From the Sublime to the ....Sublime?
Today, I put the last touches on the large "cartoon epic" piece I did for the Velocity Circus. The piece is 5 feet wide, 40" in depth, full of colorful, fun detail, and well designed so that it is cohesive. My client is very happy with it, as am I.
After a big piece like this, that taxed all my energy and ability, everything else can seem pretty anti-climactic. The job I moved on to was not the most ambitious one I've ever had: a rendering of a house in triplicate! The photo I had to work off of was tiny, with no detail visible, the house plain in design, and to do three of them for the limited budget meant I'd have to find a way to make this work on all levels, artistic and economic.
I traced the photo, projected it 3 times on to watercolor paper, and outlined it with sepia ink, as I felt a softer feel was appropriate for the 3 sisters who grew up in this house, and for whom these versions would be gifts from the realtor who sold the place. Once it was outlined, it was time to paint, and here is where that feeling of anti-climax had to be reckoned with. Usually , when I am to begin my color work on a piece, I feel a sense of excitement. But, this time, I felt the urge to get it all done as quickly as I could, and I did not like this feeling. So, I had a gut-check before I began.
I thought about how I would approach the art, and decided to make "three exqusite miniature watercolors" of this house, framed by trees, lawn, and shadows. I would use those last 3 elements to make the picture, paint with confidence, but with a small brush for maximum control and variation in tone. I began with the sky areas that poked out between the trees.
That's how I began the art. I set the tone for myself by stopping, thinking about how I could address the art with integrity, and used a small brush to make sure I couldn't rush even if I tried. I did gradually move to a bigger, faster brush, but by that time I had established what I needed to do. I think the end-result is very good, and I was able to complete the work in a time frame that made the budget ok.
I have gotten to the point where I know when I'm kidding myself in art, know when I'm taking a short cut that is hurting the end result, and know how to stop doing that no matter what the budget. If I don't work to the best of my ability, then I'm short-changing myself. As a business person, it's not likely that I'm going to make a fortune of money, but as an artist I'll know that I did the best I was capable of.
After a big piece like this, that taxed all my energy and ability, everything else can seem pretty anti-climactic. The job I moved on to was not the most ambitious one I've ever had: a rendering of a house in triplicate! The photo I had to work off of was tiny, with no detail visible, the house plain in design, and to do three of them for the limited budget meant I'd have to find a way to make this work on all levels, artistic and economic.
I traced the photo, projected it 3 times on to watercolor paper, and outlined it with sepia ink, as I felt a softer feel was appropriate for the 3 sisters who grew up in this house, and for whom these versions would be gifts from the realtor who sold the place. Once it was outlined, it was time to paint, and here is where that feeling of anti-climax had to be reckoned with. Usually , when I am to begin my color work on a piece, I feel a sense of excitement. But, this time, I felt the urge to get it all done as quickly as I could, and I did not like this feeling. So, I had a gut-check before I began.
I thought about how I would approach the art, and decided to make "three exqusite miniature watercolors" of this house, framed by trees, lawn, and shadows. I would use those last 3 elements to make the picture, paint with confidence, but with a small brush for maximum control and variation in tone. I began with the sky areas that poked out between the trees.
That's how I began the art. I set the tone for myself by stopping, thinking about how I could address the art with integrity, and used a small brush to make sure I couldn't rush even if I tried. I did gradually move to a bigger, faster brush, but by that time I had established what I needed to do. I think the end-result is very good, and I was able to complete the work in a time frame that made the budget ok.
I have gotten to the point where I know when I'm kidding myself in art, know when I'm taking a short cut that is hurting the end result, and know how to stop doing that no matter what the budget. If I don't work to the best of my ability, then I'm short-changing myself. As a business person, it's not likely that I'm going to make a fortune of money, but as an artist I'll know that I did the best I was capable of.
posted by Rich Sigberman at
4:36 PM
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