This is the third time I’ve tried to write this post. The first time I didn’t know what to write about. I didn’t think I had anything to write about, so I just started writing and finally found something. But I didn’t get it posted. So, I tried again to write an update of what has happened since the last post, and it was long. I thought about trying to use what I wrote for that but in the couple days between finishing it and now, well, more has happened, and it would take considerable editing and then be even longer. So here goes.
I have finished both the Telecaster painting and the Turtle. Both have been to the photographer and back. I did something with these pieces that I’ve not done before. I kept track of how long it took me to complete them. From first pencil marks on board or paper to completion. Every time I sat down to work on them, I made a note of the time I started and stopped. It was a bit of an eye-opener.
The Telecaster painting is 12 inches by 16 inches. It is colored stippling using liquid acrylic inks on smooth gesso-ed canvas board. The background is brushed on liquid acrylic inks. It took about 47 hours to complete.
The Turtle painting is 18 inches by 24 inches. It is black ink stippling on watercolor paper. I used Copic Multi-liner pens to execute the small dots that make up the image. This one took 80 hours.
I had never made an effort to figure out how long some of my art takes me to do. I think that is partly because in the past I would work on a piece for a while and then work on something else for a while and maybe not get back to the first piece for days, or weeks. And maybe, also, because I didn’t take it seriously. But recently, as I’ve been trying to get my art in front of more people, I’ve had more people ask me how long a piece takes. So, this time I kept track.
If you’re wondering if that has made a difference in how I see my work? Yes. It did. I’m still processing that, so I don’t have any more to share about that yet. Let me let it sink in for a bit.
I did learn with the Telecaster that I prefer to do those type of paintings on a tinted support be that board or paper. So even though the grey under the Ovation was hard to cover, it did serve the purpose of making it very easy to tell if I had enough color saturation (enough dots). With the white support for the Telecaster, it was easy to think I’d got enough dots when really it needed another layer. So, the next one like that, I’ll be coloring the board before I start the dots.
I have two other paintings that I prepared when I started the Turtle and the Telecaster, so I’ll be working on those next. They are both watercolor paintings of flowers. Black Tulips to be more specific. When I was in Paris with my sister we walked through a large and beautiful garden on our way to the Louvre one day. We knew we wouldn’t be going in the Louvre, so we enjoyed the walk in the garden seeing the flowers, and trees, and sculptures. And we took pictures. Had I realized I would be painting them I probably would have taken the pictures more purposefully. As it is the reference I’m using was taken by my sister. Yay, sis!
I attempted to paint a black tulip not long after we got back but it didn’t go well, in my opinion. I’m sure someone would say it looks fine, but for me it’s an ok first attempt. I’ve had opportunity to watch parts of a bunch of process videos since then and I’ve learned a few things that I think will make these paintings turn out better.
The first one I’m working on is a small piece, just 8 inches by 8 inches, like many of my previous flower paintings. Its focus is a single tulip and so far, I’m quite pleased with it. I’m using the same paper I’ve used for the previous square shaped flower paintings, so I know and am comfortable with how the paper and the paint work together.
The second watercolor will be a little different, and bigger. It is on 12 inches by 12 inches watercolor paper that is made by the same company that makes the other paper I’m using but this is cold press, and the surface is a bit different, so I don’t know how that one will go. I’ll need to be patient with it. Also, it is a grouping of flowers, there are 3 tulips to feature in it so that will be a new challenge for me.
I haven’t quite decided what I’ll work on after I finish these two. It might be time to start thinking about that and sorting through photos. I have started a pastel piece, mostly as an experiment, that I might either finish as a pastel, or do as a watercolor, or maybe a modified version of it as a watercolor, or maybe do both the pastel and the modified watercolor. I’m not sure yet. I do like the color and the vibrancy of it.
So, there’s an art update. There is always more going on that is just life stuff and I’m not sure it’s worth writing about. Though since some of it probably got in the mental way of my getting this post out much sooner, I probably could have written about it. Rest assured, none of it was really bad or tragic. Just some car issues, that are frustrating, a bit of scheduled dental work, and either allergies or a cold or a combination. I have been out to play music. With the holidays over the jams have started back up and I’ve been to them. The last one was a lot of fun. We had a lot of players which is always fabulous. I’m hoping that happens more often. I would enjoy more opportunities to hang back and play and learn. Of course, that might mean I’ll need to put in a bit more practice more regularly and learn a few more songs. Like that’s a bad thing. It would be good example for my guitar student as well. Hopefully that gets you up to speed again. I’ll try to do better but you know, life, and art, and music, and…. Anyway. Until the next time. Cheers!