Searching For Satisfaction

 A while ago, one of my best paintings went to a good home. Unfortunately, due to an accident of sorts, there was some damage done to the piece. I was able to repair it— though the background wall necessitated a very careful repaint due to the fact that it had a delicate gradient that no one would notice unless they were told to look for it. 

Anyway, after years of feeling unhappy about the whole incident, I decided to repaint the image. It is, after all, a Museum setting. And I need a few more of those for the museum series.

But I shall have to find a new name for it.

 

Completed! "The Poppies"

 This one is done!

                                                      The Poppies (from the Museum Series)

 (click on image for larger view)

Details, Details

 Of course I couldn't let the week end without pushing this painting further. I've added the missing crutch, put some details and shadowing on the picture frames, and worked on the jacket and hair of the woman on the right. Also painted the hair on the gentleman and fixed the problem with the head of the woman in the fur-trimmed jacket: I had originally placed it too far back. Detailed the fur hood, as well. 

                                         Standing Room, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Les Femmes

Today's work: I brushed a lot of organic greens over the previous very grey, very dismal looking background, and it now seems a good idea to use darker colors when I start a landscape. I've always had trouble with natural looking greens and changes in values, and this will help.

                                                        Rose Arbor, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

And, all that's left on this is a few tiny details on the purse's hardware. And maybe a change in the easy to paint cast shadows.

                                                        The Poppies, work in progress (click on image for larger view)
 
 

 

Coming To The Finish Line

I'm renaming this one. It's nearly done, at this point; I worked hard on the transparency of the mom's tunic today and sharpened up some details in the painting. It occurred to me that their main interest is the bright flowers, that's what draws them to it. So it will now be called, "The Poppies."

                                                     The Poppies, work in progress (click on image for larger view)
 
 

The Little Vermeer

 The people crowding around the painting in the center are looking at Vermeer's "Young Woman With a Pearl Necklace." Which is what I worked on in today's session:

                                         Standing Room, work in progress (click on image for larger view)
 
 

A Deeper Floor Color

 Contrast is really important when you want to create a piece that's visually arresting. I took a chance with the floor today, making it much darker than before. It'll take a few days to decide whether that was a good idea or not.

Also worked on the portrait on the back left wall. 

                                            Messages, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Another Monday, Pants and Shirt

 If I ever hope to finish this painting, I have to put in the hours, and today I spent about two hours doing careful analysis of folds of fabric and making color choices on the man's pants and shirt. The changes in value, particularly on the back of the shirt, can be very subtle, but rendering them correctly is what makes the work look real.

So here's today's work so far:

                                                                        Standing Room, work in progress (click on image for larger view)
 
 

 

Small Works

 The little painting below is giving me more trouble than it should, and I may have to resort to sanding down some of the thicker paint strokes, but at least I made some progress on it over the last week.

                                                                                Chat, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Likewise, I'm not happy with the splashy strokes on these:

                                                                                Lenny C, America Series, work in progress (click on image for larger view)
 

                                                                                Doug, America Series, work in progress (click on image for larger view)
 

But they'll improve over time. It's just weird going from 30"x40"s to 6" pieces.

The Minor Fix

 For over a year now I've had the idea in the back of my mind to make some changes to parts of this painting. I wasn't satisfied with four of the faces, nor with the exact expression on the young woman in the center. I still have to make a minor adjustment to her left eye, but otherwise I'm satisfied with the other folks.

                                                                                Straight Ahead  (click on image for larger view)
 

Back To The America Series

I've got five of these little paintings to complete; one of them has a bright orange shirt, another features an expansive gesture. I've been concentrating on the two big museum pieces for a while now, but I need to get back to the America and the New York City series.

                                                        Lauren, America Series, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Exactly Right

 For the better part of the last week, I've been fretting over a decision to take out the horizontal woodwork line at knee level of the people viewing the paintings. I placed the painting at the top of my upstairs hall so I could see it with fresh eyes when I came up the stairs, and over time it became clear that the woodwork line was too distracting; there's already enough going on with the floor planks. The eye needs a little room to rest. So this morning I mixed up some color  as close to the original wall as possible and went at it. I'm very happy with the result.

                                                                            Standing Room, work in progress (click on image for larger view)
 

 

More Catch-up Work

 Recent painting:

                                                                  Messages, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

                                                                        Untitled Dawn #2, work in progress (click on image for larger view)