I did this painting for Lisa. She is crazy for head/figure paintings of people who have some type of leprous looking skin disease. Well, take a suck a this, Leffel.
Ok, I may have stretched the truth like a bungee here. With a few minutes left of painting from a model I tried a monochrome drawing that turned into a steaming pile of failure. I couldn’t tell her hair from her scarf. When I got home I was going to wipe it down, but decided to “colorize” the piece on a lark.
I semi ignored what was already down and modified the shapes as well as color. Now I kind of like this piece but can’t say why. Maybe it is the combination of warm and cool? I’m trying to come up with a design idea to finish it, but I have a feeling I may carry the failure to a new level by continuing.
I think I will add a neckerchief and maybe a few small white blossoms in the sky. This has every indication of heading south but I’ve got balls abatch; I’m going for it.
On Painting 
Bill, I’m pretty fond of this myself so maybe I agree with Lisa :) I can see where you ran into trouble, though – you didn’t let the lady get all her makeup on before painting her face. I know you have problems with makeup because I’ve read your experimentation with your wife’s makeup when she isn’t looking. However, I have faith in you and know you will work out anything that needs tweaked on this one.
Love your site! Very funny, but the art is amazing! I’m inspired again! Thanks!
Thanks, Rhonda. Shhh – don’t say “makeup” out loud.
I’ve convinced my wife the maid is dipping into it. I think she is buying the story. Awhile back I swore to her on a stack of old newsprint with the word Bible written on it that I would not use any more to cover up my experimental plastic surgery on my face.
Ahh, let me count the “steaming piles of failures” I’ve cranked out! You do have a way with words! Balls to the wall, WR, and finish that head!
I like this portrait too, Bill. Yes, the contrast warm/cold colours is great, and the whole painting has a great atmosphere. quite romantic in fact, looks like a dream… and I am not sure I would add much stuff to it if you want to keep this special atmosphere…
You sure have a way of nailing facial proportions and you caught perfectly that tentative expression typical of the younger generation. And I like the way your light merges from the top of the head and her left shoulder into the background and the soft edges at the back of her hair.
Thank you, msayers. You could share some of your work with us and kick a bit of that inspiration back in our direction.
David, my boys are resting comfortably in my hand for the moment. Later I will put them against the wall and get to work. We could have a steaming failure height contest. I’m sure I’m a winner in shear numbers but I use linen taped to a board. Thus the overall height is less than if I were to use
thick stretchers.
Miki, I should leave it alone but I’m incapable. The thing about OCD is that I know I should not count the individual corn flakes in my bowl of cereal twice…er, three, ok,5 times, but I do it anyway. I must keep at this painting until I have reached complete failure. I’m on medication but it does not seem to be working. I think I’m in the control group getting the placebo. I was suspicious when my box of pills had “Good n Plenty” on the container. On the plus side, the licorice is pretty good.
Thanks for the nice critique, Dianne. Maybe you can give a second opinion after I have completely dicked it up.
I like this piece. I don’t know that you should do much to it. I like the unfinished look which only adds to the mystery, and I love the hot colors around her hair.
Good job now don’t F it up (which I have done many times)!
~gypsy-heart
Thanks for the warning gypsy heart. Hide and watch me foul this up, then you can be an “I told you so!”
I’m commenting on your reply to Rhonda…the bit about swearing on a faux bible of nothing but newsprint. Is that kinda like an “escape clause”? When I was in the graphic design business, a printer I used had a skid (stack) of paper the same dimensions of a sheet of dollar bills. The skid stood about three feet tall. They had purchased the sheet of dollars from the U.S. Mint and place it atop the paper skid… ta dah!…a faux three foot tall stack of dollars! You are a sly devil indeed!
I like your blog. I’ve keyed it into mine. I give you a lot of credit for keeping it up. I enjoying watching the sketches and paintings. It’s good to be around people with an interest in ART!
David – when I swear on a stack of anything with the word bible on it, I’m ALWAYS giving my most sincere lies.
Thanks, Dawn. After looking at your bugs, I’ve added you to our roll. I’m often called an insect and a weasel. Sometimes in the same sentence.
Bill, this looks suspiciously like the actress Britney Murphy. Is she posing for you now? You are really a man about Hollywood aren’t you? I must say, I think this is a really nice portrait of yours, but it does look like her head is about to go up in a blaze.
What would you do without me?
It looks like Monica Lewinsky to me – Blue dress and call it done.
It looks like Monica Lewinsky to me
Sorry for the double post, but it still looks like Monica Lewinsky
Lisa, without you I would have no muse. I would have to give up painting.
I think maybe I would go into commando tomato farming. That is where I put on my new Cabela’s mossy oak camo outfit, and in the middle of night, plant tomatos in the neighbor’s garden. That way he covers the cost of fertilizer and water.
I don’t know who Britney is, Lisa, but if you have her number, I wonder if she would be interested in musing?
Bill, you have a good eye. Let’s call her Monica for inspirational purposes. Let’s call her Monica for inspirational purposes. Damn it, Bill, look what you have me doing.
OK, wrjones, here’s a link… I’m on wordpress, too.
http://mayersart.wordpress.com
Alright, msayers, I’ve put you on the blog roll. Were you in the bushes painting when you should have been working? Now that’s a man I can admire.
Yeah, I was actually. If it’s any consolation, it was a weekend and I was just babysitting anyway.