Thursday, September 6, 2012

Painting 211

I'm excited about my painting class that I'm taking with Thomas Chisholm. I'm interested in learning more about what painting is and what it means in a contemporary context. I'm a little sad that my paintings will probably look different by the end of this class, but this is part of what an art education is about: your work will be drastically different (for better or worse) when you're done. Will I still be painting nude figures? Will I still be using oil on canvas with the picture hanging on the wall? Will I do away with the image altogether?

I'm fretful. At the same time, I'm stoked to try something new with my painting that's in a completely different vein and see where that takes me. Hopefully, I can finish this self-portrait that I'm working on before I lose interest in the motive (new directions and ideas for art are so seductive).

I took stock of all the tools I have in making my paintings (this is the "before" picture):
- oil on canvas
- figures/nudes
- lively, meaningful strokes
- tradition portrait painting colours
- 22" by 32" ish in size
- using projections
- photographic references
- brushes: (no.12 flat, bristle), palette knives, squeegee
- to be hung on the wall
- multiple realities
- focal point, traditional composition
- lights and darks
- blended colour
- direct observation

I should eliminate one of these tools each time I work on a project so that by the end of this class, I'll be somewhere new and unexpected. Might be a lot to ask for 12 weeks of classes, but this would be a good start ;) The purpose of my taking art classes in University is to learn, not just do what I've all ready done and feel good about it! If I can do away with 5 of the above tools by December and be making work that I'm excited about, then I'd call that a success :D
Self-portrait (in progress)

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