Monday, November 29, 2010

Behind women's eyes IX - step I... Going for a clashing of styles and techniques!

This experiment has been simmering in my mind for a while, i.e., trying to go for a partial coloration of a black and white rendition of the human figure...

 My technical know how is now allowing me to do this the way I envisioned it. I'm not sure how I will approach coloration though... I will soon find out! I want a totally contemporary look...

Note: The linen/cotton canvas I'm using for this may not be the best solution, but it will do for now!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Flamenco dancer II final... Trying to hit the constructive "deconstruction" mark!

Funnily enough with this 3rd pass, I basically follow through with what I did in the previous flamenco dancer painting...

In the second version, I've added highlights to test the impact of greater contrasts. My intention is to get at ease clashing abstraction and figuration. Achieving a proper balance remains a challenge.

Note to self: "Gee, I've already got used to the clashing color scheme of the previous painting... and couldn't go back to my more conservative colors with this one! Do I need to ?"

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Flamenco dancer II - step II ... Zipping through the 2nd pass!

A busy non-artistic day today acting like a gerbil! I did have 30 minutes to block the canvas for this painting some more...

 A third pass should do it for me... going for impasto passages and stronger contrasts. I'm still getting acquainted with paint behaviour... and as paint sinks in, I see an opportunity to leverage this phenomenon to mix transparent colors directly on canvas....

Note: My inclination is still color... so may as well roll with the punch!

Note to self: "There will always be time to go back to Zen painting sooner or later!"
Subnote to self: "Gotta try charcoal on raw canvas!"

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Flamenco dancer II - step I... Back to raw canvas!

I had a second flamenco pose in the back burner, and this was an opportunity to try the figure on raw canvas for the first time...

For some darn reason, working on raw canvas feels very natural for me! There is potential for a new and innovative look in my works while remaining true to my painting principles. This new look could be a composite of everything that appeals to me: the Chinese black ink look, the watercolor look, the drawing/pastel look, the oil impasto look. I'll push this painting to its limits for the sake of artistic curiosity...

Note: I'm roughing this one out with no concern about style or a specific look... I paint my usual way letting the support dictate the effect... I'm still in the experimental mode before my next series!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Claudel won't make it at my upcoming exhibition... and it's good news!

Camille Claudel, Rodin's muse for 10 years, has been haunting me ever since I laid my eyes on a black and white photograph of her.  This summer, I did a an experiment with metallic paint that left me somewhat "gaga"...

Looks like my best friend from Toronto couldn't resist her either... and he bought the painting on the spot when he came to visit us last night with his lovely wife (I've known this couple for more than 30 years).

A big thank you Paul and Manon for your appreciation for my art!!!

Note: The painting has been photographed at an angle to show the impact of metallic paint... although it needs to be viewed in person...

Note to self (out of context): "Deconstruction as a way to achieve movement... I did this easily with flocks of birds on raw canvas... can I do it with faces and figures? Is this my path to achieving total freedom in figuration? If it is... then style will need to be subservient to that! The key painting principles that I adhere to (freedom,spontaneity and transparency) are beyond style to a certain extent..."

Subnote to self: "I need to welcome these moments of relative confusion between series... they are opportunities for quantum leaps!"

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Flamenco dancer I - final... Preparing the grounds for a new series in 2011!

Thanks to all who volunteered comments in the context of this highly experimental piece (some came via Facebook). This morning, I gave it a few finishing touches to see how far I could go with this idea, which started with my previous partial deconstruction of a face a few weeks ago...
 last summer, I planted the seed of "deconstruction" in my mind, i.e., the idea of partially fading a face or a figure into the background to create an aura of mystery. To that effect, I wanted to use expressive brush marks (almost destructive!) to partially obliterate the initial figurative design. This experiment is a step in that direction... and it's no surprise that I've elected to use a loose piece of canvas to do it!

With regard to my palette, I also want to make greater use of yellow and red in 2011 to add some punch to my fairly monochromatic color schemes (colorful in a close up but rather monochromatic from a distance). This is another frontier in color exploration for me, and it will require some readjustments.

Other than that, I will vary the grounds (raw canvas, gessoed canvas) to promote further variations in the look of my works. I've gained a fair amount of freedom in my figurative work in 2010 (more palette knife helped) and I'm heading in the direction of even more freedom in 2011.

A new series in 2011: "Smoke and mirrors" will be used as a platform for these new approaches under development...

Note: I cropped a few inches from the upper section for better balance...

Note to self: "It finally dawn on me that what I really want with this exercise is to provoke a clash between pure abstraction and pure figuration, disorganization and organization, ugliness and beauty!"

Subnote to self: "It also dawn on me that the foundation of my art so far has been around the use of high contrasts and fairly muted colors applied with less nuances (fairly flat) and with deliberate separation between color areas (sort of more of an urban look in the making). The painting above would be a departure from that, akin to going from "power" to "cuteness", at least in my view. What can I say? Any new potential development offers an opportunity to cogitate! I must not lose my anchors! Let's say that with this painting, I've absorbed the painterly approach! Need to stick to the program!"

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Flamenco dancer I - step III... Putzing around but not quite ready for the "Puliputzer" prize!

I finally engaged in my destructive ways with the painting currently on the block...
 I'm left somewhat bewildered... but not stunned enough not to see the potential behind this technique! A few targeted interventions, if any, should do it for me.

Note to self: "I couldn't walk and chew gum with this one due to an uncomfortable new technique for me. Better get used to it though... if I'm to leave behind my old ways!"

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Flamenco dancer I step II... I have nothing to lose, but need to part from Toulouse!

With this first color pass, I decided to part from my usual color scheme for the underpainting, in an attempt to cast the dye as early as possible to achieve a new look in the end....
 At this stage, I feel this piece is remotely reminiscent of a Toulouse Lautrec... but not for long! I still want to do some deconstruction. A saving grace, I have a picture of this step as consolation prize if I fail at the last yard....
Note: I used to like the monochromatic look reminiscent of Chinese black ink painting. My exposure to urban contemporary art recently has triggered something in me, and I want more color variations and abstract patterns in my future figurative work...

Note to self: "These days I seem to merely absorb what has been done before... an important step in the path for innovation.... I guess!"

Monday, November 15, 2010

Still summer in Québec... but only on 10% of the territory!

Every year, at this time of the year, I feel the need to digitally capture the last remnants of summer...

 ... and this is probably the last walk in the park with two of our grand kids in 2010...

 A saving grace, I'll have no choice but to paint sooner or later... winter is coming fast... and it's far from "a walk in the park" in this neck of the woods!

This afternoon, I decided to do another one of those loose canvas experiment...

 .... I want to deconstruct another face... again! May be I should quit while I'm ahead!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Bateman como pretexto - American recession III final... Ending the trilogy cold turkey!

My main purpose with this series was to pursue my experiments with different grounds (raw linen, raw cotton and metallic underpainting). I also wanted to give a shot at some conceptual art...

 Linen provided a cold background (above painting), cotton a warm one (middle painting, first picture) and metallic paint (painting on the right, first picture) some interesting reflections depending on the viewing angle. The use of raw canvas is interesting from the stand point of allowing staining techniques like watercolors, as well as textural effects without having to rely on heavy paint. There is also the possibility of using charcoal sticks to obtain blacks and grays very much like Chinese black ink.

With these new tools, I'm ready for some serious work  on a new series: "Smoke and mirrors". 

Note to self: "This exercise has reinforced my desire to pursue expressionism, in other words, temporarily swinging back to a more conservative approach has led to a counter effect in the other direction! In particular, I want to further explore deconstruction techniques and color."

Subnote to self: "I'm no Tapies!"

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Bateman como pretexto - American recession III - step I... Back to the art of painting, without painting!

Pursuing my implementation of a stream of ideas on the American recession, I started this one today to experiment on raw linen as opposed to regular raw canvas...

 I'm still staining at this stage, but wouldn't mind introducing some textural effects during the second pass. Haven't decided yet what I will do.... this is another 36 X 36 canvas.

Note: These are a break from real painting. A new series is simmering in my mind.... while I'm doing these "no brainer" paintings. At the same time, I'm getting used to transposing ideas on canvas, however far fetched they may be! I will need that big time for my upcoming series...

Friday, November 5, 2010

Bateman como pretexto - American recession II final... A wrestling match with new techniques!

I finished off the background with a series of glazes and opaque passages, wiping out paint wherever I felt the need to do so (out of desperation?)...

 At some point in time, I was not sure if I was coming or going! With more planning, I see potential with these staining techniques on raw canvas... but the real potential can be found by unleashing all techniques at once... without thinking too much!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Bateman como pretexto - American recession II - step I... Back to the sarcastic me!

Although I'm still intrigued about metallic paint for certain applications, I believe my future resides elsewhere... a deduction from my recent experiments in that area! I'm back to raw canvas with this one...

 My next step will be to introduce some interesting patterns in the sky without competing too much against the flying birds, which also need further refinements...

I'll be staining and dripping... hopefully not down the drain! I hope the bald eagle will not take it too personally .... but it's something I have to get out of my system!

Note to self: "This crude ground (raw canvas) appeals to the crude part in me! Sooner or later, I'll be painting on the ground using both charcoal and paint, like the men from Lascaux!"

Monday, November 1, 2010

Behind women's eyes VIII - extended... Back to deconstruction!

Busy these days with the winterization of my home and that of my parents, I still find some time to keep plugging  away with my experiments on deconstruction...


 ... evidently for me, it's easier to deconstruct a relatively finished image than to systematically produce a deconstructed one right from the start in a step-wise fashion... I just don't have that kind of imagination! For this one, I started wiping out paint like crazy for the first time... another technique I had shied away from... this is perhaps a good omen!

Note to self: "This is worth pursuing!"