Yes folks. Do you remember my last report on my
disastrous painting demo for the Linus Gallery in Pasadena? How, in
front of dozens of heavy shakers, moguls, and super-models, we witnessed
the faux-pas of the Dude's public failure as he attempted to capture a
likeness and couldn't? Are we still feeling the long-distance pains
of empathy as the Dude himself huffed and puffed but couldn't blow the
house down?
Well, assume the Lotus position my friends, as we have something new to report since that last moment of art community status deprivation.
Here's what happened...
Last Friday, on my way to my open studio, non-instructed painting class at the Scottsdale Art School, I decided it was time for something different.
As you know, I've had my share of non-successful paintings over the years--some I'mstill trying to figure out what went wrong, or why I couldn't get that likeness down--but most of them have gone swimmingly.
Recently, I've been looking at the work of various painters, mostly Chinese painters, who have really mastered the art of paint on canvas. Naturally, to anyone who's mastered this ability far and beyond the capacities of the humble Dude, I wanted to figure out how they did it.
Mostly, what I notice is how these guys design the figure into the background by "losing" certain parts of the body, hair, or whatever, into the background, and actually painting very little in great detail. Heck, these guys barely indicate detail. And like a good magician, they're smart enough to show the viewer only what we really need to see. Pretty clever, these Chinamen. So armed with this new determination to try something different, I boldly went were few White men have dared to go.
After arriving way too early at class--maybe I should put my glasses on next time I look at the clock--I quickly set-up my palette and canvas, and with brush in hand, I loosely but accurately blocked in the figure, and then proceeded to...blur in all the shapes of color. No hard edges--all of it blurred. Everyone get what I'm saying?
So when I stepped back to asses my new experiment and behold it's dawning truth--it looked good! Well, I'll be spickle-spitted! So I kept going.
Rather than bore those of you reading this who have gone off to play another round of Angy Birds, I'll just refer you to the step by step pics that Mrs Yayness has posted. This will show the evolution of how it came to be, as nearly 5 hours later, I swooped in for the final touches.
Did I succeed? Or do I still have a ways to go? Should I try this experimental way for my next class painting? According to Mr. Humility, I'd be a foo not to.
Currently working hard on the upcoming Nexus episode, and still cleaning the paint off his hands,
I remain,
Mr. Humility,
Steve Rude the Dude
Well, assume the Lotus position my friends, as we have something new to report since that last moment of art community status deprivation.
Here's what happened...
Last Friday, on my way to my open studio, non-instructed painting class at the Scottsdale Art School, I decided it was time for something different.
As you know, I've had my share of non-successful paintings over the years--some I'mstill trying to figure out what went wrong, or why I couldn't get that likeness down--but most of them have gone swimmingly.
Recently, I've been looking at the work of various painters, mostly Chinese painters, who have really mastered the art of paint on canvas. Naturally, to anyone who's mastered this ability far and beyond the capacities of the humble Dude, I wanted to figure out how they did it.
Mostly, what I notice is how these guys design the figure into the background by "losing" certain parts of the body, hair, or whatever, into the background, and actually painting very little in great detail. Heck, these guys barely indicate detail. And like a good magician, they're smart enough to show the viewer only what we really need to see. Pretty clever, these Chinamen. So armed with this new determination to try something different, I boldly went were few White men have dared to go.
After arriving way too early at class--maybe I should put my glasses on next time I look at the clock--I quickly set-up my palette and canvas, and with brush in hand, I loosely but accurately blocked in the figure, and then proceeded to...blur in all the shapes of color. No hard edges--all of it blurred. Everyone get what I'm saying?
So when I stepped back to asses my new experiment and behold it's dawning truth--it looked good! Well, I'll be spickle-spitted! So I kept going.
Rather than bore those of you reading this who have gone off to play another round of Angy Birds, I'll just refer you to the step by step pics that Mrs Yayness has posted. This will show the evolution of how it came to be, as nearly 5 hours later, I swooped in for the final touches.
Did I succeed? Or do I still have a ways to go? Should I try this experimental way for my next class painting? According to Mr. Humility, I'd be a foo not to.
Currently working hard on the upcoming Nexus episode, and still cleaning the paint off his hands,
I remain,
Mr. Humility,
Steve Rude the Dude
