Thursday, October 9, 2008

My flopped go at a sloppy quicky

First I have to say that if you are my sister in-law (aka, Lori) please stop reading now and click away.
 Fast.
I don't want you to see what I have been up to this afternoon because it is something that is for you and I don't want you not to be surprised.
Please wait to read this until I have seen you this weekend.
Thank you!:-)
Secondly, I just realized that from my title some of you might have your minds in the gutter. Get them outta there! There is non of those shenanigans going on around here.
Just messy art, quick messy art.
Ah, whew!!
So I have a custom order portrait sitting in my studio (once upon a time my dining room) and I have been waiting for the time to get it started. It is detailed and I will need to be precise. However it has been a few weeks since I last painted and I had a big messy itch to get out. While the kids were playing with Auntie Em this afternoon I decided to give the messy, sloppy brush stroke painting style a shot. Emily was here to play with the kids for an hour and what you see above is (almost) what I banged out in that time.
This painting is inspired by a picture my sister in-law showed me over a year ago and I have been wanting to do this for her for some time.
After Emily left the kids settled down with snack so I snuck back over to the table for a few minutes and added her hair. During that time I should have been watching Ethan (who was sitting right in front of me) more closely because he was getting busy painting his body with a marker. (see a few photos later on below)
After the kids went to bed (early---Hallelujah!!) I added the finishing touches and there you have it. Above with no flash and below with a flash.
My sloppy quicky. It took just under three hours and normally a painting this size would take double that time.  Then again I would have planned it out better and blended to create even color transitioning.
 I am actually not so happy with it. I free handed it and am not sure I will wing it like that again. I do like to plan my paintings more precisely. I am also not happy with my sloppy technique. I had in mind these wild brush strokes and I am just way to uptight or something and have to have crisp lines. I still managed to get a lot of wild strokes in but I had in mind one of those paintings where when you stand up close you don't know what it is and it just looks like blobs of paint and when you back up it is this stellar piece.
I think I need to take a 'how to relax and wing it' class or something.
Kaitlyn was also inspired to create and decided to draw uncle Phil. Dude has long legs!

Then since the kids wanted to paint I dug out their water colours and we went to town splashing and dotting and creating cards. 
Please ignore the chocolate donut all over her face, she was multi tasking.
Kaitlyn claimed mine right away saying she had to write a message about cleaning up in it for her babies.
And now I will leave you with this.
A few moments of distraction and this is what I get!

And of course it was the green apple smelly Crayola kind.
Thank goodness it was washable!

13 comments:

bethany actually said...

I love washable markers. :-)

I think the painting is beautiful, even if you aren't happy with it! And I bet Lori will love it too.

Anonymous said...

I agree, I think the painting is beautiful! You are too hard on yourself.

Ethan cracks me up ... I'm glad it was a washable marker ... I would hate to think how hard it would be to get off otherwise!!

Anonymous said...

You know Lori will love it. I think those shenigans do happen in that house otherwise my 5th Grandchild would not be on it's way. I love that E is so much a boy - wait until I show Grandpa the picture and put it on computer at work - I should get some comments!
Love to you all and wish we were there this weekend but Grandpa can work so I can go shopping for new baby McLean. I am still so excited!
Grandma Grumpy

Kori said...

That is a good look for Ethan; and is that cedar on the walls by the tub? Gorgeous. Hope you are feeling okay-and hey. The pic is good. But Kaitlyn and Uncle Phil? LOVE the legs; I wish mine were that long as well!

Anonymous said...

I will kiss the feet of whomever invented washable markers, I have to deal with my 2 year old writing on our hardwood floors, walls, and himself. BTW, I absolutely love the painting, u are so talented. Your sister in law is so lucky to get this painting.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous painting, great job.

And yes, thank goodness for washable markers :).

Unknown said...

I see Ethan as a guy with a few tatoos later in life.. hm... ; )

I think that's a pretty good job for just "winging it." You are SO talented Anna!

Anonymous said...

I do like the painting. Very nice.

Ethan's body art is great too. I'm waiting for The Bean to do something like that one day. I know my time will come.

Catharine said...

Anna, the painting is gorgeous! I love the expression on the lady's face - so full of passion! I have told you this before...I am no artist, but I have to say I am so with you as far as being in control. I would never be able to do a sloppy quicky because I need to be in control and I would be too afraid of the results. Anyway, it is awesome and I hope your sis-in-law likes it!

p.s. I love what colour the water turned when you had to give Ethan a bath!!!

Unknown said...

it may not have turned out as you intended, but it is STUNNINGLY beautiful! I love it.

I love the card too, with the doughnut face holding it...and the pictures of Ethan and his tango with the marker are classic!

Anonymous said...

Yep! That is the Science Centre in Regina. I couldn't believe it either.

Your painting is amazing!

Karen MEG said...

Beautiful painting, too bad it had to be washed off ;).

And the one of the lady, that's a stunner!

Unknown said...

hahah, love the picture of the child with markers all over!

i remember that when our teens were little :)