Reoccurring Themes or Ditto Drawing

Had a strange drawing experience this weekend. Was refining my Autumn sketch (yet again), just letting it unfold and not thinking too much about why I was inserting different things. When I stood back and looked at it I felt this jolt. I had just drawn the exact pose I had used in another painting I did back in 2008, not to mention a past Christmas card. Completely different subject matter but the same position as well as a bird. What's that all about??

My friend Tara asked if there was something significant about the bird. There is something about holding something so fragile and that something so timid trusting you enough to remain. But the reason I put the bird in this painting is to suggest the need to leave nests behind and fly to safer harbors before the earth is blanketed in winter's cold.

Guess it's best not to over analyze but I am curious if anyone else has experienced this.

Progress on Plantlife #2

While waiting for the oil to dry a bit on one painting, I've been working on the acryla gouache underpainting on my second Plantlife concept. Need to tone down the shadow on the head popping out of the ground on the left and stretch out the shadows as well. The sky is too busy...must simplify. Now...what color?? Grrr! Why is that always a problem for me?

Master Class Assignment - Final

Here's the final on my class assignment, entitled Awaiting Invitation. Personally, I think I've over worked it and I'm not sure I would use Galkyd again as it didn't scan well. I was rushing when I applied the first layer and ended up with little flecks of dust on the surface. I might try one more time.

On to other things. I MUST finish Reading by Fireflies before I do anything else.

FYI-Tonight is the Breaking Dawn party at the B&N in Layton. Exciteamundo!!

Class Assignment - The layout sketch

These aren't the best photos, especially the lower one. Both will go through some changes, but this will give you an idea of the process. When we got to class, the very first thing we did after we set up in the studio was tack all of our workups on a wall. Our teachers then critiqued each piece, explaining what worked and what didn't. They were very positive, even when they were telling you why something should be improved or changed.

This first one was inspired by something my son-in-law said while we were hiking the Uintas. He asked us if we knew what the largest living organism was. Duh....well I didn't know. After several failed guesses, he exclaimed, "the quaking aspen and we are walking through it"! Well, I was impressed and that little fact stayed with me until I started drawing this assignment. What if these humanoid/plant things were all connected underground like the aspen and they sprout all at once in the moonlight? And voila, the picture took shape.
This one has a bit more of a story behind it. I wanted to portray something that showed the destruction of nature due to man's misuse of his stewardship. Out of that destruction, emerges the first plant-man hybrid, nature's attempt at compromise. At first, I wanted to have a blossom sprouting from the palm of his hand, promising hope that life will find a way. But this other idea of a bird wouldn't leave my head. What if this hybrid was the only semblance of a tree left on earth and this little surviving bird needed a place to build a nest? I felt this was in keeping with my own strongly held beliefs of the importance of home and family and so the bird stayed.

Though most of the students preferred the first idea, the teachers liked the quiet "poignancy" of the second, so that is the one I continued to work on throughout the week.

Master Class Assignment - Photo References

Here are just a few of the photo references I took for the two ideas. I then perused the internet for photos of tree roots, bark, vines, moons, ruins, etc. Anything that would help to form my mental vision on paper.

MIC Assignment - Sketches

Prior to the Master Illustration Class, we were emailed an assignment to prepare. We were given several book cover descriptions to choose from. I chose Plant Life which depicted human form with any type of plant we wanted. We had to come prepared with thumbnail sketches and photo references. They wanted our ideas fairly worked out with an open mind for any changes and/or improvements they would make. Here are the two thumbnails I came up with.

Return From Amherst

I returned from the MasterClass last night. Once I can see straight, I will post a summary of my experience. For now, here is a picture of my final project taken by one of the students, A. Miller. I borrowed Erinne's little camera and I've yet to download them onto my computer. It was a phenominal experience. Check out Irene Gallo's blog to see her report. Later.

....now, where's that aspirin??