outside today, but I’ll have to pull them off the flash card tomorrow / Monday night. Weird trivia: a couple of nights I turned down drinking with friends and painted instead. Coincidental. But, hey, if you want to help me paint, throw me some drinking invites. Apparently they drive me to paint.
Thanks to all my friends who commented on these already. It’s flattering and keeps me going even when I just want to enjoy the weather. Though now I’m painting in oils maybe I’ll paint outside old school.
Here they is:
Mosh from 5/8
Lilah from Cinco de Mayo
Veronica from 5/3
This one’s next:
Veronica Painting Finished
I had some uncertainty doing this but I like the way it turned out.
I’m still getting comfortable with oils. I have to accept the fact that I have to paint from dark to light. I now know that waiting four days in between painting after putting in the darks is too long. Still looking for a sharp edge from a brush while painting with oils. I also want to play a little more and on the other end, I’d like to have a little more control on the shadows from the hair on the face.