God is in the details, or so I've been told...

I love to paint. I love it so much sometimes the subject is secondary. All I want to do is play with the colors, like a kid does with his/her favorite toy. Every painting is a new adventure!

The Matilija Poppy Painting is finished!

So, to keep it interesting, I like to change my approach every now and then. "All roads lead to Rome",  I've heard. For me, so far all roads have led me to boredom! I'm too ADD to paint things the same way over and over. Or maybe I just keep searching for that signature way of painting, something that will define my work.

I'm very happy to inform that, after this painting and at least when it comes to contemporary realism, it seems that I am close to find that signature look. This last painting was pure joy and learning. It was also payoff of many years of hard work, investing on developing a painfully slow process.

Now, my classical painting techniques are not really something new and worth reporting. But the pieces are finally starting to look the way I want them to, and I'm very happy about it. What this post is really about is something I have been slowly trying to bring into my work.

I've said this before, I like my works to look like what they are, paintings. I do not just imitate a photograph for the fun of it (why I actually do it is a whole new post on its own!). Within that frame, I have decided to include those initial brush strokes, to reserve them, in a way. Painting with acrylics has allowed me to deconstruct the way I paint. I love when I get the feeling that I can "almost count" the layers needed to paint a picture.

If you wish to see more details about this project please click here.

UPDATE: I had trouble uploading the pictures on this post (for some strange reason), so I made a new one for you to check out those details.

Matilija Poppy Painting Update

It took a little longer, but the painting is finished!

Click on the Matilija Poppy to visit this its Facebook album!

I was told this painting does not look as if it had been made with acrylics, which I took as a compliment. Acrylics do tend to look a little artificial and well, plastic. I would have had a much easier time painting this with oils, but that was not the point. Besides, like I have said before, acrylics allow me to paint many more layers in a shorter period of time, thus gaining a pretty unique sense of depth.

I purposely reserved some areas of the painting where, if you look closely, you will see brush strokes from the initial 'gray' thin coat I applied as I was getting started. That "richness" in my opinion is worth the time and effort, because it brings an additional blending element. More importantly, it emphasizes the fact that this is a painting, not a photograph. I want the audience to appreciate the painting's photographic quality, but I also want them to see the different kinds of strokes and textures obtained by the brushes. To me, that is what makes a realistic painting interesting and alive.

I'm looking into borrowing a good camera to get some quality pictures of all of this. As soon as that happens, I will upload them on the Facebook album I have created for it. Feel free to visit it and tell me what you think.

But it's a dry heat!

You'd think I would be adjusted to this dry weather by now. Well, apparently not! After two years of living in Los Angeles, I am still struggling with my faster than ever drying acrylics. Man, I never thought I would miss humidity at all.

Seriously!!!???

I mean, I know this, I've blogged about it, but today it was just plain ridiculous. It was almost a 100F and it was sooo dry. I would paint a surface with my brush and literally touch it right after and it would be almost completely dry! I'm all for challenges, but what the hell...
 
Acrylics are not very opaque, they do not cover as much as oils. Some of the colors are pretty transparent. So, if you want to achieve a uniform layer of one color, chances are you are going to need more than one coat of paint. This is why I prepare "base" colors (not right out the tube) to use throughout the whole painting process. I am so picky I even use more than one container for some of them, to ensure I always have a fresh batch to my disposal. But the relentless desert heat just did not care.

Look at all that expensive paint getting wasted!

Needless is to say, I spent a lot of time re mixing colors today. It's good I am not so much in a rush to finish this painting, because I sure did not get as far as I wanted to. I am glad this is happening to me now and not 10 years ago, though. I would have been so discouraged I would have probably stuck with oils (not that there is anything wrong with that)!

I have been reluctant to use "wet palettes" and sponges to keep my colors wet, but it seems that I'm going to have to look into it. You live and learn, I guess.

The painting is looking pretty good, though. So, I guess it's all worth it. Rant over. Now, back to homework!

I guess the smartphone will do!

According to my 'plan', I was supposed to finish this painting this weekend. Guess not! At least I already knew it. I had estimated to take 6 weeks (two sessions per week) to paint each project, but with school and all I just could not meet the deadline. The California Poppies are just gonna have to wait. Like I said before, I'd rather just submit one strong piece.

Picture taken with my phone. A little blurry, for sure.

As for documenting the project, I started to take pictures with my phone. It's not the fanciest or the most apt for the job, but it will have to do for a while. The pictures are grainy and there is no flash, so avoiding blurry pictures is a challenge. Maybe I'll keep it simple for the next couple of paintings and not update as often.

I will have a busier schedule starting Fall, though. So it's very possible I won't paint at all until next year and this camera incident won't even be a problem. Scary thought, but what are you gonna do?

Once this is done, the painting will finally start looking complete!

The Matilija Poppy painting is looking great. I am working on the yellow stems and pistil right now. After that, I will define some more leaves and contours and I will be pretty much done. I'm so looking forward to finish this painting!

No more updates for a while :(

Midterms are here, but that is not the reason why I won't be updating you on my last project. I am saddened to inform that my loyal workhorse digital camera has finally succumbed to my demanding artistic lifestyle. Its last breaths were taken last Friday at Griffith Park, where I was scouting prospective subjects.

This picture is from a painting session earlier last week

One of the last pictures I took, at Griffith Park Observatory

Although a valid option, in these days of technological obsession, desperate upgrading needs and gear acquisition syndrome, it is unlikely that I will be able to find the parts to get it fixed; nor do I know if spending money on them will be a wise choice (unless it's dirt cheap!). It seems that I will be cameraless for a while.

 My camera went Mark Rothko on me

Digital Media, 2010

So, here's to my favorite gadget. We bought you as a temporary tool, something to hold on to until the 'real' camera arrived. Four years and almost 6,000 pictures later, you finally gave up.

Now I REALLY need to start selling some paintings...

P.S.: By the way, the painting is looking awesome. The bar has been raised, for sure.
And if you were wondering, this is the second digital camera I wear out.