The Musician

18 x 24" Acrylic

Observations of the Disregarded #1, Part 6 - Finished

The Musician

18 x 24" Acrylic

I have run out of good daylight to take a decent picture, but I am posting this anyway because I wanted to be done.  Maybe tomorrow I will post a better image.


PS - All 6 steps are included on this blog if you want to read about the process behind this painting and see the different layers (click on the SunnyPea logo and they all will show.  Also, you can click the painting for a bigger image).

Observations of the Disregarded-1-Finished

Observations of the Disregarded #1, Part 5

I have added red.  Now I will go back and add more light / highlight and shadow... since I didn't start with black and white, it appears some of my shadows (blues) are disappearing.  I've already added a blue glaze to the trim on the door.  I want to bring out the detail with the next layer that was showing better in the first sketch.  Also, it is my plan to tone down the red on the face.  I do like that the painting is being to show the translucent quality that actual skin has.  I just have to get the tones right with more layers.  I will continue avoiding any opaque color, but just use glazes.  There is a time and a place for paintings with the impasto technique, but this is not one.  I want to give a three dimensional quality to the painting without it actually being three dimensional.   Hopefully if I achieve this, you will not look outward like you would at a textured tapestry or at thick brush strokes of other paintings but instead look inward, into the painting and through the layers.

Observations of the Disregarded #1, Part 4

Today I added a yellow layer.  Here it is important to make sure each layer dries before adding more.  If you go back and try to even add more of the same color on top while it is still tacky, you risk peeling off that layer.  This technique works wonderfully in oils (glazing) but waiting can be all so much longer since oils can take months to dry.  I am doing this in acrylic.  If I want to speed the drying process, I take a blowdryer to it.  :)  I think this one may need a bit more yellow... haven't decided yet...

Observations of the Disregarded #1, Part 3

This is a painting I am doing in layers of glazes.  Since I started with a blue base coat, I am doing my blue layer.  I would normally have a black and white layer and then add color to that, but this time will begin with a blue and white layer.   

I am enjoying this painting.  I think the thing that drew me to this subject is that his hair seemed to be singing and dancing to the music he was creating on his flute.  I'm not so certain he was a homeless person as much as just being a free spirit sitting on front stoop, but there was a sadness in his melody.  He seemed to be hiding and yet at the same time trying to tell the world his story.  The old door he sat in front of as well as his beard gave him a timeless quality.  I also like that he somehow reminds me of God.

Now on to more color after this layer dries!

Observations of the Disregarded #1, Part 2

With the paint dry, it was time to chalk in an outline of the painting's layout.  Sometimes I sketch my paintings, sometimes I just paint.  I chose to create a drawing for this one, based on the composition I had already designed previously from a photo I took.  

Observations of the Disregarded #1, Part 1

I am going to post these paintings in parts, to share the journey from blank canvas to creation.

Shown here is the beginning.  I have painted the background my favorite color, a deep, blue-violet.  I believe it is my favorite because of its moodiness.  Hopefully your browser shows it correctly, or the same as mine - a cross between a dark purple / violet and a cobalt blue.


I wanted to start this painting dark for the atmosphere and to bring me into a certain frame of mind.  This color does it for me.  Even if none of this color shows in the finished painting, I will know it is there, and now you will,  too!

On my mind, in my head, through my hands, my eyes, to yours

I drew these on my new Bamboo drawing tablet that I got for Christmas from Caitlin (awesome fun!).  Some, such as the first one were drawn more deliberately and from a reference photo I took.  I plan to make this into a painting so am working out the details.  The others I sketched from my mind and some with the aid of photo references to convey what's in my head.  

I have been having strong feelings for the homeless lately and instead of the usual avoidance, have actually been taking a good look at them lately.  I think it all started with the woman I had a discussion with at the bus depot in Boston that I wrote a blog about back in December 2008 (Time).  She is the subject of the head portrait near the bottom, a face I have not gotten out of my head.

The homeless are people just like us.  They could one day be us.  We could one day be them.