"Canyon" by Lesley Spanos. Oil on paper, 6 x 15". Copyright 2009, all rights reserved.
Today I felt the need to break away from small paintings and tiny brushes and cut loose. Funny how I always want to paint loosely, but my paintings get tight anyway. I know that happens to a lot of us, but why? Why is it so hard to leave things a little less refined?
I love the look of paint just doing its thing. My favorite paintings look like piles of paint up close, and something real from a distance. The kind of paintings that keep me walking up to the wall, then back ten feet, over and over, trying to see how the artist created his magic.
I don’t know if I could ever achieve that look, but if I don’t try, I won’t for sure. So on this one I forced myself to keep it loose by using only big brushes and unmixed paint. I think the smallest brush I used here was a #10. What a mess I made! I got paint everywhere – on my hands, on my sleeves, on my coffee mug. Did you know that Shout Ultra Gel laundry stain remover is really good at getting wet oil paint out of clothing? I didn’t until today. It has a little brush attachment on the end that rubs the paint right out. My long-sleeved black T-shirt once again has black sleeves!
The reference is from the Wet Canvas image reference library, and was posted for a challenge on the landscape forum. I’m still working up the nerve to post my version over there.
I was painting so quickly and was so covered in paint, I only got one in-progress shot. For what it’s worth, here it is:
Lesley Spanos
Lesley Spanos is a painter working in Indiana, USA.Translator
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OMG Lesley! My eyes looked like saucers when I saw this painting. It is amazing! I can literally feel the powerful strokes made to paint this strong and dynamic image.
I LOVE IT!!!!!
Lesley,
I love the color and especially the close up with the brush work.
Thank you, Annie and Sheila! I really appreciate the comments.
I have the same issue with my painting–how do you loosen up (and have it look as wonderful as this???) Just wonderful.
Lookin’ good Leslie. Love the abstractness that the big brushstokes create.
I love it, Leslie.
I have the same issue of wanting to loosen up.
The few times I came close were when I didn’t try to match the color of the subject…rather, I paid attention to values and observed what the paint was doing as it touched the canvas. Plenty of paint on the end of the brush…place it on the canvas…leave it alone. I’m still working on it.
OH Leslie, First I have to apologize for not coming by to see your work lately. ( Can I suggest you add on your blog “the Follow thing” so that when you post it comes up directly on our dashboards. But anyway, My oh MY these desert pieces are giving me all the calories I need they are so yummy and perfect. Love the progress shots too it is so interesting to see each others work process. LOve this one too, but I’m want to eat the others = ) Thanks for adding me to your list of bloggers. I am adding you too.
Dean, that’s an interesting approach. I’ll have to try it after a glass of wine. Plenty of paint, eh? I’m stingy with the paint, so that’s a good thing for me to play with. Hey Susan, you should join me, and we’ll both loosen up.
Hi Dominique! Maybe I should try to sell them as no-calorie desserts.
Is the Follow thing the widget on your blog? It’s pretty cool, but I don’t know if it works on blogs outside of Blogger. Thanks for the link!
Connie, I haven’t forgotten my “seven things.” The hard part for me is finding people I can tag who haven’t already been tagges a bazillion times.
Lesley, I concur on the desire to loosen up. For me, I attribute the tightness to my graphic design background. I need to try some of these ideas for loosening up as well. Thanks for the posts. I really appreciate seeing the progress shots. Keep up the good work.
RR
BTW – This is a WordPress blog so the follow module from blogger won’t work here. But I bet it is just a matter of time till someone creates a widget for that way of following blogs within WordPress.
Thanks for that info, Robin. I keep all my blog subscriptions in a reader, so I’m not up on what widgets most people are using.
Graphic design background here, too, so yes, I know what you mean.
I love this piece! The colors are amazing and what wonderful brush strokes! It reminds me of Zion National Park! I really enjoy your work, you are an inspiration to me!