I start with my experiment into emotional, subjective expression. This is what I started with a week ago in my last blog. The swirls of paint were now surrounded with grey- to make the colours appear brighter.
So often when developing a painting, I feel the need for some simple geometric forms to provide some structure. So I added two bands of grey to work into the swirls.
This seemed like prison bars, so I added more. With some darker grey added it worked fairly obviously as an “expression” of imprisoned frustration. The trouble is that it seems too much like adolescent rage, devoid of any subtlety, and I don't like it. There are artists who can function and succeed on an angry, instinctive level, but I don't think I am one of them.
I did play around with the colours in the swirls and do the following computer image. It is more decorative and, with some reflection added, has a suggestion of animal forms.
Having struggled with the above on and off all week, I decided yesterday that a return to “basics” was needed, So I rummaged through old photos and found this tiny image of my grandparents. I put the photo along with lighter and darker versions plus a close-up of the faces into a combined image. It is useful to have these variations. The light version revels more structure in shadows, and the dark reveals more in light areas such as faces.
I started sketching out directly in thin ultramarine acrylic.
Often, having made a start, I realise how many adjustments are needed so I go through again using a different colour.
This photo has a good tonal structure, sunlight and shadows, so I went back to blue, turned the photo and the painting upside down, and blocked in some areas of dark. We are heading to a point where lots of changes will be needed! I will come back to this and try and develop the painting in my next blog - which I hope will not be too far into the future.
Fascinating work, Tony. So good to see the pictures of your grandparents and how you think the process through.