Pattern

This was a pattern assignment for painting class from fall of '10. I'm not really a pattern person, so this was actually a struggle until I stopped trying to make a pattern and just find a pattern that was already there and that I liked just fine. This is an extreme close up of frost on a windshield. This is another watercolor on canvas fiasco, but it was my first and I used less Gesso, so the paint actually soaked in somewhat.

Watercolor on canvas.

Self-Portrait #2

This was actually for an assignment where we take an artist we don't like and make a painting about their conceptual territory in our own style. I chose R. Crumb. There are actually things I like about his work, but that 70's pen and ink style drives me nuts.

I think Crumb is best known for his brutally honest depictions of himself, so that was my concept. I wanted to show that there are parts of myself that aren't seen on the surface, and that these parts aren't very pleasant. I wanted to overlay strips of dull, monochromatic color to represent those unpleasant parts. I also wanted the layered paper to show a kind of flimsiness, since I often feel rather flimsy.

I like this piece, even though I don't think I really nailed the concept. In the picture, you can't really tell those three strips are actual physical pieces of paper glued on another piece of paper. And since the effect is lost, I could've just done it in photoshop and saved myself the trouble. I'm glad I did it this way, though. I like making things with my hands. I did have to tweak the middle strip in photoshop, though, since it was pretty misaligned at the bottom.

Watercolor on hot press.

Self-Portrait #1

This piece was for a self-portrait assignment. The concept isn't actually about thinking of myself as a target. You'd think I would've noticed that it could've been read that way before going ahead and painting it, but that might not have stopped me anyway.

This painting actually deals with imagery from my childhood that I associate with my father. The concept is about identity and how I have to reconcile the parts of my father that are also parts of myself.

I'm rather stubborn, so even though we painted on canvas for this class, I used watercolors. It actually had some positives (like being really easy to wipe off) and created some interesting textures. Unfortunately, the photo picked up some glare.

Watercolor on canvas.