How Weird Is This ?

As we observe M.P. Paint go thru many thought processes as he shares the fine art of oil painting with his legion fans these images came across my screen from various e-mails from my friend and companion Dora Clark. The similarity with subjects from M. P. Paints' work struck me and I felt it important to share them with you.

Artists + Digital Technology = Bold New Ways of Engaging Viewers

"In the future, the art world will be even more liberated to make use of all the media around us-because artisis have this passionate curiosity and ceaseless desire for new ideas.

By 2050, you're going to see a new leadership equation emerge based on what happens in the art world. Traditionally, decisions have been made by political and corporate leadership. In the future, creative individuals-artists, architects and designers-are going to be making major decisions having to do with how we shape our society, and especially in the world's urban environments, since by 2050 the majority of people will be living in cities.

Ultimately, entirely new types of artists will also emerge from all of this. Artists are, at heart, opportunity-seekers who transform the world around us. they give me tremendous optimism. I believe the future is unknowable, but it is not unthinkable."

Excerpt from "Smithsonian 40th Anniversary" issue-40 things we need to know about the next 40 years. I would recommend this read for anyone who still does.

Corporate WONK is Born

Recent Gallery

Work in Progress -- The Forgotten Madonna and Child

Developing Folie a' deux .......

WORK in Progress -- Day THREE

Photography with Phone Camera not so good -- but, 18 x 24, Oil on Canvas, applying glazes, and trying to bring out some details from the abstract composition.

Days One and Two for Madonna and Child ...

Back to "Painting a Day" :: That's about it!

Oil on Canvas, 16 x 20, What is it! Budget Bargain Waterfall... this is about all "I" can do in only a day. And this actually took a couple of days, allowing for drying. Woe is me.

Delayed Gratification

It Never Ends like it Starts ...
by Pat Darnell

Bryan\College Station, TX  |  As I conduct myself into a 72 month project to get my last two bairn through college... I propelled myself into a frenzy of contemptible war with my brushes.

I attempted to "get closer" to my paintings, only to find myself rebelling needlessly against my brushes. I wish someone would volunteer to pistol whip me when I start refusing to clean my brushes.

This is not a good thing. Oil painting is about delaying the result. Remember in ceramics classes where you learned to paint or glaze with a substance with anticipation of it coming out a different color after firing? Oil painting is similar basis for delayed gratification involving also slight color modification over time.

As the oils, thinners, and vehicles evaporate from the surface of the painting, they leave behind the pigments, right? So what you painted three weeks ago is not what necessarily you have now in front of you. As for Acrylics, *yuk*, you see what it is as soon as the water evaporates.

This is why I call oils more forgiving -- as allowing me mitigation up front for future mess ups, because of my lack of talent in certain areas. The desired result is to have the subject of the painting "jump out" at you for the life of the piece.

Older paintings start to dim, as the painting becomes drier and drier... so to speak. But with modern substances, and our liberation from having to crush deadly pigments and add linseed oil, we can proceed as we please. Just pop down to Hobby Lobby, or Dick Blick on line, and "buy" all the sale stuff. My rule of thumb in using modern oil painting paraphernalia is three days drying between major glazes and such. Detailing can be done anytime you can reach without smudging is my lot.

Note: My palette changes every time I happen onto a hand basket of leaking, expiring, or discontinued tubes of paint.

And that is how I attacked my 72 month goal.

Ideally I could put a year's worth of "Tuition" down for each kid  with a hundred paintings if each one pulls $100 per painting. That could offset $10,000 per year tuitions. Eh? That is ideally.

That means the formula depends on 100 paintings a year. Here is the trick: "a painting a day" in oils is "ambitious." And a "commercial value" for a painting a day -- well, is it worth a $Bill to someone?

Probably not. I have estimated that about "three" in thirteen paintings have that kind of commercial value. However, I also estimate that about "one" in thirteen usually "jumps off the canvas" and has a greater value. Eight remaining oils hover in there at "mas y minos" values -- depending on your sales force.

Luckily, I personally have a sales force in my Wife's abilities: She can [and does] sell shampoo to a bald man. And our daughter has been her apprentice for sixteen years. So as a trio we could invent a market that would average the needed tuition offsetting sums. NO?

Pat Pend OUT. Good Luck Wid' It.

Whales at War :: The Continuing Saga

Oil on Canvas, 16 x 20, Painting a Day, Whales at War

Work in Progress -- Back Forty #5

First Day Layout, 21 x 27, Oil on Canvas

First "days" layout and color trial and errrors, and this is a good start for Back Forty scene. This is the fifth in a series.

I keep doing back forty scenes I suppose to keep hope alive that everyone will have opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. I see myself always passing time in a cabin in the woods of a bucolic surround.

Long story: will spare the details from here.

I am trying some new stuff this time, and revising the palette to include more red tones next to the green hues. Eh, you like so far? 

UPDATE :: Work in Progress -- Wrangler

Day THREE -- Almost there ...

WORK in Progress -- Day TWO

Day TWO -- Working Dark tones and making big Mess ... but is needed to make contrast for horse later! Photography with Phone Camera not so good.

First Day Lay Out, oil on canvas, 16 x 20 inch,

Three Little Fishies -- Original Author Unknown

Down in the meadow in a little bitty pool
Swan two little fishies and a mama fishie too.
"Swim," said the mama fishie, "Swim if you can."
And they swam and they swam all over the dam.

(chorus)
Boop Boop Dittem Dattem What-tem Chu!
Boop Boop Dittem Dattem What-tem Chu!
Boop Boop Dittem Dattem What-tem Chu!
And they swam and they swam all over the dam.

"Stop," said the mama fishie, "Or you will get lost."
The 3 little fishies didn't want to be bossed.
The 3 little fishies went off on a spree.
They sway and they swam right out to the sea.

chorus

"Whee!" yelled the little fishies, "Here's a lot of fun,
We'll swim in the sea till the day is done."
They swam and they swam, it was a lark,
Till all of a sudden they saw a shark!

chorus

"Help!" cried the little fishies, "Gee, look at all the whales!"
And quick as they could, they turned on their tails.
And back to the pool in the meadow they swam,
And they swam and they swam back over the dam. [SOURCE]