May

12

Cadeau du Cheval mural

Filed Under Judy Wood | Leave a Comment


One of the new projects I am working on is a panel for the enormous “Cadeau du Cheval” mural that is currently under construction, to be unveiled in September at the Spruce Meadows Masters tournament. This is one of a number of gigantic artworks that seem to be in vogue at present. As I understand the process, a huge painting (often in the area of 20 by 40 or so feet in size) is created, then is cut up into smaller squares. Each participating artist receives a square, which they can interpret as they wish, as long as they stay on theme for the overall concept of the particular mural (horses, in this case) and stay within the colour range on the panel they have received. Some are quite challenging because they will have a strong pre-existing shape which then has to be worked into the final product being done by the “team” artist.

For this project, the participating artists were sent a link to an online page that had a selection of panels, and they could submit a request for their top three picks, thus having some ability to control the colours and shapes on the panel they would be sent.

My link for panel choice came fairly late in the process, then the email I sent with my picks got lost in space, so I was pretty far down in the pack when it came to choosing. However, I had determined that I wanted an “easy” panel, i.e. one that was just colours with no strong shapes to work with or around, and that I wanted dark tones. I got pretty well what I had requested, so all is well on that front.

When I made my choice of panel, I really had no clue where I would go with it (still don’t to a considerable extent!) but then I realized it would work well with a theme I had already been contemplating, which was a Gothic, or at least “dark imagery” one. I had already started compiling potential images for the Gothic concept into an image folder, so really it was like I had anticipated the whole panel idea.

I was anxiously anticipating the arrival of my panel, which finally landed on my doorstep about a week ago. Actually having it in my possession threw me into a tizzy of uncertainly and anxiety. I propped it up in the studio where I could look at and think about it, moved it around, took pictures of it, and generally got myself into a state. Finally about two nights ago I had a dream about it, and that was enough for me. Once I start dreaming about things, I take that as a sign that I have to deal with them. Bad enough to worry about stuff in your waking hours, never mind when you are asleep as well!

Unlike virtually everyone else on this project, I’m not painting on my panel. I’m doing a photomontage which I will figure out how to get onto the panel when the time comes. I hope.

So yesterday I took one of the photos of the base panel, pulled a bunch of images out of the photo files, and started assembly. So far I’ve got nineteen layers open in Photoshop, with more yet to come. At this stage I am just playing with images and possibilities and seeing what happens. The photomontages are very much unplanned and are a product of a lot of trial and error on my part.

First image today shows the panel as it is.

Second image is one version of where it’s at so far. There are a lot of elements that are open layers in Photoshop that I have “turned off” (i.e. made invisible) for the moment while I work with the ones that show on this work in progress shot. I will do a huge amount of work resizing, changing opacity, moving images around in relation to each other, adding elements, subtracting them, whatever it takes for it to feel “right”. All this without getting too far off track for colouring. The end result may look somewhat like this, or may look totally different. I’m never sure where I’m going on these, or how long the trip will take, but I always know when I’m “there”. I’ll post updates intermittently so we can all see how it’s coming along. I’m interested and curious about this too!

A couple of stats here. There are 238 panels for this mural, and each one is 16″ x 16″. You can do the math for the final size if you’re inclined that way. Let me know if you do, since I’m not going there. Mine is number 230, which is near the middle of the bottom row.

You can learn more about this mural and others that have been completed or are in progress by checking this site http://www.muralmosaic.com/ If you click on the Cadeau du Cheval equine mural link on the site, you can see the panels that have already been completed, and keep track of how the final image will emerge as more panels are completed and posted.

I have to give full credit to the organizers of this project for total professionalism and attention to detail in every aspect of how they have handled this and dealt with the artists. It’s a pleasure to be associated with this project. More later!!

PS of course the featured equine in this version is my own “dark horse” Alpac.

©Copyright 2008 by Judy Wood. See original post here.

May

12

PhotoBlog

Filed Under Bethany Caskey | Leave a Comment

I was finally able to get the photo blog working and accepting photos tonight. Check it out at http://caskeyphotoblog.wordpress.com

©Copyright 2008 by Bethany Caskey. See original post here.

May

12

Katie Part 6 … Finished

Filed Under Carrie Lewis | Leave a Comment

This painting is one of those that I work on for a while and have a very good painting session, then decide, rather suddenly, that it might be done.

I worked on Katie’s portrait twice on Saturday. At the end of the second session, I had the rather uncanny feeling that it might be done. I hadn’t considered that it might be finished that quickly, but I liked the way it looked.

Usually, I judge a painting completed when I can’t think of anything else to do with it. I look at it for a while and if nothing comes to mind to fix, change, add or delete, I sign it and move on.

With Katie’s portrait, I could see one thing that could be changed. But it really felt finished.

So I took it to church so the pastor’s wife (who is chaplain at the nursing home where Katie’s people live) could take a look at it. She knew Katie and could tell me if I had a good likeness.

The pastor looked at the painting and said “That’s Katie.”

His wife looked at it and just put her hands to her face.

I knew then there wasn’t anything I could do to improve the emotional appeal of the painting, so it is complete.

I signed it this afternoon and it will dry for a week or two, then it will go to its new home.

And suddenly, I am in the rather rare position of having one portrait on the easel (October Skies) and nothing else in the works! A somewhat depressing turn of events, if you ask me!

Time to start looking for another project and, unless things change soon, I’ll be able to look for a project that will be for me. Oh boy!

©Copyright 2008 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.

May

12

Third stage of Work in Progress for canine pencil portrait

Filed Under Sheona Hamilton-Grant | Leave a Comment


Following to my last posting, here’s how things are looking after a good long session today.
Third stage of work in progress.

In today’s session I focused on:

  • completing the eye. Still needs darkening and tweaking. This will be done at the end.
  • straightening out the nose, loads of squinting, darkening and measuring involved. Do not enjoy drawing noses as much as I could.
  • giving Titus a tongue (with quite a bit of detail), I used a 2B (dark areas) and F pencil
  • and giving shape to his nose, mouth and side of his face using a 3B pencil to map out the darker areas.

To be very honest, I have come to a stand still…

Physical reasons: neck is a bit too stiff and brain in need of a break.
Time reasons: basically run out of it.
Technical reasons: missing too many tonal and value clues. Titus’s portrait and pose will need to be compared to the rest of the portrait.
This is a double portrait. Yes, Titus has a brother Basti and he is to be portrayed along side of him. (He is sketched in very lightly, so lightly that the scanner did not pick it up….) making it impossible to see the first layout strokes.

Step four, the first step in Basti’s study, will be divulged tomorrow.
Hopefully after finding the same precious 270 minutes as I did today…

Off to look at the sun set. Cheers for now

©Copyright 2008 by Sheona Hamilton Grant. See original post here.