Aug 6 - The Wolves Amost Done

How about this for a progressing painting? It is the acrylic, and I'm about 4/5 done with it, all caught on tape for the DVD! I'm quite pleased with it so far--the "feel" of the overcast twilight look of it, and the definitive wolfish features in the wolves. I showed how I use what I call "The Foot" tool to pull and push the paint to create the shrubbery and how adding veiled layers creates the feel of the snow. I'll finish it tomorrow, and then will spend every spare moment capturing the files off the tapes and onto master "dot mov" files for DVD Studio Pro to assemble. Three hour-long tapes on this project, so I'll have to do major surgery to get the "good stuff" out onto the hard drives. It is a love-hate relationship--takes so much time, but oh, so rewarding!

The painting at this stage is a lot of fun--making every area more interesting than the last, and yet subordinating each area as necessary to keep from the yet-to-come sunlit patch on the snow and white wolf. Oh, the drama!

The glass project sample has gone off for the lamination and the next round on the best glass will commence probably this next week. But first a visit from my niece who is going into the Navy this fall, and I'm so proud of her. We'll spend some quality time together and perhaps get down to tour the Midway aircraft carrier while she's here. (Link opens a new window.)

And my three online art appreciation courses open up on Monday, so I am going to be one busy puppy! All courses are full with ten people signed on wait lists, so it promises to be a busy semester.

Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.

Aug 3 - More Glass Work and the DVD cover

Again, more changes, but NOW, it is finished--at least this sample!
Hard to believe how many times the painting has been put on and then removed. FINALLY, today I "got it"--the effect of water--the essence of water--the interpretation of Ron Wood's vision. And it is so much better than the others I've shared with you.

This panel is only part of the eight foot tall ones that hopefully will be approved and moving forward in the months to come.

Trust me though, this won't take me far from my love of painting--in fact, it may just start another way of creative expression, on mirrors that have been laser etched!

I love the conversation and laughter that this collaboration engenders. When we part, there is always a smile and joyful hug. RW is "good people".

Tomorrow, back to the wolves painting! I did submit my ad to the fall Horses in Art, and here's a preview showing the new cover for the DVD, even tho' number four isn't REALLY here...(yet!):
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please do so at elinartat mac dot com.
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 and 2011 is HERE.

Aug 1 - Addendum with Images

Got so excited about the work in progress around Two Trees, that I forgot to enclose the image on the last blog post! Here's the glass, and I realize that it doesn't seem at all related to the Color System, but the concept of painting on etched glass is so new, that every mark is a discovery. We continue to add layers (I do) and remove them carefully (RW does) as the work progresses. What's left is an interesting ever-so-subtle painting that is viewed through the veils of the front etched fabric.

To give you a better idea of etched glass, please look at this project of RW's, on his web site. The glass here also moves and shifts as the viewer focuses on different parts.

Here's RW looking at one of the panels I've just covered with another layer of acrylics. He's analyzing it before getting out the cotton swabs and removing about 80 percent of it. Whew...good thing I don't have an ego about this venture, eh?

And one more of the finished sample panels, outside, lit from the front and backed by what might be a "night" (black plastic trash can, oh dear!). The fabric-etched veil without paint in front of "our" painting is visible now, which is part of the magic. The client wants to get the feeling of a scarf moving in front of her bath windows (shower and so forth), so with the dual laminated painting between the two etched veils, it really shows up!

I hope you enjoy this--what a digression from my traditional, opaque media! Now we resume your regular programming tomorrow with the DVD painting!

Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.

Aug 1 - Working on the Glass

I'm working on the etched glass yet again, and this piece will be rubbed out--so the image will be softly seen. I'm having so much fun doing this in collaboration with Ron Wood. He's here today, literally rubbing out all those brush marks!

I'm OK with it, because it is his vision, and I'm benefiting from learning the vagaries of how etched glass behaves as the layers are assembled, as well as how much etching is required to produce the final image coloration. The next image is of the two pieces of glass with the light shining through them as they sit in the studio window. No way does a photo give up what happens to the viewer's eye, as the camera cannot have the binocular vision of humans. That's where the true visual excitement comes!

On other news, there really isn't any! How about that? Just been so busy with the DVD and this glass project that nothing much exciting has been going on. This can be very good, too!

Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.