Red Tara process...

I thought it about time to update the blog, keep it alive, even though it seems I'm using social media more and more to publish my work. I'll get this thing going again with a look at my process concerning a triptych commission based on Red Tara, a deity from Buddhist mythology. I spent over a week playing about in my sketchbooks, toying with ideas, concepts, compositions, etc. The usual process I follow, but especially for a fairly ambitious and complex commission like this. The biggest challenge was how I was going to reconcile the third panel with the others, as the idea of combining a futuristic cyber-punk type scene with more mythological and traditional elements was a daunting task. They needed to stand alone yet at the same time have a sense of flow, of shared themes and an aesthetic harmony. I had a fairly strong idea early on how I wanted to handle the first two panels, but I had to re-work the final one a few times. I got there in the end I think, although it only fully satisfied that sense of lingering doubt after I decided to imbue each panel with a certain time of the day; the first panel representing early morning, the middle panel the zenith of the day, and the third panel night. That gave it a stronger narrative structure that I felt I could more cheerfully work with. With regards the palette, the first panel is a combination of Quinacridone Red and Phthalo Green, which I'd never used before. I used the same combination for the kimono of Red Tara (the same friend by the way who posed for The Malignant Flower painting), which needed that intensity and high value. The third panel is largely a complementary pairing of orange and blue, for the most part anyway. I stretched the canvas for all of them myself, which has a satisfyingly organic feel to the whole process, plus it means I can dictate the size of them myself. A challenging commission all in all, but the journey starts again with the next project.

The Malignant Flower process...

I was going for a certain atmospheric quality with this painting, and I think I've gone some way to achieving that. The background was patiently built up with multiple glazes, Burnt Sienna followed by Ultramarine Blue, layer upon layer, and so on until I got the desired affect. I think darks achieved in this way tend to be more dense and velvety, but you really need to be willing to wait. Each glaze (and there are definitely a dozen at least) took about two days to dry, sometimes three depending on how much medium was used. It's not a technique for everyone, but I like the result if you can spare the time needed. I also glazed in the rose, which I felt was needed to give it that luminous glow that only glazes can fully achieve. The first step was to glaze in a layer of Titanium White, then I built up alternating layers of Quinacridone Red and Phthalo Green until I acquired the depth of colour I was after. Again, it takes patience, but I think it's worth it. The figure was painted more loosely, along with the desk and the vase of flowers. I tried to get a particular kind of texture on the desk, in which I painted in an initial layer, then when I added a second layer, I scraped and scratched it with a palette knife to reveal the original layer to give it a worn look. I'm not going to go into detail about the theme of the painting here, I'll let the viewer interpret it for themselves...

The Deserting Light...process

This was a private commission, which I'm pleased to have finished. The client/customer asked that there be a female figure in it and the colour purple. Here we are then! As always I began the process by scribbling several thumbnails in my sketchbook. This is a process I very very rarely waver from. After that I did a couple of quick colour studies, although I had a fairly solid idea as to the colour scheme from the outset. Once the final idea was decided, I did a more detailed pencil drawing, which was then transferred to canvas. So at this early stage the design of the painting and the colour scheme are already worked out (preparatory work really does go a long way). I sometimes begin my painting with a imprimatura of a neutral colour like Burnt Sienna, but this is not always desirable. I like to crudely block in the basic shadows next, usually with a mixture of Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine. It's a good way of establishing the value range, and it gives the painting a bit of shape, form, and contrast. After this stage I ideally look to solve the background as quickly as I can. It can make or break an image, and in this painting it did take up a lot of space. At first I was going to have the background as one block of monochrome grey, but it lacked drama. Hence the diagonal shadow cast by the light source from the left, which leads to the centre of interest. Funnily enough I can't imagine it any other way now, although I only decided on it a week into starting the painting. Preparatory work is great, but little discoveries along the way can add more dynamic to an idea... The whole painting was rendered with Quinacridone Red, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow Light, Burnt Sienna, Flake White, and of course Titanium White.

Al Green process...

This is a little personal painting I've spent the last week on. I decided to give it the monochrome treatment, to give it that vintage feel. I glazed in a very subtle orange-brown around the central line of the face (forehead to the tip of the chin) just to give it that bit of glow, which I think adds more character to the face. In all honesty the most difficult aspect of the painting was the initial drawing. After that early hurdle it all seemed to flow rather smoothly. It must have been Al himself encouraging me subconsciously... "Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain, we all have sorrow. But, if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow. Lean on me, when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on..." Thanks Al :)