34 Years of Waiting....

As you know, I started on a study of Flandrins nude male study and quickly got myself into trouble. And then a real breakthrough allowed me to bring it to this point. I signed it in pencil, and as far as I am concerned he is unfinished because I simply can not think of a single way to improve him more at this time.

Click to enlarge.


This is a breakthrough canvas, because as I said, it not only changed how I see shadow, it changed the way I actually apply the paint. I went from playing with flat plains of color to endless dimensions of it in one brushstroke. What before took me 8 layers to accomplish, I can now do in 2.

I am standing on the edge of a realm that has taken 34 years to reach. My entire life I have waited for the last 24 hours. Every thing I have ever studied, all those years of having only sketchbooks and pencils for friends, every moment I spent wishing...Today has made every single moment of doubt and numb fingers worth it.

The next canvas is also unfinished due to overly elaborate detail work I will need atleast 2 more days on... but the details are unimportant. The main part is done.

When my fingers all the sudden took over, I knew there was only one portrait I could try to judge the extent of my new found powers. And within minutes of putting on the first layer of fleshtone, there she was, staring back at me!

I am not sure how much you can actually judge by the photo. But wether you can see it or not the method for applying her face has completely changed everything for me. I have control of full tonal range, from white to black and every shade in between AND I can go the full range in just a few strokes. I can not only control shadow, I can control LIGHT!

The result is cleaner lines and a much more natural blending. It is literally like going from cartoons to Michelangelo.

I will be working on her for the next few days, but other than detail and clean up, she is pretty much a done deal. This one proves to me that it is REAL this time, and not just a wonderful accident of persistance.

After today, there is no going back. The universe has opened up and I fully plan to explore every inch of it I can.

Thanks to all of you. Your input, encouragement, and even just your interest has really made it such a wonderful journey and I feel truly blessed to be here with all of you.

Change Notice HEY ALLY!

Ally, Dianne, S, Kangaroo, and Mike are now all 'administrators' on this blog.

You can now edit your own posts or others, and also moderate comments. Just try not to play with the template or I may get nervous.

If anyone needs help or is having problems let me know.

I had a real breakthrough last night on canvas

That male nude study has not only changed the way I see shadows, it changed the way I apply paint.

Something wonderful has happened, and I am on a new canvas now that should be done soon. It is a radical departure from the way I did it before. And the result is... I am so excited! Sometime tonight I will be posting pics.

Watch out Michelangelo! I am sneaking up on you!

Deep Thought of the Day

"The act of procreation and anything that has any relation to it is so disgusting that human beings would soon die out if there were no pretty faces and sensuous dispositions."

Leonardo Da Vinci

I Want One!

Icarus

The Sickly Prince

This is Edward VI. The only son of King Henry the 8th born to a wife instead of mistress. His birth killed his mother Jane Seymour. She was Henrys 3rd queen and is the one buried at his side. Edward was crowned King at the age of 9, but it was already obvious he would not live.

By most accounts, this boy was born with syphilis. I read an account of him on his death bed once and it described him as not having any hair or fingernails. He was dead by the age of 16.

And because of this boys death, two queens rose up in his place. His half sister Mary went on to become Bloody Mary for her persecution of Protestants in her efforts to undo her fathers work and restore England to the Catholic faith.

And when Mary died childless, the other half sister, Elizabeth the First, daughter of a decapitated and wronged queen, rose to power. She became so great a queen an entire era was named for her.

And simply none of that would have happened had this one sickly prince lived. Everything Henry the 8th did, he did to produce this one ill fated legitimate male heir.

It is a really great portrait of a handsome boy. He looks fine and strong and regal. But every time I look at this portrait I wonder if it was really what he looked like, or did the artist give him a vitality that never truly existed? Is it a 'mercy' portrait...?

The world will never know. But either way, it is a fine fine portrait. A wonderful boy!

(As an interesting side note, the reason Lady Jane Seymour is not refferred to as 'Queen' was because she was never actually coronated. Henry seemed to be withholding the title until she 'proved' herself by producing a male heir. The proving cost her life, and so to this day she remains Lady Jane, not Queen Jane.)

Love It!

Muey Caliente!

I know, I am breaking my own blog rules.

In my own defense, I am under some freaky medical treatment that has me amped up beyond belief and I miss DCP.

No more political posts, I promise.

And if you step on here and think... "Is Christy on steroids or what...?" Rest assured that yes. Yes I AM. And I am so not sure what do do with all this unnattural energy. Meds should be done in the next 5 or 6 days, so just overlook anything annoying I do or say until then.

Also, you may have noticed I am playing with the template colors, if you like or don't like, please feel free to say so!

Survived the fires of history

Most people do not realize the Mayans had books. They were called 'bark books' because they were made of bark, and sewn together into an accorddion-type fold.

Most people do not know they exist, because during the 15 and 1600's white Catholics gathered up all of them and burned them. Only 3 survived, along with a fragment of a 4th. Saved by a priest who smuggled them away from the bonfires.

To look at them now, they are so much more than amazing works of art. They have confounded all types of scholars and have been used as a codex for a language that for atleast 200 years had been completely lost to history.

The man who finally cracked it made it very clear why it was almost impossible to read. They used up to 20 different symbols for the same sound. The numbers are pretty easy to read, but the actual language is so complicated, only geniuses can read it, for now.

I love the story of the Mayan codex. It really is a reminder of how we can burn history, but if even a fragment of that history remains, then there is hope.

This is actually a painting.

The Baptism of Jesus

A GREAT painting! Amazing brushwork.

Vintage Ad Art

Fantastic

Great new take on an ancient form. I have lots of this artist! I love it.

OMFG! OMFG! OMFG! OMFG!

I have to post this here, can't go on DCP. If this means what I think it means.....

RUSSO AND DIMORA!

They are onto KARL F*CKING ROVE FOR THE THEFT OF THE 2004 US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION!

OMFG!

JUST GO READ IT! Now! Hurry!

HOLY CRAP! I just had a heart attack at 4 am!

Copy 2

I could not sleep, and after Sparrows pep talk and a few amazing emails I figured I would have a go at him again.

This is where I was when I stopped to study it closer...



And, if you will ignore the sloppy outlines and color bleeds, (they will be cleaned up last)... this is where I am tonight...




Shadows are like salt. Just enough and it is perfect. But one shake too many and the entire thing is ruined. I knew eventually I would have to learn to control them, and for the first time tonight I finally feel like I CAN.

Still sloppy, but now I am getting somewhere.

Thank you Sparrow. From the beginning you saw my weakness and it really has helped how you have urged me all the while to just go for it. I would not say I am confident yet, but it's coming.

I told you, true Scorpio. You can spot a weakness blindfolded. HAHA!

I love all of you guys. Yall are great.

And two quick things.

Welcome back Woz. Good to see you. I missed you.

And Dianne, I totally freaking LOVE your posts. Your style is quite different than mine, and I really enjoy such a fresh perspective of a type of works I would rarely otherwise see. And VERY colorful.

You people rock!

s's Amazing Quilt

Tell me s ........ have you ever posted your amazing quilt here?  I might have missed it.

My Favorite Nude

The Finding of Moses.

Of all the nudes I have studied, this is definately one of the best ever. A truly beautiful work all the way.

In case yall were wondering...

I have not been at DCP recently because something went FUBAR with their log in and registration thingy, and I am now locked out.

I still am visiting just not allowed to comment, I just wanted you to know I wasn't going silent.




And to my 'fan' Genki...

I am not sure if you recieved my email in return to yours. I have notorious email issues.

If you did not get my return email, please tell me here and I will try re-sending it.




I thought technology was suppossed to make our lives easier? (Insert ironic giggles here).

Mick Jagger Reaches Pensioner Age

Shepard Fairey in Paris

I am so Duh....

I told you I would figure it out.... eventually.

How do you control shadows?

Highlights. Of course.

Yeah. I know. Duh Christy!

Guess I was so busy staring at the forrest, I never quite saw all those trees.

And still she smiles

I've been gone a while and have had no access to a computer or the internet for over a month.  I embarked on a long-overdue catchup with my youngest grandchildren.  Julie is choked up with bronchitis and she has conjunctivitis as well - and still she smiles.  Possibly in the knowledge that the photographer would soon be looking and feeling far worse!  Sorry folks - I think this is the best photo I've ever taken, although the colour looks very washed out here doesn't it?  It really is richer in colour than this.  Ah well, I am not good at all things artistic.

My favorite Michelangelo

The Libyan

All I can say is.....

WOW!

This image is both beautiful and strange to me.

I love it!

History through Art

This is Mary Queen Of Scots. Hers is a portrait rarely seen, even if her story is well known.

I like this portrait, she looks very determined. It fits the image of her from her story.

She was nothing if not determined.

I overreached on this one....Updated

This is the original.... Now you can see how bad I suck.

I saw the original and thought 'Oh! I want one!' Then I realized that compared to that artist I suck. I am like kindergarten. I definately overreached.

This canvas has totally frustrated me. It is sloppy to me, but, it was always suppossed to be practice so, I really have not lost anything but pride. I will keep working on it.

Turkish Bath

Very Pretty!

Rembrandt Sketch

Adam and Eve.

I love this statue.

Akhenatun

Photo or Painting...?

I say painting.

My Grand Odalisque

I used the same custom colors I used in Carols Picasso canvas.

I think she is my new favorite, until I paint another one.

Yeah, Yeah, Happy Birthday!

Thanks to your daughter, I guess there is no reason to wait, so.... Happy Birthday!

BTW, my comp is still fubar, and I ran all your programs and it is still completely stalling. I guess that means you have to come home now to fix my comp...right? Right!

I love you.

West Virginia

Posters by Arizona Rainman