This one is currently taking up a lot of room, physically & emotionally. I was dating this guy for nearly two years and in the end, turns out we weren't right for each other. I still have feelings for him, so I'm not sure whether to store it, paint over it ... or burn it. Will somebody please buy it?It was difficult, but cathartic to paint. Started out strong & intense, kinda sexy, and as our relationship broke down, developed an aggressive edge, a kind of volition all it's own. For me anyway. I think that's what helped me finish it, despite my initial procrastination.
Generally I start with a photograph, or several. In this case my boyfriend posed in a top hat & suit, complete with whip, for a model shoot at the Theatre. I click away until something grabs me, the way the light hits the face, a look, a stance.
I then adjust a few of the images utilising Adobe Photoshop to change the colouring & give it more depth, bump up the contrast etc. During this process I quickly establish the most striking image (or images) & start painting on a small scale. Some pieces have more impact larger & that's what happened with this one. My background is in mural art & stage design so I like to work big, even if it doesn't sell.
I used acrylic spray paint to render most of the image onto a custom-stretched canvas. With this kind of linear design, I use stencils to get clean lines & spray the paint on thickly on an angle. It took several stencils to do this 5 colour piece & quite a few hours in the studio... inhaling. The final details are painted on with a brush and acrylic. The whole thing is then sealed with a satin finish varnish, so you don't lose the street-art look but it's protected from dust & moisture.
I see things generally as comic book images, telling a story & inviting you to peer into the image, get up close & personal. I tend to choose people I know fairly well to pose for me, but people I want to know better, as it's a process that deepens the relationship, especially once they see themselves through my eyes.
I used acrylic spray paint to render most of the image onto a custom-stretched canvas. With this kind of linear design, I use stencils to get clean lines & spray the paint on thickly on an angle. It took several stencils to do this 5 colour piece & quite a few hours in the studio... inhaling. The final details are painted on with a brush and acrylic. The whole thing is then sealed with a satin finish varnish, so you don't lose the street-art look but it's protected from dust & moisture.
I see things generally as comic book images, telling a story & inviting you to peer into the image, get up close & personal. I tend to choose people I know fairly well to pose for me, but people I want to know better, as it's a process that deepens the relationship, especially once they see themselves through my eyes.
Wonder what he thought I saw in him here.
Buy
