art

Zechariah

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Zechariah, proof of a 3- color lino-cut.

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I’ve been tinkering with this print for a few months now trying to get it right- not really sure that I am getting anywhere.   While the 3rd block still needs a little adjusting- some of the lines are too narrow and gather ink to fast- it seemed ready to offer up here.  Maybe you can give me some insight.

The print employs 3 different blocks, and there are in truth 4 colors if you include the white of the paper, which is part of the design.  To cut down on time between printings in developing the proofs, I have been using water based inks.  The final edition will use inks with oil as the vehicle.  I have included a number of images from my process and some variations of the actual print along the way.

1st block inked up

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Proof of the main block

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Obviously, not complete, but I like the silohuette

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While not the best pull, this is my favorite one right now

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Thomas Grisaille

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Progress on the underpainting in grisaille for the Thomas panel since abandoning egg tempera.

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DSC_0110I have been working with Tad Spurgeon’s text lately.  It is chalk-full of information on the craft of painting, from technique to philosophy, historical research and criticism to in depth analysis of oils and their endless permutations, pigments, resins, additives, and etc, with many useful formulas and recipes.  I have not explored enough to venture a review, but I am enjoying it.

Go On, Pilgrim

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Go On, Pilgrim, the Outer Life and Inner Life Version.  

Featured today is a small cabinet painting modeled after the Northern European alter-pieces of the 15th and 16th centuries.  This was painted in 2003 with oils on oak panels.  The case-work is black walnut.

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Crushed By Egg Tempera

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Saint Thomas is now on the easel to receive a grisaille underpainting in oils.   After being crushed by my attempt to make an egg-tempera grisaille underpainting on this panel of Thomas and Jesus, et al.,  I have decided to move my historical experimentations to a panel of more manageable dimensions.  Moses in the Rock is the only picture I have made using egg tempera as an underpainting and it is quite small.  This represents the largest panel I have ever undertaken with the most fully developed charters as well.  Egg tempera is very slow (and I already work very slowly), and having already allowed a 5 year window to make this picture,  I shall try to fully embrace those other challenges in a noble fashion in addition to honoring my time.

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Mixing the medium for the thinning of colors for underpainting.

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Applying a coat of thinned shellac over the absorbent gesso and egg tempera.

Please take a moment to visit my friend Mike Schultz interesting post on his blog the other day.

Go On: The Mountain of Signs and Wonders

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It was a positive experience revisiting the old portrait of my friend Mikey a few weeks back so I thought I might revisit a few more older paintings that have never been featured here on the blog (they have been represented on the permanent pages).  Today’s painting is called Go On:  The Mountain of Signs and Wonders, painted in 2003 with oils on a wooden panel.  It began as an exploration on the miracle of the transfiguration of Jesus.  My apologies on the poor quality of the image, it is a scan from a slide.

Zechariah (the Prophet) and Walking Man (detail)

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Cutting linoleum for a relief print of the prophet Zechariah holding a banner saying “Grace to it”

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Some new work on the objects in the foreground of Walking Man and the Ancient Ocean.

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