Archive for September, 2009

>

Rock and Roll Ring by Glam Rock Emporium

I love music the same way that I love painting. It is part of my daily life, my inspiration, and certainly a big part of my soul. Maybe you can relate something that you love (cooking, gardening, writing, something athletic, etc.) to my love affair with music, and it certainly is a love affair! There is always a honeymoon period when you first start dating, er, listening to a great new artist or group. Two groups completely wooed me in different ways these last few weeks. First ,the Bottle Rockets and their straight to the point, rollicking, cut loose kind of quick and fast tunes (and some of my favorites of theirs are exactly the opposite – serious, sentimental, crushing, and tearful). Second, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit with an intricate, beautiful, layered, enchanting style of rock. Both bands miraculously played a show on a night that I could actually attend. Never mind that the the venue was 6 hours away – remember I am in love here and “ain’t no mountain high enough” to keep me from gettin’ there in time.
So I travel 6 hours to Carbondale, IL to see a show at what may be a bar but is really the upstairs of a sports place (like a place you practice batting or swinging a golf club, etc) and it turns out this is the maiden voyage for this venue in terms of showing live music. That was really evident about halfway though the Bottle Rockets’ set when the sound blew out and for a second there we were all worried that the show might not go on. But it did – and when I thought it couldn’t get much better than the first set of music it was Jason Isbell’s turn and then….
…All I remember was that it was awesome. It was just what I needed to see, feel, and hear. There is something about great live music that recharges me and makes me feel like I can do anything and everything. It is not easy to describe but I can say that the sound of the music and the excitement of the crowd, the dancing, the singing along, was just a general feeling of warmth and I am in complete love with the idea that people can all share a moment like that. I’d do it again any day! That’s love after all.

Images can be found here:
Sound Board by AustinsPlace
Black Bird Listening to Headphones Vinyl by Design Fruit
You Rock Notecard Set by Modern Museum

>

Start with a good quality 140lb watercolor paper. (This is a 9×12 piece cut in fourths)
I love this template. You can order it online here.

Tape down the paper using guidelines from the template. Sketch lightly.

Here is my pallete. It has become pretty extended over the years. I have had the main messy one since high school!

I always do an underpainting.

Close up of an underpainting.

Another close up of an underpainting.

I typically paint the background first. This one is two colors blended in the middle.

Another background painted first.

I paint one layer on each painting first…by the time I finish the first one is dry so I can start painting in other spots.

Okay, I skipped a whole bunch – but I basically keep painting layers, moving on to a new painting and just do one layer at a time till they are all done! I will use a design pen and watercolor pencil for “hard lines”. Just because I can!

Here is another one that has the layers and details all done.

Peeling the masking tape off is the best part! It just feels good and seeing those hard edges is awesome. I use a ruler to trace the edge with a pencil to make the painting pop.

Here is one that is all ready to cut.

Another ready to cut.

Cut them out slowly – use the template and trace lines in pencil. I always try to name them right after they are done so I can sign and put today’s date on it.

Here is my finished stack of paintings!

Ta-Da!