Prime for a Study 2016-W04

For the first time in a long time, I got the post ready by 2pm on Saturday. When I realized: still week 3. To keep things tidy I've set it to post for your Sunday breakfast as the sun rises on week 4. Let's see if I can compete with the New York Times for clicks.

I want to call today's painting a study, but then I thought every painting is a study and vice versa. It was a learning day, about a new type of watercolor paint that uses some space-age polymer for a binder. I can't say how I find the new paints different, but suspect maybe they aren't best for portraits. Time will tell.

Besides the new paints, we also have a 'study in red yellow & blue', which can be tricky. I think that part went okay tho. If the subject's identity is eluding you, I'll offer a hint: Our banshee today is only just emerging, so her hair hasn't yet turned its customary ashy brown to match her brows. And whatever else...

Surprise, it's Carly! I don't think many people pay attention to her so we probably won't get to enjoy her antics much longer (darn it). Who but she could surround herself with adorable puppies and still come off creepy? Not many, I tell ya.

Enjoy the study and come back next week — I'm attempting something adorable. But for now I'm just off to take a painterly nap.

Banshee VI

More like W03.5? 2016-W03

My only excuse for being late with this week's posting is that I spent the weekend in Maine with that half of my family, and it was fantastic! This week's painting dates back to sometime last April or May, and with this week's post I have exhausted my small stash of backup paintings. Consequently, you can most definitely look forward to a freshly painted work on the week 04 posting. Hurrah! Meanwhile, a few brief thoughts about this week's painting:

I include her in the Banshee series (even though the figure is fully corporealized) because she fits in the spirit of the series... people who talk a lot but without something worthwhile to say. (Though I do applaud the ever-angry Ms Tantaros for defying Fox News' blonde manifesto.)

As depicted here, she would make a fine and fitting figurehead for the hypothetical S.S. Banshee — if ever all these horrible people gather on one ship. God bless her and all who sail upon her...

(Corporealized) Banshee V

Back in the Saddle, Again 2016-W02

I painted this weekend, only the 2nd time in a long spell. It was comforting to spend time with an old friend. Even though I tried a thing that I later regretted, it felt great to be painting. While I was cleaning house, all kinds of thoughts popped into my head about what to write in the blog, but now all escape me entirely. <emoticon for mind-blank>

What I painted was a banshee emerging from a miasma, as one does. Already crazed and ashriek. I love a hard worker! In my original concept, she had green octopus arms of her demon self that would be withdrawing into her new corporealization... but I decided less green was more. I have been enjoying looking at this painting and I hope you will too.

Banshee IV

The Commisioner 2016-W01

New year, clean slate. With this post, I'm batting 1000 on posting every week in 2016. We shall see if I can maintain a perfect record, as I have done in years past. Let's get started!

When I was a lad, I loved watching the iconic Batman (as portrayed by Adam West) with my dad. And sure, it would be nice to live in stately Wayne Manor, but I always thought Commissioner Gordon held the job worth having. He had nice suits and a pretty fancy office, and yet his job seemed to consist mostly of pushing the button on the bat phone and clucking at/with Police Chief O'Hara. I bet that do-nothing job comes with a pretty sweet paycheck attached, and what a title: The Commissioner. No further information available... or needed, evidently.

Speaking of commissions, I don't actively seek painting commissions but I generally accept them when asked. A work colleague faced with the task of getting a nifty gift for his first wedding anniversary, the dreaded "paper", adroitly noticed that most watercolors are painted on paper and thus would be suitable.

Oddly, when I accepted the commission I expected to be painting the happy couple. Portraits are mostly what I do and show. When the reference photo hit my inbox, surprise! Basically a landscape, backlit and some other art challenges. But what good is an artistic license if you don't wield it as needed? So after a consult with the client, I got to painting.

The result was a little tighter than I would wish. It seems that "commission nerves" still can inhibit me somewhat, but in the end we got a good result. The image coincides roughly with the time of a certain question popping, and of course we know how she answered. I'm told that on receipt of the gift, the bride cried... so mission accomplished! Please join me in wishing them many happy anniversaries to come, and thank you for stopping by.

As One