Grey Field

Here's what I have been working on lately. There is no sound yet, but eventually I am imagining some sort of low drone . . . The speed on this piece might be a bit faster than the final version will be . . . but this is something.

Work 8/27-8/29

Something needed to happen to this portrait which was started in May of 2010. The last time I looked at it here it just was too straight forward and matter of fact. The stripes help push it back some, but now I wonder if I need to knock back into the stripes with some flesh tone a bit. Stripping pictures below.

New piece, starting off with a trapezoid format, image based on a photo of my brother looking over the armrest of a couch with Caleb in the background.

Removed the two 12" squares from the bottom left, replaced with 12x24 and began tightening the portrait further.

Work 8/22–8/25

Starting to add some color to the underpainting. Oil.

I did a bad job of documenting this. Here is a brief explanation: working with 2 12" squares and a 12"x24 rectangle it was my intention to replace the bottom left corner of one of the red portrait started this past spring as I want the original for another composition.  The panels were given a green coat of acrylic and than some tape patterning and rotating of the panels occurred. The ultimate result of these efforts was than incorporated into the bottom corner as depicted below.

This is not working well at the moment, really it looked better before the portrait was reworked back onto the new panels. Not sure if there is too much pattern happening throughout  the piece or if it is an issue of the revised corner of the portrait being underdeveloped, but something feels very straight forward and lacking of interest. 

Weekend Work 8/20

Worked with tape and paint pattern this weekend, below are progression shots of what happened on a few panels:

With a portion of the tape removed and the remaining paint and tape in place this is dynamic. I'd like to intentionally try and work some patterns and images this way at some point.

Work from 8/15 - 8/18

Prepared surface ready for another oil sketch.

Getting ready to do some pattern work, masking tape starting to be applied. Some work was also done to the portrait that you can see peaking out from behind the pattern piece.

Work 8/4 - 8/10

Finally wrapped up the new panels: 15 24"x48" Rectangles, 15 24"x24" Squares, 4 24"x24" Triangles, 10 12"x12" Squares and 8 12" x 24" Rectangles. It was starting to feel a bit obsessive with the fabrication and the urge to make a great deal more small panels was there, but it was time to stop and get to painting.

Trying to get back into the painting.

New panels, 2 small squares, 1 small rectangle, 1 large rectangle and 1 large square. The panels were worked together and once they dry will be broken apart and rearranged and than something else applied on top.

Beginning of an oil painting of a hanging fern and American flag on our front porch over this past Memorial Day.

Panel Formats Expand

This is the current collection of panel formats. The large square and rectangle of course being where everything started from and the triangle was added this past spring. The 1x1 and 1x2 formats were created as a way to add to the mix although I do not see them being too prevalent in the work at this point but rather included as a way to add some physical interest and focus in certain arrangements. I really need to stop with the fabrication and get to the painting.