by jessicakay » Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:16 am
I always paint on patterned fa
ic, I chose fa
ic that has poppies on it because of the meaning of the Red Poppy and veterans of past wars. The entire fa
ic is floral. Usually what I do is allow some fa
ic pattern to poke through and go back and paint into it. So I pull the poppies out by painting them. I know that many may see them as bullet holes but in person you can see they are flowers up close. I want them to feel like they are I guess "falling" or "shadows of remem
ance". I use fa
ic patterns to base my paintings for many reason, but the main one is I am really bad at incorporating backgrounds in all my figurative work, having this type of fa
ic forces me to make one. It has really helped me.
I am still deciding what to do with the main figure, I have been thinking of reworking him and going more abstract with his face, drippy, etc. I just feel like I have two styles going on with the painting. It's like my old way and new way are fighting and neither are winning out. I love the drippy abstract feel, but then I get caught up in color and obsess with faces. I'm worried about going and ruining that face though and screwing up the whole thing. I hate when a painting is at that point where if you do one thing it's going to make or
eak the whole thing.
What do you think? Should I go abstract with that main figure or go back and maybe put some more detailed figures around him, to match the main? I really like the drippy figure on the left bottom it just feels right, but in comparison to the other it sticks out.
I do want to say thanks to all those who have commented, it's meant a lot to get a review of it. I have really lost my confidence as a painter since I haven't painted in a while and just don't feel as strong as I did in college. You know, when you are surrounded by people telling you as you go how to work things out. It's hard sitting in my studio space in my basement not having one of my old professors go, "put down the
ushes or your going to regret your next move jess." They always helped me stop. I'm glad I found this place to help me. So thank you everyone! :)