All artists approach their work differently. I spend a great deal of time time experimenting and evaluating — and, not everything turns out how you’d expect (that’s where you find the magic) or even worth keeping (there is a lot of trial and error but you always learn something). Typically, I’ll have an idea (such as the lawn-chair series, see 11/19/23 post) or wonder “what if” – today’s post is about the latter. I’ve been working on portraits and wanted to try out some disrupted reality and different palette combinations. I started by creating an abstract background using nearly every color of acrylic paint that I own. I then painted my Dad’s portrait emerging from that background. I then did a second painting, this time limiting the colors to 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 blue, black & white (I used very little black & white). Both studies appeal in different ways – the vibrancy of the first resonates with my current preference for brighter colors and more looseness and movement in my work. The second resonates as it also captures my desire to work loosely but also has a more calming vibe (expected due to the color harmony). What do you think? Which do you prefer?
