Different Strokes, Part 2

Here is the almost finished version of last week's piece.  Inspired by Strahl waterfall in Brown County State Park - Nashville, Indiana.

Different Strokes

Here is the first in a series of shots of one of my paintings.  My vision for the charcoal strokes was quite clear, but what do you see in these dark lines?  We will post a more finished version in the coming week.

Inspiration

 










Find a scene that touches your soul.  A feeling, an idea - embrace it and study it.  What makes it so special and why does it connect with your imagination?

















The location in this piece, Luddington State Park, offers complex landscapes, warm and cool colors, strong contrast of values, and an endless array of textures.  My mind interprets these as a puzzle that I get to put together in my artwork.

What locations speak to you? Find them and enjoy.

Is it Done Yet?

I anticipated, planned and sketched.  As with any painting, I develop new technical skill through understanding the concept and purpose of each unique piece of art.  This one was no different.

  

 









The glass transparency, morning light, and intricate shapes are motivating factors, layer upon layer.  It appears as though they are all fused together because you can see through them.

 

 

“Is it done yet?”  is a question I ask myself.  I take a step back so that I may see the whole piece of art instead of the individual section that I have recently been working on.  This provides clarity.

Finishing is reevaluation of all the previous thoughts and ideas.  If everything is working well together, then it is done.

Leave Your Mark

Line by line...

 Stroke by stroke...

 Color by color...

Leave your mark.

Who Are You?

The search for your individual artistic fingerprint, your unique personality as an artist is an ongoing endeavor.

If you are on a search for what defines your creative self, you cannot start every painting the same way and expect different results. 




You need a fresh exhilarating, exciting experience; living on the edge will take you to different places.  Try the exact opposite of  your usual approach. 

 

In this demonstration I started with a loose rough drawing indicating the shapes and forms of the flowers which tell the main body of the story.  Then I applied local color to the background which was complimentary to the center of interest.   





The strokes that I used were inspired by the shapes and forms of the live plants and the rhythms they produce as they cross each other and intermingle like friends greeting each other at a party.   
The flowers are bowing as though they have met royalty in an unexpected place, moving and swaying as if the energy from the crowd of friends were praising their beauty. 

 

"I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart."  ~Vincent van Gogh

Stop Searching - Creativity Will Find You

Creativity comes in many shapes and forms.  

It comes to you every day if you are looking for it.  

It is there for you to pick like an apple from a tree.  

 

The avove piece, Four Faces of a Woman, started as a traditional portrait but then the muse took over.  Read more about creativity and the 3 Graces by clicking on the lick below.

Creativity and the 3 Graces