Progress on my progress

Here is the finished product.  Everyone who has seen it that is not an artist, art historian, or art critic has loved it.  Everyone that is otherwise feels it is to literal and leading.  Therefore, the other piece I have started in this series will be set aside until Grad school is complete.

My mentor felt the fish pose was too much of a common sport fish pose.  She also felt the hands reaching in were too hulk like and menacing.  Her suggestion was to just make it a common angler painting with trees and such.  I may just do that some day.

I began adding color today.  I'm going to work the hands just a little more before letting the piece dry again.  The last stage I think will be going back in with the palette knives.  I'm thinking the only areas that will not be excessively affected by the blue tones will be the salmon.  I feel this piece is coming along nicely, and if it goes as planned I can see many more in this technique.  

Today I spent some time at the library, and since last night I have been mulling over what makes an image symbolic, a symbol, or just an image.  What do I need to do to make my paintings personal but not private.  I began thinking of the private things I attribute to freedom, and the things that make me feel encroached upon.

New idea drawn in.

For private reasons I have chosen the spawning salmon.  I think, at the same time, the salmon touches many people in different ways.  Especially in the Pacific Northwest.  In mythology the salmon represented wisdom and truth as well.  This particular salmon is a red salmon.  I will also be working with the King, Chum, Pink, and the Steelhead trout/salmon.  I'm not ready to give up the play of the figurative element, but I am trying to simplify.  This is the mockup drawing you see to the left.

I like that I initially started throwing paint on with my palette knife, but stopped, let it dry, and marinated on the piece for about a week prior to jumping in.  This is not my normal mode of painting.  Usually I have an idea and I see it through in as few sittings as possible.  I'm attempting a more personal relationship with this piece.

Beginning to fill in the background colors

The hands in this piece are going to be a study in distortion.  I want the hands to be slightly abstracted, but still be recognizable.  I need to find the fine line between bad drawing and where the hands aesthetically distort.

The only portion of this painting that will be worked into fine detail at this time is the salmon.  As the painting takes shape I may need to redirect and maybe even reposition things, but I believe this is a good jumping off point from the Japanese koi I was working in my previous series.

So this is one idea in my experimentation.  I am still working with military perception through sculpture and mixed media methods.  I have completely set aside film and I am happy with my decision. (sorry Sunanda!)



 UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS

 So, instead of posting many new posts I am going to add to this post until the project is complete.  That way all the pictures stay together.  Today I blocked in more color throughout the piece.  I think once I get the next layer on and the final detail in it will be very nice. 

The colors added are going to be undertones.  Ultimately, the entire piece will be completed with the palette knives with the exception of the Salmon which will be more smoothly rendered to hopefully add a jarring element.