Trajectory
Acrylic and oil pastel on hardboard 8" x 8"
Wikipedia defines a 'trajectory' as the path a moving object follows through space as a function of time. I often have the urge to include arcs and curves in my figurative work and I love and am rather in awe of the idea of the sea so the two things came together here. I revisited here some photos I took of a holiday we had a couple of years ago. Regular readers might remember I posted some paintings last year based on these.
I was experimenting here to see how well oil pastel and acyrlic could live together on the same surface. I like the scratchy marks oil pastel can make and I liked the way it resisted the acrylic paint to some extent (but not as much as I anticipated). I have yet to work out how I can fix the whole surface to protect both.
I was thinking about "found images" (photos taken from magazines, newspapers etc. and re-created to form part or whole of a painting). Wikipedia reminds us that the Surrealists used found images a lot. I have used them myself but when I have not personally taken the photographs it is not always easy to inject feeling. Another development is it is beginning to bug me to work too much from the computer screen. In this painting I used one of my own photographs to start me off but then I just 'went with the flow'. I would love to work with figures more from life but it takes opportunity, time and money. And as many of you know I do like to use my imagination in paintings as well,so I just want to feel relaxed about the whole thing and see what happens. Just try to make each painting the best I can make it.
By the way, the blues really are as bright as this in the original painting. I must have mislaid my raw umber..
Labels: girl sea sun orbit path
posted by Sheila Vaughan at 12:28 PM
17 Comments:
Timeless, maybe because when we paddle in the sea on a sunny day the experience is so visceral,all the other paddles coalesce into one, time is overshadowed. Apparently we beachcombed out of africa down to australia over 40 thousand years, (well some of us did) so its got deep resonances.
wow - that is some notion - the idea of it.. yes, its powerful.
gracious.
First time to your site. Thought I knew what to say, but after reading Simon's amazing comment, I'm at a loss for words. Incredible sense of light demanding an impact far beyond its 8x8.
Great color, Sheila, and love the direct, confident handling of that figure with all the lost and found edges. And as always, I admire your willingness to experiment.
Marilyn, thank you. I had some smaller panels I wanted to work over. Glad you like it. Your charcoal drawings are very accomplished! I especially like the one you posted last Friday- the sleeping dog. It's a great little piece!
Thanks Don - I felt the edges needed to get a bit lost at times to integrate the figure with the background. It worked out more or less how I wanted. Well, you know me, I'm always saying to myself.. what will happen if...
ps to Don- I also sometimes say: what will happen if I give this up altogether.. but the prospect of housekeeping full time is not an attractive one and I scurry back to the paints quick sticks!
wow- Sheila, you are on a roll! - I had to look twice at the size...I also thought it was a much bigger painting! Lotsa power in this 8x8!
Gorgeous. This is so lovely, and
I love the explanation too. Super.
Take care,
Barbara
Roxanne, thank you. Now I know the process can work I shall gradually make my way back to bigger sizes.
Thanks Barbara, it's kind of you to say so.
WOW-how's that for an articulate response?? It's so interesting to read about your process and inspiration--you have such integrity--and such a hunger for growth!
It would be interesting to see this with your other more simplified figures with the expanses of negative space and colour. BTW I used to work oil pastel with acrylic--to fix, I used an oil based spray varnish--with Dammer in it -made by Krylon--sometimes it would affect the oil pastel--in an interesting way. I've also just used a fixative.
Thanks for your comments Jan (I'll gratefully accept the Wow) and for the advice on the spray varnish. I'll look into it.
PArticularly beautiful one here - love your technique and the new twists you add to it. I can only imagine the lovely texture of the painting that could be seen in person
Thank you Olha. I love your recent interiors of Dennis Severes' house, so rich and atmospheric.
Your use of the arc is interesting. I often use 2 or 3 random parallel lines especially in landscapes. They are at odds with the subject and yet I feel they are harmonious. I think.
Bruce, I think what you are raising here is "right brain" stuff. At the risk of sounding pretentious, it's the right brain stuff that is so elusive. A right brain idea often "glimmers" for a moment then shyly hides away again and we comfortably forget it. We need to not do that don't you think.
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