Mist is a small scale morning routine study. Almost every time I start painting in the morning I go into it with almost no intention or expectation.
I just start.Taking anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour and a half, I started by block coloring a bust in the middle of the canvas. While discovering the shape I was going to use I started mixing red, yellow, black, and white acrylics to mark shadows - then mid tones - then highlights - then more mid tones - than more, and more and more and more, until I realized my original shape wasn't what I wanted. I made dramatic marks and strokes all around the outside of the shape just to explore new directions.
I blurred what was intended to be the front of the face until It started turning into an abstract. My goal shifted at that point and I began refining my abstract painting. seeking visual balance and interest I made color blocks around the painting.
After the painting seemed well balanced I used a pan pastel to scrape away fine lines from the top layer revealing a lower layer of white paint. This made my interested to try line drawings.
Those line drawings ended up marking a location for a nose - an eye - and finally a location for a mouth. A new portrait of a face that wasn't noticed before. I marked shadows where the subjects right eye, cheek bone, and chin is, but other than that the head was already there.
This Painting is an example of a few things; artistic luck and the joy of creation with no expectations.
The black and white check is a method for me to check my contrast and form. Contrast is what makes it easy for the eye to pick out a subject from the background. Distinguishing a good foreground, mid-ground, and background brings depth to a painting. But sometimes you don't want that. This this painting I wanted it to look like there was a face hidden in the secrets of the abstract piece.
I made the front of the subjects face mesh with the tones of the background a little more for it to look like it is blurred or melting out. But I knew the painting needed some contrast to give the head at least a little shape so if finished the painting adding deep black strokes under the chin, behind his head and above his ear. Those black color blocking is the only thing that gives the face direction and shape.
Mist
16"x20"
acrylic