Friday 6 June 2014

Still works in progress

I've been painting in between other things, so not many changes compared to last week. Although I managed to figure out how to finish the figures. So that should make the rest of the painting easy to finish. I hope ... :-)


I am really trying to stay away from the coloured bits as much as possible, because I want the colours to stay "raw". But leaving her face like it was was no option, because there was a spot that looked like her mouth but was twice as big, and it just looked real weird when I tried to leave the face as much as it was. So in the end I decided to put some white gesso over the skin parts of her and I like it better now. Since she's wearing such a short skirt, I would've had to paint over all those lovely marks, and I didn't want that, so I gave her some trousers instead ;-) Not sure whether I'll leave it like this, I might embellish it a bit more ....

Here's how it looked before I started working on the figure:


I have been wondering, and still am, whether I should leave the white as it is, or go over it with titan buff. It looks so ... well ....  white, if you know what I mean .... What do you think?

I have also been "floodling"... :-) What on earth is that you may ask. Well, a little while ago I doodled a girl with some big flowers next to her, this one:

 
and Nic called it a "floodle". Really like that word, so I decided to make some more floodles. They're all still in the pencil-phase, but I was working on this one last night and all of a sudden had the idea for a quote to put in her hair:


Two weeks ago it was exactly one year ago that my sister died unexpectedly. I had been wanting to paint or make something to commemorate her, and my father, who passed away in 2004. But I couldn't come up with something. I am not good with prompts. When someone tells me to paint something about a certain subject, I freeze. But then I realized every single thing I painted or drew in the year since her passing, had been influenced by her death. Especially my more intuitive paintings and my doodles. At the time I was painting I didn't always realize it, but afterwards I found signs in my paintings that told me of my feelings, that showed me a way of dealing with it. I love how it just comes all naturally. It is inside and it comes out through my paintings. Automatically. Unconsciously.

So I gave up on the idea to paint something specifically for them. And now, while I was drawing this girl, I knew I wanted that quote on there, and I knew it was again a kind of commemoration of the 2 most important people in my life that have died. I now know that I don't need to force anything, it'll be expressed when it's ready to come out ...

Well, that's it for this week. Just wanted to let you know that there's another worldwide FREE shipping in my Society6-shop, until Sunday midnight. I keep adding images, these are a few of the new ones:




Did you know that Summer of Color is about to start again?  Six weeks of colour prompts.... Looking forward to it! I'm not sure yet which kind of paintings I'll be doing, but I just might try out that negative painting-technique I'm now using in my bigger painting. That way I can try out different colours instead of white ...

I'm linking this as always to Paint Party Friday. Hope you're having a wonderful day so far, and wishing you peace and rest/excitement (whichever you choose) for the weekend ahead! Thanks so much for visiting ♥ ♥ ♥



28 comments:

  1. A couple of things for you. The painting is beautiful, I like the contrast with the white. The quote in the hair I love! I still miss my dad 30 years later. I think it would break me to loose one of my sisters. Such a wonderful tribute to your loved one in that beautiful piece. And, your art work is so graceful and lovely. I can look at it for hours.

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  2. Beautiful painting and very sweet tribute! Both floodles are wonderful designs.

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  3. Your work is lovely, as always. I know how it is to lose a sister, and this is something that stays with you. Love the floodles! Valerie

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  4. I really like this painting with the white in it-it seems to make the colours pop even more. I think the titan buff would certainly warn it up but the white looks good as well.
    I love that you're calling then floodles!! The quote is wonderful and funny enough many of the quotes and at work you've created this year have made me think they were inspired by your sister so I guess whether it was subconscious or not she's there in everything you do. It's hard to belive a year has passed already. X

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  5. Floodles are a great term... and that piece inspired by your losses is very poignant... lovely... xx

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  6. great post Denise! I think i would like a darker colour on your first painting, but still like it with the white background. the floodles are great, really love them and i am also joining in on Summer of Colour, looks like fun. Hope ur ok re your sister - its hard when those dates come up

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  7. Great colors! I love the bright colors.

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  8. I love the white! It is so striking with the color.

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  9. I love all of your work. The way you use bright colors is always so beautiful. And I LOVE you floodles! lol! The girl with the quote in her hair is absolutely stunning. I'm sure your sister would have loved it. My Pop Pop, who was basically my dad, passed away 6 years ago and it's still really hard for me. <3 :big hugs:

    Julie
    http://www.artworkbyjm.com/

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  10. Love the painting and what you are doing with it! The 'floodle' (Great word, Nic! ) is so fab and the quote is a fitting tribute to all those who have left us yet remain in our hearts.

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  11. What a wonderful piece you created for your sister. The first couple years are so difficult after someone close to you passes away. I'm so sorry you lost your sister much too soon. My mother passed away 4 years ago in August, and much of what I paint comes from her memory.

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  12. Thanks for the info on Summer of Color. I joined and will see you there. Your work is beautiful

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  13. Personally I like the white in contrast to the fabulously vibrant colors Denise. Love your "floodling". I especially love the words on your last piece-did you come up with that? I'd like to use it. Your art looks fantastic on the products! If I was working I would SO get at least a mug and tote-love your art.

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  14. The floodles are fun, I like them. The bag looks great. I can't tell if the white is too bright, I would tend to put a tint over all of it, but it is what is in your heart that will make it look the way it should. Blessings, Janet PPF

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  15. Your floodles are really good, and I like the loose style of them. Your painting is good as always. I so much like your intuitive style of painting, and your colors are yummy too.

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  16. I like the white in your painting - Titan Buff would be fine - a little warmer - but I really like the white. The floodles are phlenomenal!!! Your quote is beautiful - and so true. All of our important relationships are a piece of who we are.

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  17. Awe, yay! Thrilled to have you play along again! Thank you so much for helping to pass it along and I can't wait to see what you do. I LOVE love this piece - and love the bright white. See you Monday, xoxo

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  18. The painting is really coming along!! I love the skirt with the long leggings ....can't wait o see what else you do with it,

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  19. I love the fluid style of your work - it is unique to you! Your painting with the figures is outstanding! So much life and vibrancy! I think you may be right about needing a little something on the white of the girl, though I probably would not have noticed if you hadn't mentioned it. I think all of our life experiences show up in our paintings, just like little reflections of our soul. Have a great week and happy PPF!

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  20. The painting is coming along swimmingly.....and I like your floodles too. That is a great word. xox

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  21. Your painting is amazing - LOVE the contrast with the white personally - makes the colors pop even more than usual! Gorgeous!
    Your floodles touch my heart - so many of the things we draw/paint mean something deep subconsciously and it isn't surprising that the loss of your sister comes out in your art. You are one talented lady!

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  22. Painting, journalling really does help ease the pain and all these works are beautiful. Thank you for sharing and your kind words. Hugs Annette x

    http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

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  23. Your painting of the girl and the whitish background is unusual for you yet also very pretty. Also, I like the one commemorating your sister. The words are so perfect for lots of us who have had losses in the recent months.

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  24. Sorry to hear about your sister. I love your floodles and the sentiment that goes with it. I do agree we do keep our lost loved ones with us in hearts, memories and art if we are that way inclined. Art journaling is fabulous for helping us on many levels. I have only just understood this genre of art and am so glad I found it.

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  25. Art is a great therapy. Beautiful creations!

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  26. i love your colors with a white background, so beautiful and appealing.
    so lovely how your art and loved ones who have passed are so interconnected. it does seem like they are and always will be with you. Your flower art pieces are lovely.

    wishing you a sweet week.

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  27. beautiful work, I love everything about it.
    Janice

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