Friday, November 23, 2012

Giving Thanks, Encaustic Portrait, The Reader

The Reader
encaustic on birch 18x24
 
 
Its Thanksgiving in the US.  Yesterday, actually.  It is the day that families gather, a large meal is shared and for one day we all give thanks for the wonderful things that have gone throughout the year.  Today, thank you to those of you who provide great inspiration in your artwork every Friday.  Thank you also, for your kind comments that help fuel the fire in us all and keep us going creatively.  Its been a good year.
 
I thought it would be fun to show you the process of creating the painting above.  She is the painting that I talked about in this post - she is the "another version" of the portrait there.  Needless to say she is dramatically different then her beginnings. 
 


She started like a Picasso on a panel made with Flora Bowley's style.  She then got mad, lost weight, then gained weight, she even looked like she ate something sour...  I got kinda frustrated at her at one point and decided to melt her hair.  That was the tipping point when my husband decided she was "way to scary" and that he didn't like her.  It was about Halloween.  So she sat for a few weeks, until it came to me what to do to set her right, soften her and make her way less scary.  Over the past two days she went from sour grapes in the bottom right corner to The Reader, above. 
She needs a few corrections here and there, but for the most part, she is done.  I'll work a little more on her fingers and finalize her hair and I see now, I need to fix the corner of her mouth..  but, I am promising myself I will not fall into the spin cycle.  
Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Friday.

26 comments:

  1. Marji she is beautiful... I love her... and fabulous to see the progress pics... the little bird is adorable as well...

    Jenny ♥

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  2. Yes, she is beautiful! I love the process pics! Working with the Flora Bowley book currently so this is very inspiring!
    cheers, dana

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  3. Striking! Love especially her nose and cheekbone. Great process shots! She really changed a lot during the process, very interesting faces, fortunately you took photos!

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  4. Wow! She's beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
    Stay inspired!

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  5. Wow she is glorious! I like the touch of the kingfisher on her book.

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  6. Thank you for sharing the stages. The results are wonderful. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  7. wow. i am really glad i clicked your PPF link - this portrait is great - Great (actually i scrolled back quite a bit and love everything i see here - i'm so glad i came upon this blog).
    But you know what is REALLY great about this portrait? that it's encaustics.
    xxa

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  8. Soooo amazing how she changed over the process! Quit stunning how you are able to work a face with encaustic..so talented!! How is this possible ;)

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  9. wow wow wow, beautiful!

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  10. Marji she is incredible. I am so impressed by what you are able to create. I think the fingers are perfect. Such a beautiful piece.

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  11. Frankly, Marji, I see nothing that needs fixing. Her hands are amazing. I know how hard it is to do hands but I see you painting them to perfection week after week. The reader is beautiful. Love her features - all of them: eyes, nose, and mouth.

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  12. she is captivating, marji! so much effort but so much reward! wow!

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  13. this is a beautiful portrait, so detailed!

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  14. I love the end results. Thanks for showing the progression. Blessings, Janet PPF

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  15. I find it fascinating watching all the changing emotions...from stoic,to open, then skeptical,annoyed, angry,defiant, pensive and back to stoic! I have a feeling she'll tell you where she's going!!It's all so interesting how the creative process evolves for everyone!!

    Happy ppf! Thanks for sharing these wonderful pieces!
    Hugs Giggles

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  16. Oh and the outcome is amazing, as are all your pieces!! Have a great week!

    Hugs Giggle

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  17. She's beautiful! And I love the addition of the book. It's great to see the progression from start to finish!

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  18. Wow, this is even more impressive once you see all the incarnations she went through. Turning her into a reader was brilliant.

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  19. This is so gorgeous! Your portrait skills are beyond exceptional, and the process is really exciting. I love the additions of the book(a real book-yea!) and the lovely little bird.

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  20. She is absolutely awesome. an over used word I know but she is. I chuckle at the scary part and your hubby. Glad you kept going as she came out wonderful.

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  21. Seeing the step by step is so fascinating for me since I don't work with encaustics. In the last one it is so refined, the layers so subtle but they add so much! Happy PPF!

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  22. She is totally stunning ...I love the various color tones and the textures too!

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  23. Wow, it's very interesting to see that face changing! looks like a different person every time.

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  24. Interesting to follow the changes- I think she got more composed and more beautiful as she progressed.

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  25. Wow! I love seeing the transformation here, thanks! I had to laugh when you said you got frustrated with her and melted her hair...now, next time I get frustrated with someone I'm going to think of your painting and probably laugh and not be frustrated anymore. :-) That bird is simply adorable too. I hope you had a nice holiday Marji!

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  26. Stunning! I enjoy seeing your beautiful wax paintings. You have real talent. Thank you for sharing the process that one of your paintings went through, very inspiring to see how you build up an image. Happy belated Thanksgiving and PPF. xx

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