Reworking previous skull paintings

I've been busy this week redrawing most of my previous skull paintings. I'll be doing them much bigger too... looking forward to cramming more detail into the bone structure. My fiance will be building some frames for me (as soon as I give him the exact dimensions) and hopefully I'll be spending the weekend stretching watercolor paper over them. yippee!

General Artist Dissatisfaction

In my never-ending quest to actually complete a cohesive body of work and my attention span of a gnat, I've decided to use my recent animal skull work as studies instead of the actual thing. I am generally dissatisfied with all of them for various reasons, but like them enough not to entirely abandon them. Most I'm planning on only changing a little, a few will be drastically different. Some of my dissatisfaction comes simply from the fact that I was so eager to try out a new medium that I didn't plan out how the finished work would look. Also I've been taking some time to view Georgia O'Keefe's skull work and feel that mine fails miserably in comparison lol. I like the simplicity of her work and have a problem with that in my own... if I keep it simple I think in the back of my head that 'there's not enough to that' when it's done.

I may never be able to fill a wall somewhere and say 'there, I did that', but I am having fun... I am constantly mulling over new ideas (quite possibly why I change direction so often)... always looking forward to a few hours here and there to work, and frequently frustrated that I don't have more time.

A thought occurred to me the other day... I could theoretically take a week off... rent a hotel room and barricade myself and my art supplies behind the door. I'm pretty sure I could get the time from work. I'm also sure that my man would be thoroughly understanding and supportive. Wouldn't that be a wonderful idea? An art vacation! And why have I not thrown the idea out there yet? Hmmmmmm

Cat Skull finished and a few thoughts...

Well, here it is.... 

I played with details, picked at small sections until I said that's enough! I know what it looks like in my head but I'm still learning how to translate it to paper... I think I learned a thing or two with this one so I'm anxious to start another and see if I can put into practice what I think I've figured out.... we shall see. 

Cat skull update and new 'support system'

I remembered that I'd once heard a watercolor artist mention that she stretched her paper over a frame like you would linen for an oil painting, so I googled it. Apparently this isn't as uncommon as I'd thought when I heard about it so I thought I'd try it. I now have 2 5x7 watercolor paper canvases... so far I like working on it alot, no warping, no having to tape it down, it's lovely. I'm doing the cat skull and I think it's coming along ok so far.... here's a work in progress shot...

Skull Sketches

Well, life has gotten in the way and I've not made much progress on my cat skull. I'm posting a sketch of the cat and also a macaw skull. I'm seriously jonesin' for some quiet time to devote to them.

That's all for now folks!

Forgotten long nosed armadillo WIP

I mentioned I'd be working on a cat skull next, and I am, however I remembered this piece I started a few weeks ago....

I came across this little guy in my search for interestingly shaped skulls and thought he was just about the cutest thing I'd seen in a long time. I think I'll finish him up first.

Animal Skull Watercolor Paintings

Of all the subjects in the world why skulls? This thought has been bouncing around in my head for a while now and I think I have an answer. As a tattoo artist I've been surrounded by them; in the flash art, the paintings my fellow artists do for themselves, and as knick knacks all over the shop... sometimes models, sometimes the real thing... but always the same thing, human skulls.

For years I've mostly ignored skulls as subject matter, I found the idea of drawing endless pictures of the same thing frightfully dull. Animal skulls, however, are widely diverse but with all the interest (maybe more) of a human skull as a subject. Lots of nooks and cracks, large smooth areas, not to mention that some of them just look completely alien.

My biggest hurdle as an artist has always been completing a 'body of work', I lose interest halfway through and go on to another subject. I'm planning on completing at least 10 skull paintings, not a large number but hey, start small right? Below are the skulls I've done so far...

Moa Skull

Saber-toothed Tiger Skull

Chihuahua Skull

Burrowing Owl Skull

Osprey Skull

Greater Flamingo skull watercolor

Well, I finished it....

Learning to use watercolors is turning out to be good for me. I have a tendency to 'noodle the details' and watercolors do not allow me to be as anal about it as usual.

Next project... a cat skull

WIP

The latest watercolor of a flamingo skull is plodding along.....

I plan on darkening some shadows a bit and painting the dragonfly.... I'm thinking royal blue and teal.

I've been asked to do an ATC of a frog and hopefully will be able to polish them both off tonight... I tend not to sleep at all on Sunday nights. I will be holed up on the couch with my art supplies and endless episodes of 'the L word'.   I really dig Shane lol.

2010 ready, set, go....

Wow, what a lame blog this has turned out to be! It's not that I haven't been creating since my last entry... in, what, April?... I just either haven't thought it was earth-shatteringly important enough to share (fear of rejection anyone?) or I just forgot this blog existed for months at a stretch (really?? yup).

So, in the interest of lighting a fire under my ass and facing my fears, I will be introducing you to my latest subject of interest..... skulls. Animal skulls to be exact. I have also begun watercolor painting.. and I mean begun as in maybe a whole month ago.

This is the skull of the greater flamingo...


Obviously a rough sketch... the plan is to turn it into a finished painting tonight and then actually post it here!!! Tune in tomorrow boys and girls, and feel free to verbally flog me if I slack off on my first post of 2010.