Femme de feu X - step II... Still on the conventional path!

The second pass was used to firm up facial features a little before going for the roller...

At the very least, if I destroy this image, I will have a relic to fall back on!

Note to self: "I've used the monochromatic path a lot lately. May be it's time to introduce some colors in my future works!"

Femme de feu X - step I... Tackling the gravitational pull on a head leaning backward!

For the next 2-3 weeks, my painting time will be much more limited as the muse and I are starting a major house renovation project in the living room and dining room areas (sanding and varnishing floors, painting walls and ceilings).

Nonetheless, I may still have the time to expedite a few experiments. With this new painting (28 X 28), I want to apply textures with a roller on raw cotton/linen to see if I can emulated what I recently did on raw cotton...

Raw cotton/linen has a rougher surface, so it will be interesting to see the results. I'm really going for a certain image here as opposed to painting prowesses. My model was lying down and this had a major impact on her facial features!

Note to self: "The creation of visceral images using glazes and light textural effects is as important for me as the creation of works favouring paint application and heavier textures. For now, this mean two streams of works!"

Vortex II final... Distancing myself from pure realism one iota!

I went "full speed" to finish this one on raw cotton/linen, still "all shook up" by my previous experiment on raw cotton (that work really struck a cord with me)...

I put less "matter" on that one than I anticipated. Nonetheless, I'm still fairly satisfied by the vortex effect at the periphery... giving the feeling that the two figures are at the verge of being engulfed...

Note: I could have gone much more "drastic" with deconstruction but decided that I liked the lines from the intertwined bodies enough not to temper with them!

Vortex II - step II... A sweeping exercise!

I applied to second layer with broad sweeping brush strokes in an attempt to capture what I had in mind in terms of movement...

I swept beyond the boundaries of the canvas (30 X 30) to improve my sweeping motions.  At this stage, my use of  thin colors paves the way to textural layers which will follow...

Vortex II - step I... Getting back to the "twirl"!

Having done a fair number of paintings for my "Femmes de feu" series, I now want to redirect some efforts towards the "Vortex" series. I decided to tackle a couple a female fighters as opposed to another close-up of a head as I previously did...

 I would like to deconstruct this one with sweeping circular strokes using thick semi transparent paint.With the previous painting, I  discarded bold textures and emphasized the "immaterial" aspect of the subject without relying on a  "paint for the sake of paint" approach. In this case, I want to achieve an "immaterial" look through the use of a strong vortex-like effect in paint application.

Note: I compared my last painting to a few heavily textured paintings of mine... and was surprised to see how well it held its own! Heavy textures are not everything.... a strong image with thin paint can carry the day!

Note to self: "I have to find a way to mix and match these two opposite approaches!"

Femme de feu final... A tripartite approach that finally speaks to me!

I finished this one in a hurry, anxious to test the grounds on my new three-pronged approach to painting...

This last painting seems to summarize best where I want to go in terms of my future art, an art that best reflects my own preoccupations with regard to graphical expression:

• A foundation of pure realism (what inspires us, the starting point, the natural world)
• Deconstruction of some sort giving the sense of the "immaterial" within what's material (the void that permeates everything)
• Childish Zen-like lines with little involvement from the rational mind but powerful enough to provide an anchor to vanishing forms

Another aspect which, all of a sudden, seems to become important in communicating with the viewer:

• The use of words and/or meaningful symbols (from a personal standpoint) to reinforce graphical elements

Chinese calligraphy, Chinese black ink painting, Zen art, Zen philosophy and the practice of Taichi have deeply influenced my thinking about art... and this new development in my art is only a beginning!

Note: this painting will be re-shot in the daylight and featured in my "New series 2012" slide show...

Femme de feu IX - step III... More paint on me than on the canvas!

I used one hour this morning to achieve a potentially viable color scheme (it's hard to avoid red when dealing with fighters!)...

Covering one square meter on raw canvas is always a challenge but using a wide stiff brush really helped this time. I tipped the scale towards red and added final color nuances with this next pass....

 ...before proceeding with some "off the wall" stuff, at least for me!