Art for the Hands: Progress Update
- onepaintingaday
- Sep 3
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 6
Over the weekend, I finished this piece, working title, "118: Begotten Not Made." It is the second Forest Pattern, translated from one of my original landscape paintings. This pattern is a de-gridded version of modular landscape painting I completed a few months ago. Begotten Not Made, emerged out of conversation with another work of art, through a digital process of abstraction as well as an analog process of distortion.
The first part of this creation process was very similar to the mobile work completed earlier in the year, where I used a reference painting from my collection, and filtered it through Adobe Illustrator to simplify the color palette and compositional shapes into three tones--light, medium and dark. Working with these patterns, I am finding that starting with a greyscale palette of charcoal, silver, and metallic white is a great way to study the pattern itself and make modifications. The initial black and white versions of the these patterns, I've been referring to as "prototypes." This leaves room for me to apply the same pattern to other studies and material assemblies with varying color combinations.
Forest Pattern II's translation differs from the previous Forest Pattern I process slightly. Instead of following the pattern verbatim, letting the shapes create their own edges as they touch, I decided to break the rules of painting (avoid outlines, let tone form shape). Instead, this work celebrates the boundaries between shapes, expanding the line into a fourth pattern and tone, brightest white with a flat texture. Akin to the design process, where we can expand the dimensional thickness of a boundary between spaces, turning an edge into a space in and of itself, making an habitable threshold. Think about the entry into a garden, the boundary of a fence can be thickened with shrubs and trees wide enough to inhabit the edge with a seat wall or bench. The corollary in this two-dimensional composition, is that the edge takes on a three dimensional form, layered up through subsequent applications of Gesso, and distorted edges and lines through the use of a palette knife, a syringe, and toothpicks to great shape and texture.
The intent is that the three-dimensional relief of the gessoed line, could be traced by the viewers' hands, enhancing their experience of the work by physical touch. For individuals in our community who may have vision challenges, this can expand the inclusivity of the artwork. In the distortion of the line, I tried to provide cues of the adjacent color and tone, more swirled distortions for areas adjacent to darkest colors, and ribbed lines like buttresses adjacent to middle tones. This allowed the line to become more than a line--an armature for the composition and distort into it's own linear and continuous shapes with thickness and movement.
LESSONS LEARNED
Composition and Translation
What I learned in this process is that the paint by number translation isn't perfect. Compositionally, it needed some modification to hold the artwork together. The process of setting up the pattern and abstraction does appear to sometimes eliminate some critical visual cues. For example, there's a section of lighter rendering that felt unfinished about 2/3 of the way across the canvas. During the process of painting, I edited and tweaked that section.
First, inspired by Paula Hite's process of mocking up edits digitally before implementing them in paint, I took a photo of the work in progress from overhead and returned to my couch to mark up the image on my phone, saving each version as a new file. After a few minutes I had tested out three or four alternatives for resolving the compositional conundrum. This problematic area I wanted to keep light and open to enhance more depth and space within the composition, but it needed to be dark enough to speak the same language as the rest of the work. Paula's technique was liberating; it made me brave enough to start reworking the composition.
Instead of following any one of the options explored on my phone, I decided to just start applying paint in the areas where I had analyzed possible changes and feel my way through them. This fifth option was just what I wanted. The tweaks were born from hand to brush rather than from photo and pixel. It was the study that provided the freedom, helping me realize that there were many, many solutions.
Finishing the Edges
When finished, I realized the edges were irregular. I remembered the conversation from one of the treasured Landscape Architecture Department professors, Jane Thurber, "Design the Edges, the edges are important, as they show that you care." A finishing step involved applying masking tape around the perimeter of the work to mask out a clean edge. I worked back from the composition outwards to the edge. This actually improved the composition as well! The expansion of shapes and forms to the edges changed the density and continuity of pattern, making some areas much larger.
Experience in person versus via photograph
I am finding that I have a different perception of the work in person versus through photograph. In person, the darks are more present and visually dominant, visually claiming space and holding the work together. The white gesso jetties and textures move the eye around the shapes, and the grey and lights kind of fade to the back. But in photograph, the piece takes on the dominant tone of middle grey.
Tactile expression
As for touch- I went back and added more gesso to the white areas to build up more relief. It works in some areas and is understated in others. Since this is on a flexible 4 mil back, easily rolled up, I am worried about too much weight added to the piece that may introduce sagging. Considering gessoing the back and the newly formed edges as structural support to prevent tearing or warping of the work. I may staple it to a wood backing. But may reach out to a framing shop for advice.
Bravery versus Restraint
In the beginning of this piece, I was more cavalier, less tied to the outcome. But now I am heavily invested in time and delight and finding myself more cautions, more worried about making sure that it has the best change to persist in its current form.
NEXT STEPS
Varnish notes
Next steps include: Letting the work dry for 2 to 3 weeks, varnishing it, and framing it.
I have three types of acrylic varnish to test out (gloss, satin, and flat). I'll do a test on my testing sheet first and then run my hands over it to see which is best. Curious if I'll lose the distinction between paint and gesso once the whole work is varnished. But I'll need to varnish it to prevent future flaking or peeling and protect the paint from oils in the hands.
Touching up
This week's goals are to continue touching up the gesso bits, and to mock up the various types of varnishes. When I am finished, I'll return to the forest pattern in Illustrator, and update with the changes made to the work, before ordering a second set of painting kits for the winter's show.
REFERENCES TO PROCESS
See below more information on the making of this work:
Here's a quick soundless video of the touchable work of art from the studio. The first moments are a little blurry, but hang in there and you can see the piece emerge.
And more on the process of working through the materials and textures for this painting.
More about Paula's recent show at Gallery A3
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