Day 22 and 23 - random tidbits and study

Here is the most interesting thing from the last 2 days, visually.


In a sketchbook too large to travel around with, but handy for studies.
Pose found while browsing deviantArt stock - I added the tentacles.

Saturday was spent at the Winter Magic Festival, where I enjoyed a great production involving 6 shows and about 12 magicians, 2 assistants, and lots of fun. Produced by Taylor Martin with the help of Indy Fringe. My guy helped out and I did the logo so we got to see everything!! I didn't do much art, but I did do a quick sketch of Taylor Martin doing a rope trick dressed as his colonial character (first page). Also other random sketchy stuff.



Sunday was spent at home, trying to stay awake and failing ... but at least I got study in (the tentacle character at the top.)

I also sent a query to 'Seawhite of Brighton' brand sketchbooks (jumbo square black cloth binding),asking how many they could send me for under $150. The only sketchbooks I love and they have to be from England. to send one book, the shipping + 17% international tax would be about 4 or 5 times the cost of the book and put me back about $40. Adding more books tends to cheapen the shipping. I can't afford it right now, but I am going through withdraw and I have a few people interested in pitching in. I suppose its cheaper than a plane ticket. >.<
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here, have a hand.

STUDIO:
Tomorrow I can get my key for the Stutz Studio building! I am very excited.
WHEN I have the studio, there will be portrait sessions. There will be strange art makings and weird art happenings. There will be creative experiments, colorful failures, and exciting successes.
AND its in walking distance to the main downtown library. *JOY!*

OILS:
I have recently revived my interest in my oil paints.
While working on the second Cthulhu-esque commission, I drifted off into that intense art state where time did not register. I painted until I was FINISHED, and realized that it was 3:30 am and I had not yet eaten dinner. I have not felt that state of art for a while, and I was so excited. I think I am ready to do some serious artwork.
Here is the outcome of that art session:


Recent EVENTS:
Yesterday was a big day for being social. First there was the 'Goth Picnic' - a different sort of social event for the goth and alternative community in Indianapolis. Finally, a chance to converse with my fellow darklings, rather than shouting at eachother in a nightclub. It was at the IMA gardens, I did NOT realize they had that much property in the garden! I shall have to return when I feel the need to escape the city and take pretty pictures. The day was chilly and the skies threatened rain with dark clouds, yet it did not rain. Perfect day for a goth picnic!
That EVENING, we attended 'vampire' themed club event (the theme was loose, but the cover was discounted if you were wearing fangs). A good night of music, sticking glow sticks in our noses, discovering a new tolerable energy drink ('Roaring Lion' or something) and of course, being social. It was good to see some out of town friends as well. :)

Friday, D and I attended a FREAK show at the library! The Blue Monkey Sideshow. A man hanging a bowling ball form his ears, someone lays on a bed of nails... I was quite impressed with the man walking, jumping, laying his hands and even his FACE (while a patron STEPPED ON HIS HEAD) all on a pile of broken GLASS. Very cool. And of course, there was Z'ja Dega and his human blockhead routine (we missed his 'through the tennis racket' act), and the ever impressive CREMBO - one of the best MC/Barkers I've ever heard. (who also does his own tricks when called upon) I need to upload some photos!

Today: I am dedicating to grading papers. Ahhh Teaching. Maybe a bit of art later.

Cthulhuesque and other things

Today has been full of all sorts of things.
First of all, I took a trip to the Indianapolis Museum of Art to prepare for my Ivy Tech class tomorrow. (art appreciation) I am creating a scavanger hunt worksheet to fill out.
While there I discovered a whole new section I had forgotten about, tucked away in the European art, up some beautiful stairs - before I had dismissed the area as being connected to the 2nd floor elsewhere and did not bother to climb them - turns out that small upstairs area was exclusive to the EU art area. A while collection of J.M.W. Turner drawings, many when he was a student! Really cool stuff. I wish I had more time so I could study them in detail. Maybe one of these days I'll actually go to the IMA for myself, and look at just ONE section, in depth. And maybe stare at the Hieronymus Bosch paintings for an hour too.

ANYWAY. I thought I would post my progress on a small painting I'm working on.
I have a private commission to paint 2 Cthulhu paintings, 5" x 7". After days of thinking and sketching and brainstorming, I finally came up with 2 ideas. The first one I've been working on is somewhat complex. (for so small)

The INTERESTING part is, this is the VERY first painting I've attempted in oil that is both FANTASY and has actual DEPTH. (A definable background, and not just splatters or a flat design.) There are a lot of reasons I've not done this before - first of all, I have trouble with depth backgrounds - I usually stick to interesting flat or abstract backgrounds. The second - having to do with oil - for the longest time, I had a 'purist' block with oils - forbidding me to use oils for anything other than painting from life. I was trained on oils that way, and anything I tried from my imagination just looked terrible. (this is in oils only! I have no block with any other media) So, its worth mentioning that this piece is a great building block for me. Perhaps one of the final nails in the 'purist' coffin. Speaking of purist painters, while I was at the IMA, I bumped into one of my painting professors from IU. THE purist - but I do not say that as an insult. She was a genius, and I learned some of my best skills from her. She also doesn't seem to enjoy running into past students... it was a quick conversation.

Onward, to the posting.

The drawing and the work in progress.

The final (I've done a few touches since then, like adding some darker waves behind him)

(all images copyrighted by Lydia Burris, Sept. 2009)

This is based on brief reading of the Cthulhu descriptions early in the H.P. Lovecraft book, along with the city of R'lyeh. (my own interpretation, of course)

That is all for now. its time for my past midnight snack. I was supposed to make soup tonight but I forgot.