"Everybody knows a work of art takes at least an hour!" Lucy to Linus, (Peanuts)

FineArtViews Painting Competition - Twice in the Fav 15%

http://canvoo.com/boldbrush/badge/13203 three times selected for FAV15%, Fine Art Views Bold Brush Painting Competition

Sunday, April 3, 2011

I'm Being Set Up...


There is nothing like spending days and days getting set up. I'm attempting to be very particular in this since I want the painting party days to go well. Choosing the outfit for the model first off presented a couple of problems. It is a dark fabric with lots of small designs printed all over it in gold. What does that go with? How should a background look for something like this? Finding the red scarf for the headgear (matching the red in the skirt) only added to the dilemma. Fortunately I have a nice stash of fabrics which I've collected over the years. I pulled out everything.









I spent two days just hanging the stuff around the studio to see how it all looked in different lights. Do I want strong directional light? Soft diffused light? Natural light? What??? I began to layer stuff just to see what happened and suddenly it began to come together. I then spent two days layering and relayering. I ironed out wrinkles in some and allowed wrinkles to remain in others. I was blessing myself for buying that photo backdrop stand once again, though. It makes life so much easier.  I began, finally to put darker layers at the bottom and gradually layer lighter toward the top. Ok. Another two hours redraping but now I think I might have the right effect. I'll know in another week, just before the model arrives.

And what do I place her on? A chair? A couch? On the floor? Facing which way? Looking up, down, sad, happy, pensive? What is this painting going to say?

Heck with it. It is just supposed to be a couple of days painting for the fun of it. I can over analyze ad nauseum and that in itself gets nauseating. 

Oh wait, a prop...a plant stand with a silver candle holder on it? An actual plant? A bowl of Chili?...

7 comments:

  1. Wow...what a process....can't wait to see the painting!

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  2. Golly! What a lot of work you're putting in. Looking forward to seeing the paintings :) xx

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  3. I think that setting up is part of the fun; looks like you're having a good time

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  4. Yes, it is fun but also a tad stressful as I start second guessing myself about how it should "look." Today I am trying to let that part go and just find some other needed items, like a good chair for the model, a hassock for her feet, and how to set up a light so it isn't in her eyes...

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  5. Wow, Karen,

    You are going all out! I know the result will be beyond anything you have planned in you head. Wait until Sam hits the scene....


    Thanks for stopping by today. i'm glad you liked the piece I wrote. I plan to do a flash fiction riddle-like post for the whole challenge.

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  6. This is a real teaser. Can't wait to see what you actually come up with.

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  7. I am loving the look of that costume! I can't wait to see what you paint with that! But, wow, your preparations are giving me a headache just reading them! I think it will be gorgeous no matter what. :)

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