Crossing the Jordan: Stage 1

This originally began as a last ditch effort to get an idea for my next painting. 

We sketched out a few pastel drawings shown in a post below, and I chose this one, one that no one else chose to do. Mainly because it's the only landscape.

In putting on this first layer, which happened about 10 days ago (since I'm taking a week off), we've been looking at this trying to decide what should happen to the next layer. 

1. The River (more flow)

2. The Land. (May stay the same)

3. The Clouds (more realistic)

This is an original sketch and idea not taken from a photograph.

Klezmer

Klezmer

8 1/2 x 11"

Leo and Me

This wasn't a competition but rather a composition lesson. I drew my pictures, and he would sketch them in a different point of view.

All photos can be enlarged. Click to View.

   

                                                  Heather                                         Leo

Story: Hannah went to the temple to pray to G-d to give her a child, but the priest never heard words coming from her mouth and assumed she was an adultress... G-d heard her prayers, and she promised to become a nazarite (not cutting hair, refraining from wine etc)... and after the boy was old enough to separate she took him to the temple where he became the prophet Samuel. 

   

                                                  Heather                                         Leo

Story: One of our laws indicated that the corners of the fields should be left for the poor. 

   

                                                  Heather                                         Leo

Story: Jacob fights with the Angel. 

The Raven's Duty

The first bird Noah sent out was the raven, but it did not return. 

Hannah's Prayers

Hannah's prayers fall on deaf priest's ears but are answered by G-d. 

Possible oil painting in the future...

Crossing the Jordan

Pastel/Pencil Sketch for possible oil painting. 

Stages of "After the Battle of Sisera"

Stage 1

Graphite

11 x 17

One of the most important women in the Bible was Deborah. A judge and general who led the people of Israel with her advice, leadership and guidance. I wanted to portray a strong female, especially in today's society there is such a negative perception of women in roles of leadership. The idea that women cannot or should not take a position in this way, is wrong. She is an example to all women of religious or non-religious backgrounds of what women can and should be a part. She may have lived 3,000 years ago, but her message is as important today as it was then. 

Stage 2

photoshop rendering of the original drawing

After scanning the drawing, I wanted to play around with the idea of blood on her hands. A literal interpretation of ending a battle. While she was not the one who literally drove a peg through the enemy's head, she was still on the battle scene. The blood represented her direct contact with the struggle. 

Stage 3

Oil on Canvas

In the original drawing the graphite allowed me to play with shadow, but oil is not so forgiving. Any time a black and white drawing or pencil drawing has absolute darkness, once transferred to oil one of two things should happen. 1) The black has to have texture of some sort, with another color mixed in. (or) 2) The background cannot be completely black, only the illusion of black, by using purple or blues. 

I chose to keep the background black for the effect. The swirls represent the storm of battle as well as the aftermath as she sits by the campfire. 

Stage 4 and 5

(Not Shown.)

I decided not to take another picture until the end because the middle stages irritated me. 

Stage 6

(

30" x 40"

Oil on Canvas

In the end I decided to change the position of her fingers. Originally they were straight, but after having someone model the position I noticed that fingers should be more relaxed and natural. Also, her sword reflects the firelight as well as the blood from battle. The eyes, reflect the fire of more than her looking upon it, but more of her soul. The eyes were meant to be brown, and looking closely they still remain so. The swirls are silver, and there's gold on her helmet. 

After the Battle of Sisera.

Deborah: After the Battle of Sisera

30" x 40"

Oil on Canvas