People often ask artists, “How do you come up with this stuff?” In response to that, I thought it’d be possibly illuminating to make notes while working on a new piece of art. The following is an abbreviated account of my process during one session in the studio.
Still there is mystery left unsaid. When I consider movement of a composition, a specific area or shape and color, the answer pops into my head. This might take microseconds or days. I figure it’s divine intervention.
PROCESS: An attempt to describe the process of creating.
Was hoping it’d be more poetic ... slightly edited for clarity:
1. Tape up Bristol paper. Horizontal.
--Blue, copper, gold – ooh, love the movement of liquid—more!
Stripe it.
Drip … Dry areas make ridges, leave some
Poke, wipe – Bigger color
Movement
Need periods [a euphemism for compositional “stop marks”]
Use template, don’t use freehand brush
Put on eyeglasses.
Draw circles.
Cat [Charlie] has a paw on my foot.
Move.
More circles.
Don’t step on cat.
Five more blue circles.
Change phthalo blue to cobalt blue – little/big circles
Saggy circles seem to work.
Still wet, be careful.
Stand back, look.
Black X on copper areas?
Eyeglasses.
Three more circles.
Hollow X top/bottom to edges, one thicker, one longer
Black Copic marker
So far it looks like a mess.
Paint still wet.
What will bring it together?
Scarlet red circles
No, it’s a mess.
Put away for later.
Clean kitty litter box.
Start new composition
Check email, bank balance, inhale/exhale.
[Note: titled it “It’s a Mess” and later ripped it up as useless after studying it for a few days.]
Studio session continues:
2. New Strathmore Bristol, 24” x 19”, other direction [vertical]--
Use full-size [again]
Assign inventory number.
Tape up on board.
Clean table of former tools.
What is the movement going to be?
Graphite and eyeglasses/coffee.
Yes, a squiggly center form.
Use graphic curve, pattern repeat
Add asymmetry to sides
Get clean dinner plate for large circle.
Outline
Return plate to kitchen.
Feed cat.
Add large square for stabilization.
Add more straight lines/long rectangle to slow down movement.
Erase guide lines
Refine shapes.
Long rectangle—midnight blue with points of light/gold glitter marker/circle—let dry
Adrenaline, getting exciting; more coffee!
Circle variable, maintain random elements
Circle silver acrylic
Work another area so as to not mess up wet paint
Clean drips off floor.
Random circles within circles
What to do with all that space?
Ovals in other two side shapes. Random orientation
Erase middle of top area
Outline shapes in black/NO, Copic C10 (cool gray)
---Honey interrupt—brief break….
Hope that line is workable.
Background Tombow 555, brush/color as stripe
Outline free ovals, Copic aubergine [aka eggplant]
Wonder how much the change in my visual expression is evolution or meds?
Not much is changeable with my tools; really appreciated Scott Johnson’s talk about his watercolor work and how he’s able to change things [envy].
…more blue stripes……….
Tombows have an impressive amount of color.
Getting tedious. Oh well.
I usually like using chaos and order. Might not be helpful to people at SE Center?
Silver paint dry, outline in graphite ovals.
Make coffee; return to blue striping.
Red around silver.
Check email while coffee drips; eat Fritos; friend having some success with exhibiting work; glad to see it happening; MCL is needing volunteers.
Return – Oh my! What an image!
Continue blue striping.
Aubergine may need second coat.
Evolution or meds? Irrelevant. This is my evolution.
Back to stripes/DONE! Red now. Look. Sensual, bold.
Rectangle background has to be same blue—connecting lines/blue dotting
Red around silver, Tombow 847, point end
Look. You are the universe. We are stardust. Cells unite!
Yellow around gold; small, Micron pen; large Tombow 055 points; KC Pink Madder
Rainbow color
“Rainbow Coincidence” [title idea]
Cells joining
Sex
Re-birth
“Creation Ideation” [title idea]
When worlds conjoin/come together
Creation
Bottom square=stability/overriding order
White—room for development
Title?
When like and unlike meet (… new forms will generate)
Plaid
Rhythm changes
“Process of Creating” [title idea]
“Creation Happens” [title idea]
“Intersecting Harmony” [title idea]
Cells: repeat rainbow, random start/insert blank (white) between red and purple (beginning and end)….
**********IN THE ZONE – No time to write; suggestive of------
“And then a miracle occurs” from a b/w print cartoon: 2 scientists at the blackboard, one writing a long equation; in the middle is this phrase (“And then a miracle occurs”), an = sign and the equation continues. Other scientist comments, “I think you need to be more explicit here in stage two.”
Note: Composition ended up with the title “Degrees of Complexity.”
Still there is mystery left unsaid. When I consider movement of a composition, a specific area or shape and color, the answer pops into my head. This might take microseconds or days. I figure it’s divine intervention.
PROCESS: An attempt to describe the process of creating.
Was hoping it’d be more poetic ... slightly edited for clarity:
1. Tape up Bristol paper. Horizontal.
--Blue, copper, gold – ooh, love the movement of liquid—more!
Stripe it.
Drip … Dry areas make ridges, leave some
Poke, wipe – Bigger color
Movement
Need periods [a euphemism for compositional “stop marks”]
Use template, don’t use freehand brush
Put on eyeglasses.
Draw circles.
Cat [Charlie] has a paw on my foot.
Move.
More circles.
Don’t step on cat.
Five more blue circles.
Change phthalo blue to cobalt blue – little/big circles
Saggy circles seem to work.
Still wet, be careful.
Stand back, look.
Black X on copper areas?
Eyeglasses.
Three more circles.
Hollow X top/bottom to edges, one thicker, one longer
Black Copic marker
So far it looks like a mess.
Paint still wet.
What will bring it together?
Scarlet red circles
No, it’s a mess.
Put away for later.
Clean kitty litter box.
Start new composition
Check email, bank balance, inhale/exhale.
[Note: titled it “It’s a Mess” and later ripped it up as useless after studying it for a few days.]
Studio session continues:
2. New Strathmore Bristol, 24” x 19”, other direction [vertical]--
Use full-size [again]
Assign inventory number.
Tape up on board.
Clean table of former tools.
What is the movement going to be?
Graphite and eyeglasses/coffee.
Yes, a squiggly center form.
Use graphic curve, pattern repeat
Add asymmetry to sides
Get clean dinner plate for large circle.
Outline
Return plate to kitchen.
Feed cat.
Add large square for stabilization.
Add more straight lines/long rectangle to slow down movement.
Erase guide lines
Refine shapes.
Long rectangle—midnight blue with points of light/gold glitter marker/circle—let dry
Adrenaline, getting exciting; more coffee!
Circle variable, maintain random elements
Circle silver acrylic
Work another area so as to not mess up wet paint
Clean drips off floor.
Random circles within circles
What to do with all that space?
Ovals in other two side shapes. Random orientation
Erase middle of top area
Outline shapes in black/NO, Copic C10 (cool gray)
---Honey interrupt—brief break….
Hope that line is workable.
Background Tombow 555, brush/color as stripe
Outline free ovals, Copic aubergine [aka eggplant]
Wonder how much the change in my visual expression is evolution or meds?
Not much is changeable with my tools; really appreciated Scott Johnson’s talk about his watercolor work and how he’s able to change things [envy].
…more blue stripes……….
Tombows have an impressive amount of color.
Getting tedious. Oh well.
I usually like using chaos and order. Might not be helpful to people at SE Center?
Silver paint dry, outline in graphite ovals.
Make coffee; return to blue striping.
Red around silver.
Check email while coffee drips; eat Fritos; friend having some success with exhibiting work; glad to see it happening; MCL is needing volunteers.
Return – Oh my! What an image!
Continue blue striping.
Aubergine may need second coat.
Evolution or meds? Irrelevant. This is my evolution.
Back to stripes/DONE! Red now. Look. Sensual, bold.
Rectangle background has to be same blue—connecting lines/blue dotting
Red around silver, Tombow 847, point end
Look. You are the universe. We are stardust. Cells unite!
Yellow around gold; small, Micron pen; large Tombow 055 points; KC Pink Madder
Rainbow color
“Rainbow Coincidence” [title idea]
Cells joining
Sex
Re-birth
“Creation Ideation” [title idea]
When worlds conjoin/come together
Creation
Bottom square=stability/overriding order
White—room for development
Title?
When like and unlike meet (… new forms will generate)
Plaid
Rhythm changes
“Process of Creating” [title idea]
“Creation Happens” [title idea]
“Intersecting Harmony” [title idea]
Cells: repeat rainbow, random start/insert blank (white) between red and purple (beginning and end)….
**********IN THE ZONE – No time to write; suggestive of------
“And then a miracle occurs” from a b/w print cartoon: 2 scientists at the blackboard, one writing a long equation; in the middle is this phrase (“And then a miracle occurs”), an = sign and the equation continues. Other scientist comments, “I think you need to be more explicit here in stage two.”
Note: Composition ended up with the title “Degrees of Complexity.”