Portrait update

I'm working on the portrait of my mother on a 22 x 30 sheet of Stonehenge.  I started out with charcoal, then couldn't find the charcoal I usually use (its here in the studio somewhere) so added graphite then a touch of coloured charcoal for the clothing.  I haven't used coloured charcoal pencils much, they're a bit of an oddity in my opinion, but can give a subtle hint of colour which may work well in this piece.

As this is a large sheet of paper and the right hand side is predominantly a patterned cover for the sofa she's on, it may take some time to draw.  Or I may reduce the size of the drawing.  We'll see how far my patience lasts with fiddly detail.


The NL Blogroll highlights blogs from around the province and mine was highlighed in the fall, along with others in the past year.  Stephen Harris, the owner started a NL Bloggers Choice Award based on individuals voting via a poll and getting additional points through comments.   If you care to vote for Illustrated Life, you can do so here.  My blog is way out of the running but its fun to participate.

Batik experiment

I'm setting up the large portrait from the study posted last night. It will be on a full sheet of white Stonehenge paper and done in charcoal.  Cross your fingers!

I have been wanting to try a batik techniques in watercolour for a long time, but haven't gotten around to it.  There is limited information on it in this province that I know of so I'm looking for online and written resources.  Then I can across a post on Sandy Maudlin's blog about another less labour intensive batik using masking tape, so I thought I'd have a go with her 'almost batik'.

Sandy has produced some really amazing images with this technique and without pans of steaming wax and mess!  Thanks Sandy for sharing the idea.

As I was up at 4am this morning, not able to sleep, I played around with what started as a little self portrait in ink on a small piece of abstract watercoloured paper that didn't quite make the cut in the freezing process.  I added small pieces of torn low tack masking tape all over it, leaving gaps, then smothered the layer with indigo blue and let it dry.

This image is the result.   I like the jewel effect and the hard edges that some of the tape leaves as well as the darkness of the image. Its difficult to photograph or scan it accurately, even with adjustments.  The colour variances are very subtle. I shall have to experiment more with this.

Study for a portrait

While I wait for both supplies and muse guidance and cooperation from the weather for larger projects, I continue to sketch and draw.

I can hardly begin to describe the pleasure the act of drawing brings.  It is so different than painting or any other form artistic creation.  Its pure comfort to apply graphite to paper and I haven't done enough of it in the last year, so I need to add to my list the production of several pieces in graphite or charcoal.

I have done a sketch of my mother in graphite in a small square sketchbook.  I started this in bed last night, from a photo I had taken of her a couple of years ago.  My mother does NOT like to have her photo taken or her portrait drawin either for that matter, so this image of her smiling is a rarity as she wasn't aware of me taking it at the time.

I like creating a study before a drawing.  Its my 'warm up' before I get going and gives me time to work out placement, values, likeness, etc. From here I will enlarge it onto a sheet of ...Stonehenge perhaps.  I haven't used that for some time and love the soft surface.  Then graphite?  Charcoal?

The muse will decide.

Changing and experimenting

I did a warm up using one of the references from the weekend drawing event WetCanvas holds each week.  I originally considered developing it as demo, but that seemed to deteriorate with my ability (or inability) to make my Flip camcorder stay upright correctly on its tripod.

However, here's the jist of it from start to finish, with a little painting demo thrown in for good measure. I have also now realized that I called the dog a whippet when in fact he is an Italian greyhound.  Oops.

 

I have also played around with a new header for my blog.  And a 'you might like this' feature that will link the reader to previous posts with related content.   I put in some more intenal 'doings' for the blog that you won't see, but will help me track more accurately viewings, posts that general interest, demographics, etc.  I have this already with Statscounter, but it needed some tweaking.

I'm considered a series of paintings based on the success of the Frosted Door to Dawn piece.  I have no shortage of access to old buildings with their doors and windows and winter, so hope to put out at least a small series of old doors and windows, using the ice crystal technique.

Frozen door to dawn

Frost inside windows is often a thing of the past in houses that are so well heated and sealed these days.  But there are some windows that still have coverings of frost patterns from time to time, including my back porch door and windows in the barn.

I wanted to experiment a bit more with ice crystals and watercolour, but in a more structured way instead of abstract forms. A bit of quick planning was needed as the weather this year has been above freezing for quite awhile, with just a couple of early mornings or late nights that have been cold enough to freeze anything.  I had an image of an old door, very similar to a door in the barn with windows held in with aging putty (remember putty?) years of dirt and a bit of luck.  I chose this as the starting point for my image.

The night before I sketched out the door on 300lb watercolour paper and waited for the cold dawn.  I wetted the paper and added pigment to represent the trees and the rising sun peeking through them as I've seen so many times.  I then put the paper outside to freeze, hoping the flurries wouldn't change the effect I was after, it wouldn't blow away or someone/something would take it.

Note the elegant technology of in my method of freezing a watercolour.  Upturned turkey roaster and a bag of dried marrowfat peas to weight the paper.

I have mysterious painting thief you see.  I put two small pieces outside the back door the other night.  There was no wind, no one around, but the deep dark woods.  I weighted the pieces with stones. When I came back 30 minutes later, one was missing, stones and all, the other was still there.  Is there a marauding squirrel who likes art?  A discerning fox?  Tripod??   Wherever it went, I don't know.


However, despite challenges with wind and weather and art thieves, I continued on and the freeze was successful with lovely ice patterns appearing on the 'windows' just as they would in real life.

 

Once it was dried, I continued to build the watercolour of the old door and lock around the frozen paintings that would become the windows.

I'm calling this piece done for now as I could fiddle with it forever, trying to distress it further until I really do distress it!  The paper even though heavy is curled slightly so the image is a bit distorted.  I will take a better image and in day light once the paper has flattened.  It measures about 12 x 15 inches.

Moving forward

This morning I opened a fortune cookie and pulled out the message inside.  It made me smile and I think its a good portent for 2010, so I am posting it here.

I've reviewed and written and scratched out and thought and rewritten and now think that I have the directions in place for where I want to go with my art in 2010. As indicated in a previous post, it will follow three strategic directions, which I have refined a little in terminology for one direction (thanks for jigging the thought in my head Margaret).

• Production
• Visibility
• Revenue

Over the last few years I feel as if I've been testing many fields in terms of subject, medium, support, etc.  Like a lightbulb coming on in my head, there has been more clarity lately of where I want to go and what I want to achieve with my art.  It maybe a natural progression of time, familiarity, finding a comfort zone etc., but it has arrived.   I know what I need to do to achieve it.  Just getting there is the challenge.

I have a full time job and a life besides art, though a lot of the time it doesn't feel that way, as art encompasses so much of what I do.  Finding the balance of time and energy is challenging the older I become too, but like everything, I make time for something that is important to me and stop myself throwing up excuses of why I can't do something.

My natural self is fairly reserved and not wanting to be in the spotlight, so putting my work - an extension of myself - out to be rejected through juried exhibitions or galleries always becomes stressful to me.  I force myself to do it and to enjoy doing it and it becomes easier the more it is done.  The critiques I receive are taken as given, helping me grow, not personal attacks as they could be perceived in early art life.

Art resumes grow, artist statements become easier (well sometimes), techniques are mastered and shared, new mediums and supports are experimented with and I grow as an artist.

The functions under each direction that  I want to take can be multipurpose, in that one function may hit all three directions, which is a good thing, as it saves me time and effort.

Production
Producing pieces of art is the essences of being an artist.

I will produce a body of work in gyotaku.  This will be a minimum of 8 large pieces that are cohesive and connected and that will be exhibited at a local gallery. I am hoping that it will be tied into a grant, but if the grant doesn't materialize, the work will still exist.  I will simply have to work harder to produce other pieces to support its existence.

I will continue to produce portraits of both people and animals for pleasure and commissions.

I will experiment in other mediums and become familiar with them. 

I will take a portrait class with Gerry Squires.   I have wanted to do this for years, but timing has always clashed.  Its not cheap to do, but well worth it in terms of information learned from him.

Visibility
I haven't devoted enough time to network with other local artists in the real world.  The online art community is vital and important, but the real world is often where more art sells and I have neglected that.


I will become involved in the creation of a local artist's group to draw or paint with, exhibit with and learn with.

I will become a member of two other art organizations locally that will increase my visibility and allow me additional opportunities to show my art.

I will submit art to the provincial Art Bank, Arts and Letters Awards and to a minimum of two juried exhibitions.


Revenue
Art is the bread and butter of artists.  At this point in life, no I don't need it to exist and yes if I did, it could be a tenuous existance.  However, I want recognition for my work, tangible recognition for my creativity, years of learning and hard work.


I will produce and market prints and greeting cards of my work through local stores as well as my Etsy shop.

I will apply for a local grant to support the creation of a body of work

I will develop drawing and painting tutorials which will be for sale online.  I would like to produce four of these as a minimum.

I will market and offer workshops in my strength areas of drawing, coloured pencil, gyotaku and watercolour.

I will hold an exhibition of works for sale.

Roll on 2010, I'm ready and waiting for you!