Methodical

Engineeress - rough colour sketch

Nowadays my ambition generally outpaces my ability and knowledge. I must spend a lot of time thinking things over. Happily, Age gives me the patience and interest I need to enjoy painting's early stages.

To your left you can see the latest rough I did for my next painting. I finished the composition, spending hours working out minutae like the placement of purse, engineering plan and shoes. This rough was also meant to work out colour, but I think I will do another rough with acrylic next week. This doesn't feel right yet.

I did a value study (something that answers the question, where is the painting bright, dark or in between?) in pencil, below, but I think it isn't clear enough to work from.

There were several initial rough drawings, like the one to the left, below, but it gives you a feel for the mess I usually start with. Snipping out bits and taping them here and there.

I also love the math part, when I have to figure out what canvas dimensions to use. It's fun to do a bit of algebra once in a while. Bored with my art high school, I enrolled in McGill University to pursue mathematics. It lasted a semester, and it seems very long ago now. But I was super at algebra, and loved it.

It might have been neat to include the very first sketch I did, pretty different from these more developed ones. Next time.

The Engineeress, revisited

The Engineeress, March 2015

You might remember this picture from a few weeks ago. I spent the last few Mondays doing this Acrylic version.

The pose and mood present the mother's perspective in the first moments after child's birth. It's a singular moment.

I saw Wild last night. I've never seen a movie like it. I saw women's experiences I've never seen on-screen before. Woman to woman, mother to daughter, woman to man, and most crucial, woman and self. It's incredible that it took so long for a movie like this to be made.

Wild is a special movie, and I've been thinking about it ever since.

James, yellow

March 30, 2015

This is James, two weeks before his third birthday. While I painted this picture, I felt his need for me, his defiance, and the boy he's becoming. I thought about how irressistible he is, and about everything we give up for children. I thought about how I don't need a photo to remember and shape his beloved face.