Thursday, May 31, 2012

Mask III - step I... Going from weird to weirdest!

This time around, I decided to push my luck a little, going for something totally weird...


I'd like to go with metallic paint for the Dart Vader style helmet.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Mask II final... Egyptian cyborg, Ya right!

I used the last pass to add some textural effects here and there...


I added the Egyptian eye to complete the picture... sort of pushing my luck on the conceptual aspect! At any rate, I seem to have combined more techniques with this piece than ever... so it's a start!

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Mask II - step III... Tightening things up before the finale!

I used a third pass with fluid paint to get closer to a final image before proceeding with thicker paint...


As usual, I left myself some room for highlights...

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Mask II - step II... Anything goes!

Gardening has taken most of my time this week...


This rapid second pass was used to block the surface... throwing everything at the canvas but the kitchen sink...

Time to get serious!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Mask II - step I... Going for something a little spooky!

Over the last few days, I've been thinking about initiating a painting called "Egyptian cyborg"...


With the mask, I have an opportunity to deal with textures separately from paint, one of the first technique that I used for textural effects with acrylics. My overall objective remains to use as many techniques as possible with each painting project.

Note: the Egyptian part will reveal itself at the end... this is a 28 X 28 canvas.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Mask I final... A first step towards full integration!

With this final pass, my intent was to leverage a good number techniques that I've developed over the last 5 years under the umbrella of one painting...


However, I'm still short by quite a few. I spent some time this afternoon studying the techniques that I used for my last 40-50 paintings, trying  to figure out how and when to introduce these techniques considering my usual multilayer process. I've developed a fairly rich painting vocabulary using a "one-track mind" approach with each technique that I've developed. Now, I really want to leverage this vocabulary to add more character and more depth to each of my future works...

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Mask I - step III... Still in the thin of it!

A third fluid pass was used to firm up the color scheme and get a better idea of what could be...


The next step is the application of thick honey like paint...

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Mask I - step II... Looking for a resolution!

This is a new color scheme for me, so the second pass was used to get closer to a potential resolution...


My intent with subsequent passes is to leverage most of my acrylic techniques to add character to the final rendition... without throwing a monkey wrench into the picture as is!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Mask I - stepI... Exploring something new!

While vacationing a few weeks ago, a book cover gave me the idea to exploit masks as a way to "deconstruct" the human face...


I have no idea where I'm going with this experiment, but at the very least, I'm setting the stage for a more colorful approach...

Monday, May 7, 2012

Montreal art contest 2012

I decided to submit these two paintings this year at the annual Montreal art contest...


They represent well my current preoccupation with raw cotton/linen canvas and some of the techniques that I'm developing on that support. Only small size paintings can be submitted at the art contest, a limiting factor for me since I've got even more interesting works in the 36 X 36 format. The painting on the right has received a thumb up from an important New York gallery in my Facebook page, so it will be interesting to see how it will fare. Getting some exposure is my key objective this year. I won two honorable mentions in the past, but with more conventional art.

Note to self: "A noble objective would be to leverage all the techniques that I have learned so far with acrylics in my future works. The challenge would be in the balancing act!"

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Samana fauna final... Vying for artistic freedom!

I left this one relatively unfinished...


... letting the raw canvas do the talking rather than paint. My recent use of the crude three-inch roller has paved the way to the use of two-inch and three-inch brushes for paint application. Calligraphic line-making has also made an appearance in my recent paintings (although there is way too much brain involvement for my liking). I want to use lines as pure expression and as a means to restate vanishing or destroyed forms. I'd like to disconnect the brain after the initial sketch, and part from my original subject matter... to end-up with another subject that has a life of its own. Large formats have become essential to my artistic saga! This canvas is only 28 X 22... and is evidently highly experimental... and solely for its entertainment value!

Note to self: "It's when I'm not serious about painting... that I'm really serious!"