18-in. x 18-in.
oil on cradled panel
I actually had to make this dinosaur. Well, by "make" I mean I had to buy it and cover it with a juicy red spray paint. I wanted something that had a similar attraction to the way that a cherry ChapStick makes you want to take a bite out of it. Anyone?
This is also the reason that I painted this in a series of transparent glazes over a monochromatic underpainting.
18-in. x 18-in.
oil on cradled panel
I used Gamblin's Galkyd with a little ( 10-20%) of Gamblin's odorless mineral spirits as my medium in addition to my paint. This gives me a lean and somewhat matte surface that dries fast. This matte finish also gives the transparent colors a nice "toothy" surface to grab as well.
When the surface was completely dry, I applied the paint with Galkyd and a little stand oil to add some "slip" to the paint. Also, the principle of "fat over lean" builds a dimensionally and chemically stable painting surface. Oh, when I say "little", I mean no more than 10% oil. Any more than 10% oil to the mixture will cause the paint to "buckle". When I say "buckle", I mean that it'll look crappy and uneven. You should think in terms of a stained glass window, or series of colorful panes of glass applied over a black and white image. Each layer of glass adds a little more depth. You should also be mindful not to use too much medium. Let the color do the work.
The great thing about this approach is that although it seems a little formulaic, it really isn't. With each glaze of color, the painting gets just a little richer to the point that it becomes almost addictive. You never really feel like you're finished just because it's so satisfying to caress the surface with another layer of succulent color. The act of applying more paint eventually becomes a little self-indulgent pleasure that continues to fulfill as you follow the form.
I can see why it took Axl Rose so long to finish Chinese Democracy. Each time you "polish your apple", you get the wildly intoxicating sensation of the promise of a little improvement. The problem is that you need to put it to bed at some point and move on to something new.
Oh, by the way, that album is awesome! Yeah, it took 15 years and cost over 13 million dollars (incidentally, the most expensive record ever made). How can you go wrong with SIX lead guitarists ( one of which who might just be the musical wunderkind Buckethead)? Pin It Now!
