by Petar Meseldzija
Talking about change…
Here are the new progress shots of the Conan painting.
A few days ago I somehow managed to bring the painting to the edge of disaster,
when I tried to paint the background. I needed to define the color and the
values of the background first, in order to know how to tackle the rest of the
painting. It just did not work out. I
got more and more desperate as I started to realize that my initial intention to
paint the background lighter than the
foreground, was not a good idea after all. So, at the end of the exhausting day,
I finally decided to make a radical change and to rearrange and repaint the
background.
A few days ago I somehow managed to bring the painting to the edge of disaster,
when I tried to paint the background. I needed to define the color and the
values of the background first, in order to know how to tackle the rest of the
painting. It just did not work out. I
got more and more desperate as I started to realize that my initial intention to
paint the background lighter than the
foreground, was not a good idea after all. So, at the end of the exhausting day,
I finally decided to make a radical change and to rearrange and repaint the
background.
The painting looks still quite messy and far from being
finished, but at least now I know how to proceed with it.
Some paintings are destined to have a relatively
smooth and more or less clearly defined path. Others are unpredictable and have
a stubborn character. The paintings with the less “tamable” character tend to
cause some headaches and sleepless nights, never the less, they often help us to
transcend the dusty and established routes, and our cliché-thinking, that from
time to time need to be shaken a little,
in order for us to grow and to bring our work to another level. I guess that not
everyone like the turbulences that the change often brings with it, but if we
want to be completely honest, we have to admit that the change (together with the
transience) is the only permanent and certain thing in Life. It will never
disappoint us by its absence. So I say, don’t be afraid, embrace it instead, as
much as you can.
smooth and more or less clearly defined path. Others are unpredictable and have
a stubborn character. The paintings with the less “tamable” character tend to
cause some headaches and sleepless nights, never the less, they often help us to
transcend the dusty and established routes, and our cliché-thinking, that from
time to time need to be shaken a little,
in order for us to grow and to bring our work to another level. I guess that not
everyone like the turbulences that the change often brings with it, but if we
want to be completely honest, we have to admit that the change (together with the
transience) is the only permanent and certain thing in Life. It will never
disappoint us by its absence. So I say, don’t be afraid, embrace it instead, as
much as you can.
Ahhhhh that is a nightmare to change something as major as the background when you are on the final painting! The solution you arrived at looks amazing though.
knowing you guys have those hard moments that i can relate to at your level is very comforting to me as i have similar struggles at my own. you guys are all amazing, but perhaps, still human…
I would be tearing my hair by now. As you well know, I need that ancor a solid underpaint and a colororugh gives me. The stuff you are doing to this painting is just way beyound what my mind can grasp ( or would even liek to grasp )
Are you still keeping that myddy greenish yellow behind the figures?
…I give up. i will never be that spontainious. Must be the alchohol.
I think this is what the submariners call doing a “Crazy Ivan”…. 😀
as we look it i think the second warrior (the middle one)something is happening with the anatomy…what do you think?
Hi Justin,
Yes, indeed, it was very close to a nightmare. And I just hope that there will be no more nightmares attached to this project. You never know.
Alchohol!?… Excellent joke, Jesper (I will buy you a drink for this, when we see each other in Stockholm in April)!
Although I sometimes joke about Sljivovitsa , or good Belgian beer, I am not a drinker and therefore the secret of my craft is not to be found in any kind of drink, or drugs, or any other stimulant of that kind. …But, because you are a good friend, I will reveal to you where my spontaneous painting technique comes from: Behind the seven seas, and the seven mountains, there is a dark forest. There is a big, old oak tree in that forest, and there is a fox living in the hole beneath this mighty tree. In that fox there is a bird. There is a heart in the little bird, and in that heart lies the secret of my painting technique… But, there is a twist to the story. Every morning the bird flies out of the fox's jaw to drink. And if you think that this little bird goes to a nearby forest stream to take a few sips of water, you are wrong. This bird flies to a nearby pub… to takes a sip of Sjivovitsa… ;0)
As for that muddy yellowish-green, I will try to keep it as much as possible, but I am afraid it will have to be covered, partly. Why? You don’t like it?
You are right, David. it was a dangerous maneuver, and it is not completely over yet.
As far as I know, all of the muddies are human, and humane :0)
I am sorry but I have decided not to reply any more to the anonymous comments.
Ouch, get rid of that greenish glow and lightning at the back pls :S I wish the light was kinda warmer in contrast to the blue tones, but I guess this is just a result from the mid-stage the painting is in. Another thing that bothers me is the size of the dual-wielding giant, he is way bigger than the other one, yet he is behind him, that helmet is huge, or is it the angle of the camera shot?
Although I am a writer, I have to say thanks for such an inspirational post. You are helping me get past a rather desperate moment where deadline meets major plot hole. And you are so right, it is helping me to transcend the dusty and established routes, and my cliché-thinking. I too am still in the trenches writing, but I am embracing the challenge instead of fighting it. And I have to say my fun has returned too. THANKS SO MUCH! Keep creating.:)
Great frustrations don't long to bring great achievements.
It is very interesting to follow this project's development, can't wait for the end result :]
Good luck!
Thank you, Elle, for your honest comment. Much appreciated!
Good luck!
I belive that the painting itself will tell me in due time whether I should keep that greenish yellow, or not. As for the “oversized” giant, it’s the angle of the camera shot. By the way, why should the giants be of the same size…? Cliché-thinking, perhaps?
Thanks, Jolanta!
You got me here, haha 😀 You are the Lord of giants, you know best ;)And even though I still dont like the greenish mess at that stage, I thrust at your choise and desidions, there ain't a single painting of yours that i dont like