Ink and watercolour on paper, 28x40cm: "Dancing Daisies #1"; I let my pen dance around the flowerheads listening to the music and feeling for form. Which reminds me of a this dialogue I quote from the film "The Red Shoes" which I watched this afternoon (instead of painting - naughty boy!). The young composer says to the young ballet dancer:"When you hear the music, my music, you will be transformed!" She asks:"Transformed into what?" "Transformed into a...dancing flower!" is the reply. Well my hope is that I can be inspired to transform these daisies into something which captures their essence without labouring their appearance.
Ink and watercolour on paper, 28x40cm:"Dancing Daisies #2"; This is not the first drawing with watercolour added (#1) but a fresh drawing including blue watercolour. The idea is forming. The tempo is rising:
Ink and watercolour on paper, 30x43cm:"Dancing Daisies #3"; And now I am getting closer. This is the first one to capture the essence of their amazingly long stalks with frilly white flowerheads swaying around in the breeze. It is also beginning to take on an Abstract Expressionist feel which I am often searching for. I put this on hold for a moment while I regress to check out another idea. I wonder how it would be in landscape format:
Ink and watercolour on paper, 43x30cm:"Dancing Daisies #4"; There is definitely something here. But this isn't it. Yet. I try again:
Ink and watercolour on paper, 43x30cm:"Dancing Daisies #5"; And apart from #3 (which I will develop further) this is also closest to what I am looking for in terms of an image. All I need to do now is convert it into a finished painting and I'm well on my way to making my fortune! "Flowers for the lady, Sir?"
4 comments:
Thank you for sharing your thinking about art. I'm fascinated with the thought process of making art, of finding the expression that fits. It's a process I can't keep from myself, no matter how much I'd like not to. It is the anchor I have that keeps me from drifting out of the world altogether.
Because of blogs like yours and Melinda's, which also explores art thought (more than technique) I've decided to start one of my own.
Blogging seems to cause in me an internal pressure to perform... I'm not sure I like it.
I no longer care about pressures Edgar. I just do what I want. Life's too short to be bothered otherwise. My art thought needs to be improved, expanded. That's why I blog - as a journal of all my experimentation and experiences.
Good of you to stop by AND leave a comment.
You are very welcome.
Sling a hook around me and we'll ride the waves together!
I enjoyed watching these daisies progress, David, and especially like the strong brush strokes in varying intensities from grays to black and fine to thicker lines. Like Edgar I appreciate reading your thoughts on this work as it progresses (and more recently on the monoprints and sfumato). The "internal pressure to perform" that comes along with sharing one's work is welcome to me as otherwise I'm afraid I'd get lazy and wouldn't push myself hard enough. I learn quite a bit by following these experimentations of yours as well. We're fortunate to live in an age where sharing is this easy, even across oceans and continents. The fun you are having with what you do also comes through clearly in your posts and is infectious, I think.
Thank you Brian. Like yourself I am on a path of learning and (mostly) enjoy the experiences. I do not see myself in any way as a teacher but am happy to share my thoughts and findings as I go. I am glad you get something from my meanderings. As I do from yours. And Edgars. And all the other artists I come in contact with. It is good fun. If it wasn't I wouldn't do it - I'd just go out and get drunk instead!
ps: you are certainly not lazy!
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