"Bassoon Rhythms"9" x 12" Oil on Canvas
Happy New Year, Blog Friends! Here is my first art adventure of 2011.
The other day when I tried water miscible oils for the first time, I created a landscape. When I was done, I adopted an idea from wonderful artist Don Michael Jr and used the leftover paint on another canvas in an abstract fashion. Unlike Don's approach, I wanted to simply use the abstract as a background. I left the abstract for about a week during the busy holidays and went back to it contemplating what I might paint. I was enveloped in sounds of Bob playing the bassoon in his music room. Bob is an accomplished musician on all the woodwinds and I feel very fortunate to do art while listening to live music. Suddenly I realized that the swishes of paint made me think of the rhythms and sounds of the bassoon. I had taken two snapshots of Bob a few days previous as he played, so I selected the best and used that as a basis for this painting.
I totally do not know how to paint oils, but I've heard it said you paint from dark to light, the opposite of traditional watercolor. In some places I managed that. I adjusted the background a bit after I completed the figure. There was the loveliest swish of Hanza Yellow in the upper left corner, but I found it too eye-catching. I recalled Mike Bailey's advice not to fall in love with a part of the painting if it doesn't contribute to the whole. So I applied the swish of Ultramarine Blue over the yellow. I also added a bit of the blue around the lower part of Bob's face so he didn't blend too much into the background. I did most of the painting last night with my weekly session of our South Side Art Club at my kitchen table. This morning I darkened Bob's hair (he had asked is my hair really that white? and it's not), added some light to his jeans, adjusted the background, and called this one done. I surprised myself -- I like it!
14 comments:
Good thing you took pictures because my circular breathing isn't good enough to hold a long note while posing.
Great painting! I really love your abstract background. I have to tell you something though: you DO know something about oils :-)
I agree with Christiane! Oils are your new "thing". WOW!!! I love this. So bright and vibrant and flowing.
Bob sure is a good sport. I would love to hear him play.
Can't wait to see your next oil!
Bob, thanks for your patient acceptance of being one of my favorite subjects.
Christiane, thanks for the encouragement!
Pam, Bob is a good sport. I should put him playing music on YouTube! Just kidding, Bob.
Painting with oils is interesting because they remain workable for so long. Acrylics dry so quickly that you don't have lots of time to manipulate them. I like the openness of the oils while working, but I find their long drying time inconvenient.
I like the fact that I don't have an allergic reaction to these water miscible oils and the cleanup is very easy using just some Murphy's oil soap and water.
oh yes Mary, the great adventurer . We should have known it wouldn't be long before you tried your hand at oils.
And wow! do you have the knack for it.... very good! Oils was the very first medium I worked in when I was about 15..now thats going back a ways.I used to love the smell and everything about it.. Well keep it up Mary, you have the heart of an artist and definetly the talent!
Barbra Joan, thanks for the encouragement. I don't know where I am going with this. I definitely cannot use regular oils because I am very allergic to something, but these work for me. I would not have bought any, but a friend offered me hers to try.
Wow, Mary. I love how you just swished that blue paint over the yellow--no problem. This is a really nice painting of your favorite model! We'd like seeing him on YouTube
Hallie, swishing was fun. I used to find it hard to eliminate parts of a painting I really liked, but I now find it pretty easy to do. Of couse, with oils, I could easily change my mind. Not so easy with watercolor.
Hi Mary, This is an exciting painting! I like how your ground brings life and music to the composition. And, excellent job on the figure. Wonderful!
I think it is fabulous!! I'd heard of a bassoon and maybe even have seen one at some point in the past, not that I remembered what it looked like...Now I want to hear one! Can you stream Bob? LOL Beautiful work on this, Mary!
Peggy and Sherry, glad you like this little experiment. The bassoon is sometimes lovingly referred to as a "farting bedpost" (excuse the crude term) because it plays very low notes. It provides a lovely base with other instruments. I have a girlfriend who used to play the bassoon, so I know two bedpost players.
It's a great idea to sit on a piece until you decide how to finish it. This is a perfect example of the perfect subject for the background. I admire your courage to try oils.
Jean
Wonderful painting! I love the background..! and the rich colors you used...great job.
Jean, thanks for visiting. I can't resist exploring all the mediums.
Hilda, thanks!!
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