Birds and Other Things, Line Like Things.

It is fun to have a painting turn out.  You can hang it up on your wall, and hope other people who come to your house look at it and say things like; “Hey, nice painting.”  This scenario has not happened yet but there is still time.

I cannot say enough about how much this blog has helped me further my painting.  It gives me access to an imaginary audience that I would hate to let down.  It also gives me a place where I can always look and see how my paintings have improved, or not, in a chronological type fashion.

I would like to thank the people at WordPress, and encourage anyone to start a painting, or sculpture, blog.  If I were really on top of things I would include notes on technique or color mixtures for further personal reference.

Abstract attempt

This is the first abstract painting I have ever painted, and I guess it is not really that different from my other paintings.  Which is too bad.  I had high hopes that when I crossed over and heightened the level of abstraction, the whole world of painting would open up to me.  I hoped suddenly color, texture, line, form, everything painting related would open up and I would understand.  Needless to say this did not happen.

However, I do think I made a nice painting, and I do not feel like I am pulling a fast one on anyone, including myself.   I think I will go back to my figural painting for the time being, but I might try abstraction again.

Wading in the Atmosphere

One of the things I really like about watercolor is the difference between an edge of color and an edge of color that has had a wash over it.  For example in this painting look at the “legs” above the surface compared to the ones below.  It is subtle and it may not show up so well on the computer screen, but it looks nice in person.  Color edges that have been washed over seem to softer and more worn.  Sort of like the difference between an old and new tee-shirt.

I am really enjoying my last few paintings.  I like the long red shapes and the muddy rich colors.  Also in this painting I am trying out an outline effect, kind of like the outline a flash makes in a snapshot.  For some reason.

Birds With Legs, Birds Below

I really like this painting.  It has nice colors and I feel it has some, dare I say it, emotional depth.  Not clear cut emotional depth, but a muddy sort of emotion.  For some reason muddy emotion seems good.

I also just sort of like the idea of birds with these long mechanical, or at least geometric, legs.  They have some good movement to them and are an unusual alternative to wings.