Sketches

I have much more sketching with charcoal this semester than previously. Here are a few examples of my sketches. Of the sketches shown, two have become paintings.

 



Completed Experiment

2'x2'

Oil and tempera on panel

 

This completed piece was very experimental, but I am very happy with the result. I had my daughter paint a picture of her choice on one of my primed wood panels using black tempera paint. Once dry, I painted a view of my hallway on top of her image transparently. I feel that this piece offers a very interesting contrast of worlds. It contrasts the child-like imaginary world with the realistic world of the parent. I intentionally left some areas much more transparent and less "finished" than others in order to allow pieces of my daughter's drawing to show through. After completing this piece she accused me of ruining her painting.

Recent Completed Work (Possibly)

Work in Progress

I've made more progress on this 2'x4' painting on wood panel. This painting is meant to show the view down my hallway and into my living room where my children sit on the floor playing. There is a trail of debris left from my children that starts off larger in the foreground and becomes smaller as it goes further back. The perspective has been slightly distorted and the change in size has been intentionally exaggerated. I started off using a limited palette and am now beginning to add more color. There are still many changes that I plan on making before I will consider this painting finished.

 

This small painting of my daughter's shoe (4"x6") is meant to represent yet another trace left behind by my children. Wherever they go they leave behind a trail of toys, clothing, drawings, etc. This is also a close-up of part of the larger painting above. At first this painting was done entirely in back and white, but once dry I experimented with glazing to add some color.

 

 

This more recent painting is also on 2'x4' wood panel and it is also incomplete. This is the view looking into the chaos of my daughter's bedroom. It is meant to be a confrontational painting as it is my intention of having her looking up and making eye contact with the viewer, while at the same time guarding the mess behind her. I will be changing some aspects of this painting to better show her small size.

 

 

 

This is my most recent work in progress. This painting only 5"x6.5" and also on wood panel. So far it has been done entirely with a palette knife and I am working on using a much less limited color palette.

Work in Progess - Semester 2

 This semester I am planning on focusing on scenes that show the chaotic nature of motherhood.

 

None of these painting are in any way finished.

 

2'x4'

For this painting I have not yet decided whether or not to go full palette or stay limited.

 

 

Each 4"x6"

These paintings are each of objects that my children have left behind on the floor.

They are the close-ups of some of the objects that appear in the larger painting above.

For each of these small paintings I am planning on painting them first using only black and white. Once dry I might add a transparent layer of color over the main object.

  



Completed Work - MFA Residency 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Work, New Directions

 

 

 

 

Working Small

 

4"x6"

Work in Progress

 

Details for Larger Painting

- Focus on light/dark contrast

- Limited palette

 

 

More Palette Knife Paintings

 

I am strangely beginning to find these smaller, less detailed paintings to be more interesting (and enjoyable) than my larger, more detailed paintings. I have been going back to these every time I get stuck on a larger painting. At first the lack of control was frustrating but now it seems liberating.

 

 

New Work in Progress



- Very beginning stages

- Focus on playing with scale

More Palette Knife Paintings

 

 

New Way of Approaching Portraiture

I'm finally starting to realize that in order to make a portrait really be about someone, sometimes you have to stop focusing on what that person looks like. I feel like this is a huge step for me. I have been so focused on trying to make my paintings look like who they are of, but once I'm finished they really do not say anything about that person other than what they look like. I think my work will start to look very different now. Just a few of the artists I am now looking at are Susan Lichtman, Fairfield, Bonnard and Hopper. 

Work In Progress

Most recent painting - In progress

First time using a palette knife for painting on a large scale (2'x3')

Palette Knife Sketches

My mentor suggested I try doing some paint sketches using only a palette knife, focusing mainly on light and using a limited palette. It was...interesting. I have never tried painting this way and I had to give up a lot of control while using the palette knife. Here are a couple of my sketches.

Color Palette Experiments

Experiments with Color Palettes

 

Lamp Black and Titanium White

 

Lamp Black, Brilliant Red, Yellow Ochre and Flake White

 

Lamp Black, Burnt Umber, Sap Green, Yellow Ochre and Titanium White

 

 

 

Lamp Black, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Yellow Ochre and Titanium White