Bitter Waters

Here are two stages of the painting. The idea sort of appeared in my mind in a flash as I was thinking about what I should paint. I was 2 minutes away from the studio in my car and I thought I'd like to do something colorful and different than other paintings. So, here we go.

Stage 1

Thought process: In this step my goal was to cover the canvas with bright colors and curved shapes. I wanted the tree/log to stick out and yes draw focus to the waters below and the connection to the heavens.

Stage 2

Thought process: I tried to blur the lines yet keep the idea that there are still lines or divisions. There wasn't enough time to complete stage 2, the left upper corner is still unfinished in this style. I want to keep the tree the same, and I'm unsure if I like the red on the rolling grass, that may change. And the sun may also change, I think there needs to be a few more strokes that define a semi curve to the colors not just blend.

Stage 3: Finish the upper left corner. Add more defining lines... clean up a couple of the odd colors that aren't working for me... perhaps start on the splatter and dripping portion of the painting.

כג  וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה--וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּת מַיִם מִמָּרָה, כִּי מָרִים הֵם; עַל-כֵּן קָרָא-שְׁמָהּ, מָרָה.	23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.
כד  וַיִּלֹּנוּ הָעָם עַל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר, מַה-נִּשְׁתֶּה.	24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying: 'What shall we drink?'
כה  וַיִּצְעַק אֶל-יְהוָה, וַיּוֹרֵהוּ יְהוָה עֵץ, וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶל-הַמַּיִם, וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמָּיִם; שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט, וְשָׁם נִסָּהוּ.	25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He proved them;

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.

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. 

Devorah: Stage 2

Today I added color on the face and hands, altered the helmet, and sword.

Next week the fingers will be altered, additional layers of color, eyes, hair, helmet metal. 

Bathsheba: Stage 4

30" x 40"

Oil on Canvas

Joseph and his Coat of Many Colors: Stage 6

95% finished....

Things to do: Hair, Sides of the canvas, hmmm.....

Temptation of Eve: Random Stages

Original Drawing: Eve taking the fruit from the tree.

(5 years ago)

Second Drawing: Adam and Eve reaching for the fruit.

Stage 1: First layer of paint. I didn't like where the hands were, so eventually it changed.

Stage 2: I thought she might stay as a silhouette, but instead I added color later.

Hr head is larger here, which I felt was much better. 

Stage 3: Giving light to her face, hair, shoulder, and hands. Lightening up the foliage, and a change in the position of her hand. 

Stage 4: Adding more color to her skin, shaping the fruit, the eyes,  and adding more leaves.

Stage 5: Adding shadows, glowing skin, more definition in leaves, and painting the hands.

Stage 6: Adding yet more definition to leaves, the collar bone, hair, and corrections on the shape and coloring of the hands. 

Stage 7: Paintings the sides, finishing hands, touching up the face and the fruit. 

Leonid is holding it up for me. I snuck a photo. 

Me with the painting. (although I see one error, I'll fix it quickly next week).