Compared to the last several pictures I’ve shown you of this mountain, this one is so quiet you almost have to listen hard just to see it! I’m not used to whispering like this. Maybe I ought to start working on that.
Yep, yet again it’s that same Norwegian mountain! This is one of my very favorites of the series thus far. Everything came together so perfectly! How often does that happen?
Below are close ups so you can really see what’s going on in there. The area in the lower left is killer fine – nothing but ink and paper – – – and a pressing desire to so beat my picture up that it turns geologic!
Finished and scanned! Okay – – – a storm, the nighttime, a mountain and a black wave. Got it all in there and yeah, I’m pleased! I’ve also added two detail views for you below.
YOU MUST CLICK ON THE MAIN IMAGE TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK!!
Just a couple of kinda cool bugs – a moth and a dragonfly. Happy weekend!
Dark on dark on DARK – am fascinated by it! I would love to one day paint a scene as potent and full as it would be if we were standing in the nighttime, in the middle of everything.
Here’s a closer look at each of the two sheets – – –
Another closer look, this time a detail view from a picture I painted in Paterson, NJ several years ago. Its just a man-made cliff face that was in truth rather ugly, dropping into quiet water. The discovery I made: there’s poetry in EVERY view! And doesn’t it also seem as if you could step into some other world from here too?
I get so wrapped up in what I can do with no more than India ink and paper (okay, and a little glue) that I rarely take time to gaze fondly at the syncopation of my surfaces. When I do look, it’s always, “How did I do that?”
Weird how once I’m done with a picture, I have so little memory of working on it. It’s as if my brain immediately dumps that info to clear space for what’s next! Is this also because I move so fast?
It has been great fun to do my own series of portraits of the fine Norwegian artist, Nikolai Astrup’s famous mountain. I feel like I’ve really, REALLY covered every possible version of the view, but must admit I’m ready to be done. Another tough 2 weeks to go? I’m closing in – – –
THESE ARE WORTH SEEING BIGGER – CLICK ‘EM!
I’ve completely lost track of whether I’ve shown you these already, but the beauty of Spring is that it keeps coming back – so, here you go! Happy day!
I can’t believe it’s been a year since I did any flower pictures – and you’ve hardly seen any of ’em! I’ll start posting some. They’re pretty cool – and often a little whacky.
After all the grim ol’ ants I’ve been doing, a little whacky might be good. Annnnnnd if I do a few, will it seem as if Spring might come a bit earlier? Worth a shot at least!
CLICK THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE – SO WORTH IT!
This quick snapshot just hints at the wonderful complexity of textures and mood in this. I’m very pleased with how it turned out! Am flattening it right now, then scanning and soon you’ll see a hi-res image and details that tell the tale better.
Here was yesterday’s surprise: two failing mountain scenes were going nowhere, so I ripped/tore and laid the dark one on top of the lighter one. The photo above is what that looked like. Hmmm, okay, maybe now it was at least worth messing with a bit more.
BUT WHEN I TURNED IT UPSIDE DOWN, IT SUDDENLY BECAME A WONDERFUL – AND COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED – SEASCAPE! WOW!!
Now I gotta figure out how to finish it this way. I better get going on that!
I keep trying to quite with these ants already, but they just won’t let me! Geez, they keep tumbling out and I dunno, maybe I have to make pictures of the whole ant hill before I’m done?
Gonna just go with it.
This next one is a bit more odd – that makes me happy!
So many to finish! Not even sure what to do with the tumbling creek up above – needs a bit more, buuuuut not much!
And then there are these landscapes in various stages of unrest! One thing is certain – I will NEVER have nothing to do!
Been neglecting posting and that’s bad!! My excuse is that I’m a bit preoccupied – lots happening in the studio. Am STILL working on ants, but am also back on landscapes too. Here are a few I’ve picked up again – trying to finish ’em.
MUCH MORE show-n-tell coming!
I’m aching to move on – never intended to mess with these little bums for so long.
Thought I was kinda struggling in the studio this month, but I guess I’m wrong – when I sorted out the stack, I had 26 more Ants Misbehavin’ to snapshot of this morning!!! And all of ’em done this month – it’s only the 11th!!!
Am in shock.
At some point – possibly today – I’ll finish my 150th ant! Geez. I’ve done sooooooo many of ’em that these two (from about 5 weeks ago) feel ancient!
I’m very fond of the one below – which is more of a symbol that captures the essence of ant, even to missing some legs. It’s a tough living!
I slammed water and ink down on a clean sheet of paper, transfer-rubbed it onto another and !!!!!! – instant, complete, wonderful picture! I was shocked.
And below, is a very curious one – also powerfully graphic but with some lovely, quiet little things happening too. My studio snapshot does it no justice. I had better get going on a new round of scanning!
Wow, I really like the one above, buuuuuut I also don’t like it, if you know what I mean. Think that means I’ve nailed it!
Below is a much sillier ant – perhaps playing peek-a-boo? Not sure what that’s all about, but I’ve included him as a sort of antidote for the yucks you might have gotten from the top one!
