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Thursday, May 17, 2012

Kelly And An Old Friend


Kelly
This "rough painting" or "gestural painting" may look easy, but it's not. Wet into wet painting with oils is messy. I've got oil on my tee shirt. I've got oil on my pants. I have oil under my finger nails. Indeed, I have a tendency to want to finger paint with the stuff. My overall goal is to not mix mud.

 There's mud in this painting, but it can be corrected--tomorrow--with a little drying time. Meanwhile I am freeing up. It's just going to take some time till I am as free with oils as I am with acrylics.  --Looking at the painting her, the paint is a little thick; I see ridges. Then there's Kelly's brother in-law.

Kelly's brother in-laws

Jon I've got.  He still doesn't have a mouth, (not such a bad thing), and his forehead is a bit off on the right side, but he is who he is.  His brother is not quite.

Glancing into the studio yesterday on one of my trips by, I thought,"Analyze the facial proportions." I did. I got his eyes. I shortened his chin and, in the process, elongated his neck, a move in the right direction. But his nose and mouth still need work.  So what else is new?

My double oven broke.  My cleaning spree is getting costly. I've got to give it up.  It's my fault. In a fit of homemakeritis, I decided to self clean my oven and the feature blew the thermostat and the interior fuse. I have a guy coming out Monday on a "diagnostic call." So it's fry pans for us for a while.  Artists should not clean. They should stick with what they know. I've been telling Honey this. He'll believe it when he's handed the bill.

28 comments:

  1. You always make me laugh Linda. Not having a mouth IS a bad thing :-)))))

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    1. Well in an opinionated family, one less opinion heard isn't a bad thing.LOL. When we're all together, passionate discussions, a variety of viewpoints, everybody talking over everybody else makes for a lot of exhausting stimulation. We actually love it and can't get enough of it.

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  2. I'm finding your text alongside your confident brush strokes an interesting juxtaposition.

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    1. I am two faced Mick when it comes to my art. I'm bold and timid at the same time. In the end though, boldness always overpowers my insecurities. In the end, I get angry at any timidness and will assert. That reaction has cost me a few paintings, but it's also produced a few amazing paintings. Thanks for noticing. That's very astute of you.

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  3. HI Linda--Came across Raul Giland well, you've got to check this guy out. http://raulgilpinturas.blogspot.com/
    I know he's a photorealist of sorts, but the colors of some of his woods scenes should bring a smile to your face.

    The oil sketch of the girl is outstanding. I like the hand and how it sets off the face, and I really like her expression.

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    1. Raul's woods are great Bill! I especially liked the winter and fall paintings. Detail doesn't scare him away. Plus I liked his other subjects--lots of crowds, noises of the city, multitude of colors. Beautiful. I followed, but could tell him. I didn't see comment written anywhere. --He's not that uptight kind of photorealist though that makes me nervous.

      Thanks, she's not finished yet--she just looks finished. A few more dabs should do her.

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  4. I wouldn't do too much more to Kelly --the painting is excellent!!

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    1. There is much more to do Dan. With these little 8 x 10 busts, I'm just trying to set myself free with the medium and that is happening. As I sit here replying, I'm waiting to put a wash load of my clothes in the dryer. I spent the morning scrubbing oil paint spots gone. I felt like Lady Macbeth.

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  5. Linda i love the truth you put into each of your posts. Painting is all about truth, there's no faking it, just like you posts.
    I think Kelly is great, but i bet a second layer for texture could really make this hummer ding.
    Don't be afraid of the mud, mud is good. and i love how you get paint everywhere, it shows you really get into your work.
    Great job and thanks for sharing your insight!

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    1. I'm going into Kelly again this PM with dots and dabs and streaks. Actually, I'm not afraid of mud. I mix it from all the colors used on the painting's palette. Mud is how I get unification. But there's got to be some bright spots too--you know what they say: all mud and no brilliance is just mud.

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  6. good paintings! It is fun to see such spontaneous strokes in portraits. Keep them coming! Sorry about your oven. Thank goodness it can be fixed!

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    1. I'll try. I think I'm going to take it out of doors today and give the portraits a rest--or me a rest from the portraits. I feel the need for some greenery.

      I spent the afternoon on the phone with Whirlpool and made a deal where I don't have to buy a new oven; they'll fix this one. They will be out Monday. They didn't want this semi-retired kitchen designer unhappy with their product.

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  7. Love it! Cleaning provides it's own punishment! I also frequently create more problems than I solve, when I clean.

    The oil sketch of Kelly is lovely; lovely diagonals and color.

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    1. I got up this morning declaring I would not clean a thing--and here am I removing oil paint stains from my tee shirt and clam diggers--the only pair I own--so they're important. All stains came out with a combo of chemicals and elbow grease I'm happy to say. I'm also happy to say, I will be putting on my painting apron religiously from now on. --It's odd though. Oil paint can be removed from clothes; acrylics, not so. My acrylic trademark is a dot of Dioxinine and a dot of Thalo Green (blue) on all my paintwear.

      A few more touches to Kelly and I'm on to Therese, another DIL.
      I'm catching up with my girls. Have to keep everybody happy and they are more interesting than old pictures of me for learning the craft.

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  8. Your loose effortless style is wonderful.you make it look easy even if it isn't. I enjoyed reading your post as well-you've got a dry sense of humour that appeals to me! Thanks for your comment on my pig. I see what you mean about the background. I actually did use the same pointillism style on the sky but as it was very similar shades of blue you can't really tell and I wanted her snout to stand out from the rest as it did in the photo I used to paint her from. Maybe it gets lost a little in translation to canvas!

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    1. It's a tough value call---to let the pig stand clearly forward or to pull him back a bit. I would be curious--but bare in mind my curiosity has killed a few paintings. The visit was my pleasure. I really never saw one of those animals or knew they existed. You educated me. Thanks.

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  9. I chuckle but I feel your pain (about the oven.) I am going to let my husband heed (I mean read;-) your advice that artists should not clean. I think that's the soundest advice I have heard in years;-) I have never touched oils (when I started painting 3 years ago someone advised me that oils and little children around the house just do not do well together.) So I admire the process of you oil-gurus. I am really enjoying watching your journey as you paint your boys. I do learn so much about your musings and comments! PS: Thank you for you kind words on my blog. And I am truly humbled and honored to be on your side bar...

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    1. You just started painting 3 years ago? Your work doesn't look it; it looks like you've been painting all your life.

      I've painted mostly off my whole life. I got serious about art two and a half years ago when I started the blog to make me produce. The blog worked. It took me 2 years of producing daily to find what I liked to paint the most. It turns out portraiture was genre. So I'm back to oils and narrowing down the style that suits me. Gestural is my preference. There's a suggestion of motion in it that I like. Me and my boys and other family members are my guinea pigs--I should find a better description than that.

      It's my pleasure to have you on my side board. Others should see your work. I really think it's unique and your guys must be so proud of their mom.

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  10. I had already written a comment on this - I thought so anyway!
    I really love the portrait of Kelly. Such a natural position and you captured it perfectly. I also have enjoyed reading the other blog and it reminded me to check on my domain name status.

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    1. Deja vu Julie. You probably did. This is a work in progress. You're seeing how it has progressed or digressed? Glad I could be of service on my other blog.

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  11. kelly is excellent linda ... great gestural painting

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    1. Thank you, but I'm still not satisfied. My brushwork is still feeling it out--too many strokes. I'm after simplicity--LOL. I'm after knowing what I'm doing and doing it just like that.

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  12. I am so imposed - it is lovely to read how you work - now I learned something new - I think Kelly portrait is beautiful.

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    1. That's so kind of you to say Maria, thank you. She needs a few touches. There are still spaces of untouched canvas peeking through. --Beautiful fields of yellow against that blue in your post.

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  13. Love this painting of Kelly , great position like in deep thought, greatly rendered.

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    1. Thanks Jane. I figure I took the photo on one of our family get togethers where we tend to push the togetherness to the hilt since we are seldom together. She had probably had enough of the Roths.

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  14. I reckon by the time you get this oil painting/portraiture well and truly licked you will be a fully fledged surgeon, Linda. With fixing chins and mouths and shortening necks. The only painter to use a scalpel instead of a brush :0)

    I'm banned from using anything sticky, like glue or duct tape ... I can just imagine the mess I'd get into with oils!

    Sorry about the oven!

    Another great post, Linda.

    Have a good weekend.

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    1. A sculptor at heart, painting is sculpting with values. Unfortunately for simplicity,KISS, I notice all the values between light and dark--foreground and background. Those values are what carve forms on that flat surface and make painting difficult for me.

      Thanks about the oven. I took care of it without having to go to the appliance store for a new one. I cried my woes to the manufacturer.

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