What A Good Monday

I have a few things to put up - I had a nice time at the studio tonight and got a lot done. Because I work with a lot of layers I usually do a little bit each on 5-6 pieces every time I go in; that way each can dry while I work on the others. Above is a study of an arm that I'm working on - don't know how well it will translate to the web; I'm doing it all in white, because I think it will be fun :) and probably help develop some color sensitivity.

This one's a figure study for a painting I'm working on based on Fergus and the Druid, by W.B. Yeats. I've put in the druid already, but the figure of Fergus was very blocky and not that convincing, so I did this sketch before going back into the painting and glazing over my underpainting. (Confusing, I know :P ). Fergus is crouching in the surf on the bleak beach as the druid looms over him.


Here's a photo of the painting. I know, it's a terrible photo. Get used to it:) The color is off and it's fuzzy, but as you can see, I've patched Fergus in as a lavender/white area. I've started to think a lot more about color choices, composing the colorpan of the painting harmoniously, and using color emotively - that is, don't just make a person's skin flesh-colored because "that's how it is" - ask what would communicate the psychology of the painting best. (Thanks Tanja.) So I've put the Druid in as an ochreous color, since he is old, wizened sunburned, like a husk. As first I was thinking of Fergus heroically (in keeping with the really blocky frame of my initial draw of him), and was going to have him be tanned like the Druid. Then when I drew him leaning over, and thought of his words - "Now I have grown nothing, knowing all" - I wanted to make him very ghostlike. Fair Irish skin with a good bit of purple in it and red hair, all to make him appear very wraithlike and juxtapose his sound body with that of the Druid above him, who even though he is frail seems to be in the controlling space of the picture.



I've decided to post something from 'the archives' every post too, so here's a sketch on bulletin, from all the way back in 2003! I was only 20 then! Wow.
I promise I concentrate better on the sermon if I can draw. :D