Section 11 Eye of God

Gold frame done and figures

Painting done

King Pepy I with white crown

The Tomb of Sennedjem

 I went to the library and finally grabbed a book of Egyptian art. I didn't want to have excessive Egyptian motifs in the series because I thought it would be tacky and stuffy. But I did see some shapes that I liked while flipping through the book. I liked the shapes of the Tomb of Sennediem. They are sarcophagus profile view. I like the shape of the beards and the repetition of the shapes. I had the sun shapes on the tops of figures. I sketched the shapes rotating around the circle. .I haven't done that yet. I thought it looked cheerful. I got two different reactions from studio pals. One person said it looked like a clock, another person said it looked like a roulette.
I looked at the sculpture of King Pepy 1. I found the crown-shaped head fascinating and the stick that he carries. I decided to make him the central figure. He has a cool and authoritative presence. I love the stick because the regal and superior power it possesses I included lots of white clouds and blue skies to make the picture winsome and dreamy.

It's blurred out but there is of the bottom a procession of figures holding the stick

east wall of chapel of Knumhotep at Beni Hasan

The sketch

Figures done background started

While flipping through the book I saw a photo of the chapel of Knumhotep at Beni Hasan. At the bottom of the wall was a group of figures in a line holding a stick. The panel is
the menial task of holding a stick. Four groups of figures are holding the stick. They are in a different body stance. The task has a beauty to it and there is a unique glory to the chore.
I had painted sky blue and clouds for the last backgrounds. This time I wanted to paint grass. But I couldn't have the whole panel painted green. I paint the top of the picture blue green which helps unite the picture.

I investigated the Egyptian book and loved the two color striped hair look. The book has several examples like the two that I pasted  below of  mask of King Psusennes and coffin of Hor.
I wanted to continue the dyed peroxide blond hair and I alternated it with dark brown. The hair has a look of supremacy. Each face was an individual sketch and I had no idea how to include them in a bigger sketch. I realized they looked stiff and statuesque I revisited my college hazing theme. What if the figures played with the statues and poked fun at their aloofness? Two tiny figures on the right and left sides are pinching their eyes. Other figures add to the backdrop of the picture. Trees and a calm sky blue help relax the tension in the picture.

 

mask of Psusennes

Mummy of Hor

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 10-Eye of God

Some figures done

Figures done

Hill and gold frame done

With this painting I wanted to do a college hazing angel experience. It wasn't as apparent as other paintings. But some of the inanity is there. My favorite part are the two angels with the diaper over his head. One of them is one of the bottom left and one of them is on the top left.

  His eyes are like boggles, which appears mishap and silly.  I 

enjoy the angel with the lanky arm gesture. He helps give the picture more movement.

 The multiple figures help give the scene a daffy comedic theatrical feel.

This was the first time I had the grass cut in the middle of the frame. The landscape is stand alone which gives it a definite prominence.

The mainfigure is off center and on the further right. I stir up the picture and make it a little unexpected.

Black layer

Blue layer

Red layer and some of the background painted over white and sanded

Figures done

I realized I hadn't done the Egyptian style with the hair sticking up in the air. I wanted to have wild hair styles and have some sidesplitting fun. The figure in the upper center is normal and his hair sticks up in the air. One figure has hair that sticks out from his sides. Groups of figures have hair that sticks up in three or five rows.
I drew all the individual figures and sets of figures But I was having a hard time putting the sketch together.In community college I took a design class. The teacher knew how scatterbrained I am and suggested taking my individual design elements and dropping them and letting them fall where they may. This helped me escape my linear fine art "putting things in the center" mode of thinking.
 It was by using this method that I decided to put the figure sideways on top left.
The figure helps make the picture be fun and snazzy. Each set of figures was to have a grass island. I thought of having the whole background being green grass but I decided I wanted to show the signature blue dreamy sky of this series.

Section 9-Eye of God

The sketch

Figures done, blue being put in

I  was amazed to get some painting done during Christmas week. I was satisfied that I was able to keep busy and not let the holidays bog down my production.

I really wanted to do a do a silly and more immature panel. I needed a college hazing part two.  They're putting diapers on each others heads and having a rowdy good time. With this picture I really wanted the main emphasis to be the Animal House like mood of the piece. I decided to do three main circles in the middle of the picture as a storytelling and compositional tool. In my sketch I expected trees. But the sketch was different than the panel. In the sketch the three circles reached more of the bottom of the sketch. When I painted I put the circles more in the middle. I had more space to deal with. At first I started painting trees. Within two minutes of painting the trees I changed my mind. The picture looked too heavy. I decided I wanted to have more of a light and weightless state. So I painted

clouds instead. Clouds generally never fail.  I think of Bob Haozous who used clouds as a main staple in his work.There's a lot to be said about them. I think it's because clouds are very meditative and all encompassing. There's a wonder and  a great awe-inspiring marvellousness.

The sketch

The main figures skin painted in

The characters and frame done

   I drew the eye and lips of the main character and I realized I wanted blond hair on him.I hadn't done peroxide blond yet. I've done some blond highlights in some of the works. They looked somewhat campy. I  really think the hair adds an air of weirdness. It reminds me of the Wallace and Ladmo painting I did a month ago with Gerald in a similar hair style. With this picture I wanted to remain simple with trees and a couple of figures. Two of the three characters in front have black hair. I still wanted to retain that essential Egyptian look. But I also added a sandy blonde person to balance the picture.  I wanted a soft muted grey look for the trees. I was reminded of Luc Tuymans while doing the trees. He has that type of color palette in his pictures. The picture seemed a little stagnant.I did away with the symmetry and added a frame on the right side. It adds a bit of a jolt to the work.

Section 8 -Eye of God

The sketch

Figure done

Painting done

I wanted another figure with blond hair lights. I also wanted to have a potpourrish bouquet of flower. The angels were believe it or not influenced by El Greco.  However this piece is meant to be light and blithesome.  I chose a soft blue and pastel colros for the background. I also chose the back of the angels as it is an unusual pose for an angel.

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 El Greco angel

The sketch

Blue layer

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Red layer

Figure done

I wanted a central jolly figure. Amongst him are goofy pudgy angels..I hadn't painted the trees in a long time. The angels are having a swell time and two angels are sitting on the trees. Happy clouds circle along the frame on the left side giving the picture a pleasant presence.

the sketch

Add red layer

Humans done

Finished painting
This painting has more of a naive art feeling. But I like the simple shapes and flatness.  I again had the two person composition that the first post has. I like the upfront pose the main figure has. He looks squarely right at you. Also I added a circle right in the middle of the picture. Usually the circles are snug towards the top. It adds an unexpected element to the work.

Section 7 Eye of God



Sketch of painting

Black then blue than red layer

Working on person, some landscape in, and golden frames

Finished painting

This week was the week of duds. I went through two paintings and a lot of what I did didn't turn out right which means I'll have to sand the crap out of them later and start anew. But the duds are part of the process. Also I have done 16 of these circles, expect at least 1/3 of them to not be masterpieces.

The piece I have above is the one that survived this week.

I wanted the idea of an open landscape sectioned off by frames. Originally I did the figure and did

multiple twin like figures. But I liked the idea of this figure being alone. The landscape with all the hills reminds me of Grant Wood. He was an expert with this type of bountiful and lush scenery. 

I also continued with the idea of the golden frames having just land as the subject. It's beautiful that the minor part of a painting can be recognized just as much as the portrait.

The composition is made more complex by the frame around the circle. It would be very bland if it was just the four frames in the center. The frame around it gives it a distinguished and honorable appearance

Grant Wood landscape