Ultimate fighter III - step I... Taking a leap into figurative abstraction!

I've decided to give a shot at a more nebulous composition for a change...

... let's hope I'll resist the temptation to tip the scale too much towards figuration! I've been toying with the idea of figurative abstraction for a while! I want to put the accent on sweeping paint passages and textures...

Note: this is a 36 X 36 canvas.

Pretty much ready for my upcoming exhibition... but I'm getting itchy feet!

I finished the "prep" work for my last batch of paintings...

 ... all I need to do now is to print painting labels... and I'm off to the races. I can't wait to get back to painting though... as usual, I worry about not being able to paint any more... even after a short hiatus! I'd like to start one before the exhibition... to keep my demons at bay!

Welcome to my organized despair... or my pre-exhibition trauma!

As usual before any exhibition, there is always the last batch of paintings to be catered to (painting sides, varnishing, etc...)...

I tend to get carried away when I'm in a painting spree, frantically going from one painting to another as if being afraid of losing the momentum!

This "dead time" is a blessing in disguise, since it's forcing me to take a pause and ponder on potential future artistic avenues for me...

Note: I'm gearing up for the night of February 4th, the opening night for my exhibition!

Smoke and mirrors series: Under cover final... Almost committed Harikiri (pun intended)!

Mata Hari presented more of a challenge than I expected...

 ... perhaps because I was still in my New Year's eve stupor (don't drink and paint)! At any rate, after many iterations and after studying different reference pictures, I decided to add a dimple on her chin, sort of exercising artistic license!

In final analysis, I decided to shorten the right hand fingers a bit...

Note: After Camille Claudel, this one was my next one on the block... in my "get them out of my system" series!

Note to self: "Some key learnings in the area of raw canvas painting... I'm glad I didn't quit! After this more traditional rendering, and now that I know what I can do... it's time to let go again!"

Smoke and mirrors series: Under cover - Step III... Biting more than I can chew?

Another layer allowed me to get closer to where I want to be in terms of likeness and general proportions...

 I need to sleep on it before final adjustments! Every now and then, I seem to be in need of a humbling experience... this one fits the bill!

Smoke and mirrors series: Under cover - step II... Still figuring out how to apply paint on raw cotton/linen!

While correcting proportions, I was sent to a totally different path with this one...

... mixing and applying paint in a disorganized fashion as a result of my being off balanced. I reconfirmed the validity of certain techniques and discovered a a few other ones by accident. So not all is lost!

On second thought, this one would benefit from being cropped at the navel level. My original intent was to use a full body pose but I decided to use this one instead on the spur of the moment. I now realize this composition is no better than the first one. I'll try to take advantage of the situation by improving facial  proportions and by eliminating some of the stiffness associated with overworking the face!

Note: This is a 30 X 48 canvas, 30 X 36 cropped...

Smoke and mirrors series: Under cover - step I... May be presumptious on my part!

I decided to start the new year with pomp... tackling another iconic woman from the turn of the twentieth century (my first one was Claudel)...

With this first step, I tried to get as close as possible to a likeness.. so that I could subsequently concentrate on paint application with nothing else in mind... as if painting a house!

Note to self: "Gotta readjust those horns!"