Sunday, February 9, 2014

If you ever hear me say...

If you ever hear me say that I want to be an actress or work in Hollywood (It would actually never happen...I hate being in the public eye.), quickly tell me NOT to quit my day job!  My idea for this was instant and I was so enthusiastic that when I got the book I set to work immediately.  My idea was to seem like a mad-scientist-sort-of-person creating a diorama...not that that is what I think mad scientists do.  For this I needed reference photos of myself looking crazed.  Which is where the actress thing comes in because after about twenty or so shots I resigned myself to the notion that I am not capable of making a mad scientist expression.    Here look...all I get are silly faces:

(Did you see the giant nose to the left of the pictures?  Yes, Rex was doing his best to hog the camera.)

I was going for up-lighting but shadows from my glasses were getting too dominant.

So I settled on a picture and got to work.  The drawing went quickly.  I painted the background and the sweater first.  Then I decided I didn't like the lighting, so I put it down to 'think' about for a while.  A while turned into two weeks.  So I decided to just go with it, maybe not go as strong on the shadows, and picked it back up yesterday.  Things were looking fantastic; I was ecstatic, elated!  And then I made the bad decision to change the color of the sweater.  Followed that with a few more bad decisions.  It suddenly looked hideous.  No really.  It did.  I just couldn't send it back to Dan like that, so I kept at it.  I struggled.  I sweated.  I finally ended up with something I liked.  But then I started fiddling and I could see it going back the other direction.  Really, I could have used someone standing next to me, screaming to STOP already!

I did stop eventually.  And even though I don't think I did anything USEFUL that last half hour...I am still pleased.  I do think that my skills aren't quite up to my imagination just yet.  This was still fun...and I don't think I've ever been pushed this far.  If it hadn't been in Dan's sketchbook, I probably would have given up.  That is probably one of the best lessons I have learned yet with this.--To keep pushing and not give up too soon.

So there...it is now on it's way back to Dan.  Or, it will be tomorrow.

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21 comments:

  1. Vicki HoldwickFebruary 9, 2014 at 9:34 AM

    Love it, both of you!

    xoxo

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  2. SandraFebruary 9, 2014 at 10:09 AM

    Marvelous!! Enjoyed the challenge of the "selfie". You know, of course, I never would have given a second thought to all the struggles about your sweater. It is so hard to find someone who will continue on a shared project. Glad to see you two following through.

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    1. UnknownFebruary 14, 2014 at 5:43 PM

      Thank you, Sandra! I know about the sweater because it was in a much better place than it was in the final...it just didn't look as 'hideous'! It's one of the places that I wished I had had someone to say 'stop!' It isn't easy to keep one going...life gets in the way. Luckily we both seem the patient sort!

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  3. Pam HugginsFebruary 9, 2014 at 3:50 PM

    Brilliant!!! I love it! And Rex has a great nose. :-)

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    1. UnknownFebruary 14, 2014 at 5:44 PM

      Thanks, Pam! I'm actually lucky it was only nose and not whole head, which he managed to do in several of the shots.

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  4. Dan KentFebruary 9, 2014 at 5:31 PM

    oh my god. Oh My God. I am totally and utterly completely blown away. Besides the great idea -- brilliant idea (and fun) -- I am astounded at the execution. The painting is excellent! I am tossing away any thought that I am going to treat this like any sketchbook to keep it moving. No. This is intimidating and challenging - the bar has been raised high, very very high. Wow. I am glad you've given me some time to think about what to put on the next page. I am quaking in my boots! Raena, you have been practicing, yes. But did you take lessons?!

    As for your sweater story, it is the same thing that happened with me with the boys arm (which I hate more than ever now and to me it it seems to stand out like a sore thumb against everything else!) If we learn nothing more than when to stop, this sketchbook will be worth it. Of course it is worth it anyway, and I am honored to be doing this exchange with you. Yeah, Raena!!

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    1. Dan KentFebruary 10, 2014 at 8:33 AM

      I take it back - I'm not intimidated. I'm charged! Bring it on!

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    2. UnknownFebruary 14, 2014 at 5:53 PM

      That is more like it! This is supposed to challenge us, push us, make us better than before! (Do you remember the Six Million Dollar Man? Wow...what a flash back...he seems kind of cheap now! I think he'd be the billion dollar man now.) Anyway, I don't want you to be afraid to take chances and do something crazy like cutting away something...because that will make me afraid and then other crazy things won't get a chance to happen along the way. I like the chance you took. If something goes REALLY horribly wrong we could always collage over it or maybe add some acrylic. Be daring!
      And no, sorry, no lessons. I wish though!

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  5. martinepittetFebruary 10, 2014 at 5:23 AM

    Just great ! I love it and I am glad the exchange is back !!

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  6. MelliottFebruary 10, 2014 at 7:48 AM

    That is just masterful. Never in a million years would I have thought of filling the entire background with a giant "puppet-master," but it works so well! And Dan is right, bump-up in skills from all the cogitating and work! Congratulations, you two! Really cool project.

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    1. UnknownFebruary 14, 2014 at 5:57 PM

      Thanks, Melliott. Your description as 'puppet master' is much more appropriate than my 'mad scientist'! Because really, how many scientists do you know playing around with dioramas? I actually worried about filling the entire background and worked at trying to leave a space for Dan to fill. But nothing really seemed natural enough so I hogged the whole thing! Thanks again.

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  7. Cathy HoltomFebruary 10, 2014 at 10:26 AM

    What a clever idea and you pulled it off so well, it looks great to me!
    I'm one of those that doesn't know when to stop too, I don't know when to put the paintbrush down. I'm looking forward to the next installment..no pressure Dan!

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    1. UnknownFebruary 14, 2014 at 6:00 PM

      Thanks Cathy! Knowing when to stop...I heard or read somewhere that you only start learning when to stop when you push everything as far as you can and ruin many paintings. Not stated as eloquently but..I used to have a tendency to stop too soon because I started to fear 'messing it up'. Now I see the value of going beyond that.

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  8. AnonymousFebruary 11, 2014 at 10:19 AM

    Absolutely Fantastic!
    Great work from both of you.
    Stew.

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  9. ShirleyFebruary 17, 2014 at 2:51 PM

    What an inspired addition to the painting. In a million years I wouldn't have considered that big person arranging the diorama. Brilliant!!

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  10. SEO ExpertFebruary 26, 2014 at 5:11 AM

    Glad to read your post :). It is very informative!

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  11. TaborMarch 2, 2014 at 7:32 AM

    I have not visited this art blog or yours (both of you) but really love the humor and energy in this work of art! Absolutely now want to read the book. ;-)

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  12. Capt Elaine MagliacaneMarch 19, 2014 at 6:41 PM

    LOVE it… while your photos didn't have that crazy scientist look you self portrait definitely has that mad scientist look in her eyes :-)

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