Gulfsprite

I spent the weekend painting and watching movies. The movies definitely affected the painting. Several of them were horror flicks and I think I left much of the portraits a bit raw with sharp lighting because of this. That or I was just in one of those moods. Yes, even artists have those in their work. This is why I have a lot of journals. So that when these moments occur I can still work and be creative, but I can do it in my journal and not on a canvas. Canvas is expensive. Expecially after I have labored to prepare it in just my special way. You’ll see what I mean about the portraits below.

© 2009 Christy Sobolewski (Gulfsprite.com)

The is the inside cover of my new journal. The movie I was watching was mostly a drama with just a few aliens thrown in to get the label sci-fi added to it. In general though a nice quiet movie. Resulting in a reasonably nice painting of a seascape.

© 2009 Christy Sobolewski (Gulfsprite.com)

Next up is the outside cover of my previous journal which has so many layers of plaster and crackle it took so long to dry I completed the new journal cover and inside pages first.

© 2009 Christy Sobolewski (Gulfsprite.com)

I love the colors in this and her hair. But the shadows are too stark, the lights too harsh. Over all she looks better close up, when you get too far away she looks a bit scarey.

© 2009 Christy Sobolewski (Gulfsprite.com)

Obviously I was watching a horror flick throughout the painting of this girl.

© 2009 Christy Sobolewski (Gulfsprite.com)

I used an older drawing (from September) and was busy watching a terribly sad movie about grief. No wonder I painted a gray flower.

© 2009 Christy Sobolewski (Gulfsprite.com)

© 2009 Christy Sobolewski (Gulfsprite.com)

Lesson learned. No more movie watching while painting. Back to listening to my favorite tunes instead.

But that is not all… last up is my current work in progress. I almost gave up and painted right over her. I haven’t drawn in at least a week and that is all it takes to end up with one of these:

© 2009 Christy Sobolewski (Gulfsprite.com)

Her face shape bugs me, her chin bugs me, one side of her face is entirely differently shaped than the other, ditto for the eyes.

© 2009 Christy Sobolewski (Gulfsprite.com)

In the end though I decided to keep her. It’s those big eyes. Err and I think her forehead is too short. Poor little thing.

It happens. This week I think I need to spend some quality time with my pencils. And I am building a website for a client so that should get me out of my rut and away from my paints for a few days at least.