Painting Process
The main figure is blocked in. It is surrounded by a green that compliments the flesh tones. This begins to create a vibration that is important to the piece. I know the figure will be outdoors (though I have not yet determined details) so the colors begin to add context.
I scribble on the canvas to remind myself not to be too precious or get overly attached to individual parts of the painting. This also starts to build a history of mark making that will add depth and complexity to the work.
I rough in some background, establishing the full light/dark range and setting the mood for the piece. I know I’m going to add a dark bear and am thinking of how the background will relate to both figures. I also deepen the shadows on the figure to integrate with the darkened surround.
I add the bear and block in an imagined setting.
To finish the painting I both blur and add detail; showing less and inferring more. The figures and setting become more thought-like and less illustrative. The marks become metaphor, evolving into an important part of the content. The painting matures from being a man and a bear in the woods to a psychological journey. Note that parts of the painting have been sacrificed for the whole. I liked the man’s feet & how they moved into the water. I loved the colors in front of the bear. But the painting is not about anatomy or a brook. The figures are moving towards something mysterious; stepping into a life current. One is seeing something real but not literal; both ephemeral and eternal, personal and universal. Construction and destruction join to complete the piece.
What I have shown here is four moments captured during the creation of “The Walk”. I do not mean to imply that there are four tidy steps in producing my paintings. There is a continuum involving constant decision making. My works evolve from a visual dialogue between myself and the canvas. I start with a basic concept and ideas about how I will proceed but the canvas almost immediately becomes the master. I am presented with a series of problems. Addressing these challenges becomes my process of creation.