Work in Progress

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
Work In Progress
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I am teaching myself a new technique...and learning to do the human form in a realistic, impressionistic style. Don't get me wrong I am still a lover of the abstract style I have taught myself over the years...but this is my first attempt at a impressionistic portrait, and I am OK with the way it's coming out. This is the base of the work, it'll have much more color and texture when it's done...and yes eyes too. The neck is a little too long but I like it anyway, the mouth needs more definition and pulling out, try to make it look more masculine, and the eyes are totally hard to do, because that's the life of a portrait... Mate Man was my muse (It looks a little like him, well not really, just that this guy is bald too...Tee-hehehehe, I am trying to learn to paint the Male form too) and I want to bring in a ton of light and feeling into it, but for now while it's drying... I am pleased with the way it's going. I am going to bring it to life with the next layer, and it'll be done with a knife and large brushes...very heavy texture. I'll breath light and life into it with the next layer... I am learning that I do not have to be so uptight with perfect blending, colors that always compliment and smoothness in general. I have been painting for years and years, and my personal style is something I am really comfortable with, very Pop-Art and abstract...smooth, blended, bold colors and hard lines for the most part. I love painting in the impressionism and expressionism styles, and use those techniques in my backgrounds often, but I want to learn something new...I want to loosen up a little, I want to unlearn my style and stretch out some...you know? So, even though this is not my best work (not even close) I like sharing my work here, and seeing what others think about what I am learning...being self taught I also have to keep myself a little scared, a little vulnerable to the world, I find that element keeps me on my toes and keeps me trying hard to improve and get more confident in myself. I usually have this "thing" about my work, being an artist is expensive and I have realized of late that I have been approaching my work with this whole, "it's got to be a good work, I have to be able to justify the costs by selling it when I am done" attitude. That has really put a kink in my creativity, because to be honest...I am bored with what I know how to do. Totally bored, I feel like I have done it all already and I have no fresh new ideas. When I decided to learn something new, something challenging... I got so excited, the world opened up again and I had something to look forward to when standing in front of the easel...I don't have to justify the expense of learning something new, it's education...HA! Break through! Eureka!
So, today I am going to start another canvas, while I wait for this one to dry...I am going to work on an outdoor scene using pictures I took while back in Oregon of my lovely garden...sniff, I miss my garden so much right now! When I get to the stopping point I'll show that one too...I am really loving the feeling of not knowing what the hell I am doing at all...I can't think about what I am doing at all or I'll slip into what I know and that's what I am trying to get away from...it's all about loose, free and bold strokes, with the feeling of the image coming together with light and shade playing together...Too Much FUN! Creative Insanity...I love not thinking!
Hope you all are having a great weekend.
I am bringing my heaven down to earth!
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com