Gettin' there. You'll notice that the background turned into a beach. Actually, when I first saw the reference photo sent to me by David, I thought it was a beach... probably because of the umbrella that was behind the truck. I realized my mistake half a second later, but still thought it was a good idea.
Now that I've gotten this far, I'm thinking I want a little more activity in the dark wall behind the truck. This would be a perfect opportunity to take advantage of a really roughly laid in transparent brushy texture. The kind that you paint in dynamically at the very get go, and somehow hang onto (not paint over). I should have foreseen that, but obviously I didn't. I can't get that "look" back at this point because the paint there is already dry. So I'm going to try one of two things; either sand down the surface (just that area) to the original gesso ground and start over, or paint other "stuff" into the dark area which will increase activity.
The far background is just laid in quickly and I'd like to see it done more carefully. Not more detail or realism, just more intentional strokes.
One of my favorite compositional devices is a large passive area, and that's what the ground plane is, in this painting. Passive doesn't mean nothing's going on, however. So I am going to work a bit more variation and movement into it so that it does more than just set up the focal point. I haven't decided how I'm going to do that, but it won't be anything dramatic.
I'll be back after Thanksgiving~
8 comments:
I enjoyed seeing you process. It is great how you kept the freshness of your start.
The monochromatic of this was just wonderful. I enjoy this also. So often a painting takes on its own feeling and mood; the painter is just along for the journey.
Terry- I really like reading the thoughts you have about certain areas as well as techniques. I would never thought of sanding and area and I've often had that same situation you've described.
I like the golden glow of that truck and it's maturity of stature.
Here's to old!
Thanks Stefan~ I might tighten up and ruin it yet!! (happens often :-0)
hey darrell~ isn't that what Obi Wan said? haha I agree. especially if you're lucky enough to get in the zone, there's nothing else like it when a painting starts to paint itself, eh?
Thanks bonnie~ yeah, when I was in school, and an instructor is doing a demo, I'd often pester them to "think out loud" . You get more than the "what" and the "how" of the process. You get the oft-missing "why". Which, I think is where all the good stuff is.
Smokin' work, I just found you thru Lobenberg's blog. But there was no reason do go any further with the truck past that first sketch - that was it!! The Louvre is killer too.
Thanks Nick! And might I say your work kicks ass too!
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