What are you working on?

[Marc]

And then, I don't even know if I even want to show this one... Am I keeping it? Is it finished? Will I change it? Will I toss it? Was it what I was going for? I have no idea yet. But this is what I go through most of the time with my art:

I was like that with the one I just posted. I think it's common to lose the vision but get it back again.

 

[Bongo]

Truely wonderful cat.

Tinkered with this one again.

Imo this is perfect. no more tinkering

 

[Bongo]

And then, I don't even know if I even want to show this one... Am I keeping it? Is it finished? Will I change it? Will I toss it? Was it what I was going for? I have no idea yet. But this is what I go through most of the time with my art:

very cool -- does it fit in with the rest of the things for your show?

 

[Rich53]

Almost finished with this. Just a bit more "spit and polish" and I'll give it a thread of its own.

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Would you believe that my cats hissed at this picture?

 

[snoball]

Still working on a few things at once. I think it's overwhelming me a little. Not too much, but it does interrupt focus. More than that is waiting for some of the oil paint to dry in certain areas before I can continue on the rest of certain pieces and even out crooked lines. When that happens, I go on to something else, or back to those little embroidery pieces.

The big one has been bugging me because I feel like the sleeve patterns look a little crooked, but I can't move those. I can fix it with paint, though. I just haven't figured out how yet. I need to wait for that dark blue area to dry now before I can proceed with the left side of the painting at all.

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So, I worked on two small ones for a bit. This top one is almost a copy of an older painting of mine. Not quite a copy, but close:

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And then, I don't even know if I even want to show this one... Am I keeping it? Is it finished? Will I change it? Will I toss it? Was it what I was going for? I have no idea yet. But this is what I go through most of the time with my art:

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Don't fix the sleeve pattern. The cake is crooked so just leave it and it will look as if it was meant to be crooked. These are all very "Arty" Love em.

 

[Artyczar]

18 by 24 inches oil paint on polyester canvas with some semi dry brush scumbling.

Nice Marc. Good size, and of course, I love oils. I have not known about polyester canvases before. Thanks for your comments on my piece.

 

[Artyczar]

Ayin, dazed an’ confused is what I see in the portrait. Maybe you should turn it into a self portrait and then you will be armed with what you need to continue or leave it as is. I actually like it as is.

Thanks Wayne. It is a self-portrait.

 

[Artyczar]

Don't fix the sleeve pattern. The cake is crooked so just leave it and it will look as if it was meant to be crooked. These are all very "Arty" Love em.

Thank you sno! I feel like I can always rely on you.

 

[Artyczar]

very cool -- does it fit in with the rest of the things for your show?

Thanks Bongo. I actually made it to tie in a couple of other pieces I'm using.

I also tinkered with it a bit to straighten the face a bit. I think I like it a little better. But still thinking. Renamed it King of This.

 

[Enyaw]

It is a self-portrait.

.. leave it alone .. it is a good piece.

 

[Artyczar]

Thank you Wayne. That means a lot coming from you.

 

[brianvds]

More sketching...

Who needs abstract art if you have roses?

 

[stlukesguild]

Roses are a bear to draw... and I say this as someone who draws/paints a lot of flowers. Or perhaps they are just not among my favorite flowers.

 

[brianvds]

Roses are a bear to draw... and I say this as someone who draws/paints a lot of flowers. Or perhaps they are just not among my favorite flowers.

In a general sort of way, I like the semi-abstract patterns in all manner of botanical subjects. But I should be careful what I say about it - you may possibly conclude that I like some of Georgia O'Keeffe's work along those lines, and then where will that leave us?

 

[Marc]

Had some cobalt blue left over and didn't want to waste it.

 

[Artyczar]

Love that Marc! A beautiful, ethereal scene.

 

[JennieJo]

I haven't done any scratchboard in a while and I have these boards just sitting here so thought I would get started on one. It is something I can lay down and pick up later, like pencil work. I first put the sketch on the board in chalk, then scratch enough little lines to "hold" it on the board, but that will be easy to cover up if they are in the wrong place. Then I dust the chalk off with a soft paint brush and leave only the little scratches. I am now at the point that I am basically scratching the whole thing in with no thought of highlights and shadows. Later, I will scratch bolder highlights and if need be fill back in where needed with black felt pen. Anyway, this is where I am now.
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You've caught that cat gaze. I too have wondered how to so a scratch board work. Great explanation.

 

[snoball]

Thanks, JennieJo. I finished it and gave it its own thread.

 

[PaintBoss]

Still working on a few things at once. I think it's overwhelming me a little. Not too much, but it does interrupt focus. More than that is waiting for some of the oil paint to dry in certain areas before I can continue on the rest of certain pieces and even out crooked lines. When that happens, I go on to something else, or back to those little embroidery pieces.

The big one has been bugging me because I feel like the sleeve patterns look a little crooked, but I can't move those. I can fix it with paint, though. I just haven't figured out how yet. I need to wait for that dark blue area to dry now before I can proceed with the left side of the painting at all.

View attachment 38861

So, I worked on two small ones for a bit. This top one is almost a copy of an older painting of mine. Not quite a copy, but close:

View attachment 38863

View attachment 38864

And then, I don't even know if I even want to show this one... Am I keeping it? Is it finished? Will I change it? Will I toss it? Was it what I was going for? I have no idea yet. But this is what I go through most of the time with my art:

View attachment 38865

Interested to see the progress of all your pieces. Yes different vibes but thats good. Well I may surprise you. I recoiled a wee bit at the last piece and then.. RELATED. Oh life isn’t pretty sometimes -in every way. It reminds me of this incredibly personal time in my life I am coming out of. I mean its felt even crazy personal to myself! Confronting things I have never had need to before (death), not being ready, not happy with how life didn’t feel meaningful, it felt like a pointless mess. A shock, as everything went wrong in my homelife too. No respite despite the dire situation. My family was falling apart under the stress.
The red stitches look medical and implies a serious health journey. The facial expression is so right. Lots of feelings seeing that. The hair standing on end indicates a shocking and scary time. The colours around the head and body reminds me of all the psychological currents and almost vibrations from the body. Trauma, fear, pain, uncertainty, slow healing. STRESS. Worry. Its like the entire psyche of the experience. I remember all these thoughts and feelings and laying stunned almost day to day in the hospital for MONTHS.
That’s how I relate. I like it. I get it.
I hope I have not hijacked the meaning by saying that.
Art doesn’t have to be pretty. Life isn’t always pretty. Let’s express that too. You know?

 

[Artyczar]

Thanks PaintBoss. I appreciate your interpretations of that piece. I've been getting a lot of interesting ones from different people, and I don't mind it. Different people see different things, and that's what I like. It is a self-portrait, so some of the things you see can be attributed to this. I'm glad you can relate. I'm glad it made you wince a bit too. Or recoiled. The stitches aren't pretty, but they are part of me. The larger painting has this too, which will be evident when done. On the small one, though the hair is standing on end, it is also like a crown in some ways: pain, fear, bravery, etc. You got a lot of it right. Thanks for your insights. I really appreciate it.