Monday, November 5, 2012

The final quarter and going fast and slow

Untitled work (work in progress)
upper left quarter
Drawing and beginning of the underpainting 
with some colour
Acrylic and willow charcoal on gessoed canvas
36 x 48 inches
Barbara Muir © 2012
 
My idea with this four-part image is to try and
progress at the same rate with all four paintings
to make sure that it is one consistent whole.  But
the black and white drawing and bit of an under painting
is worrying one of my blog readers who likes my
work for colour.

To her I say don't worry.  I have begun the colour,
but I am trying to ease into it slowly.  In most
of my paintings I use one colour for my
underpainting, but in these four I am trying an area by area
underpainting in places. The entire scheme is really
warm hits against a mostly white table cloth with a blue
center, and blue napkins.  So I am holding myself back
 a little from full colour right away.

To give you an idea of the possibilities, although this painting
will be much more intense (and obviously bigger) here's a
 little painting I did in August that looks something like
the left hand side of the big painting done from the same series of
reference photos.

I hope you had a lovely weekend.  It was cold today
but beautiful -- a blanket of low blue/grey clouds covering
the city, and at the end of the day a flash of brilliant, golden
sun and a spectacular sunset.

Have an easing-into-colour day.

14 comments:

Sheila Vaughan said...

This is an amazing project Barbara. I keep checking back to follow progress. Are you using tubes of paint or cans? And big brushes? It's going to look fantastic finished and on the gallery wall.

Nicki said...

I, too, am enjoying the progress of this one. I'm very excited to see the finished project when your ideas are fully realized.

I love your description of the sky that day.

XO Nicki

Unknown said...

Wow, this is cool Barbara. A considerable challenge painting this big one, but its great to dream big, and it's great you are having such fun with it. I look forward to seeing your process and progress on it.

Melinda said...

It's coming along beautifully! I do love the blue on the black. Simply scrumptious.

Thinking about you as you deal with the cold weather this week.

xo

Karen Bruson said...

Looking good!

Laurel Daniel said...

You have a good plan... and it's fun to watch you working it! We KNOW the color will be BarbaraMuirBeautiful as it emerges from these canvases. Paint on! XO

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sheila,

I'll show more progress soon. I'm fairly engrossed in the project. Yes it is going to look great. I am so enjoying this.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Nicki,

Thanks so much. I really value your enthusiasm. So I'll keep powering through. It's been a wild time lately. I will get to your blog and comment tomorrow I hope.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sally,

It is fun and bizarre working this large. I get lost in the excitement of scale I think and then have to stand back and say Woah -- is this working?

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Melinda,

The cold weather is strange. The night of the first devastating frost was harsh. Next morning the beautiful green Nasturtium leaves had crumbled to mush. There are still some green things in the garden, weeds mostly. Then we had temperatures as warm as Cairo this past week. But in the morning and at night on my long days, it is cold enough for a down jacket, and I don't even know that it's been warm in between.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Karen,

Thanks so much. Glad you like it. I wish you lived a bit closer, so I could come and watch you painting.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laurel,

You are sweet. The colour is coming. Maybe a bit strong and powerful in places, and needing more strength in others. I just keep going, and trust in my own process.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Tammy Hext said...

It is coming along Barbara - cannot wait to see how it turns out. What a challenge!
Tammy

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Tammy,

That's what we like isn't it! I love your work. Wonderful!

XO Barbara

Portrait Artist

My photo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you? Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!