$4 Lawn Job, Part 4

Our lawn mowing boy spent a fair amount of time thinking about what Mr. Persnickety told him. “No one has ever done a $4 lawn job for me.” He decided that he would be the first. I’ve forgotten much of what the boy did, but it did involve some sort of a roller device to flatten any slight bumps and there was a nap in the middle of the day so he could continue on in the afternoon. When he had finally exhausted every possible method of perfecting that lawn, he knocked on the door and announced to Mr. Persnickety that he had done a $4 lawn job. Mr. Persnickety was skeptical and began inspecting his work. After going over every inch of his yard, he agreed that the boy had indeed accomplished the impossible and he paid him his $4.

What does that have to do with my art? Hang on, I’m getting to that part! You may have noticed that I don’t participate in many competitions or shows that are juried and judged. Earlier in my career, I tried those. After several rejections, (one show was a consistent winner – Madera Arts Council Ag Arts) and after reading a great deal about ways to build an art career, it seemed best to just focus on the local market.

Then, along came the Richeson 75. This is the first show I’d heard of that separates dry media from oils from wet media, which means pencil isn’t competing against painting.  Something told me to try this show, and I knew I was facing my own $4 lawn job challenge. (REALLY! That is how I thought of it!)

First, I chose my best subject and found the best possible photo of it. Then, I cropped it to the Golden Rectangle proportions, drew it carefully, shaded it, took it to my students to evaluate, layered a bit more, lightened here and darkened there, put it under a magnifier and sharpened all the edges of the bridge, studied it, changed a few things, and finally, sent it to the Richeson 75 in the Landscape, dry media category.

Rappity, tappity, bingety, BANG, BOOM!!! chhhhhhhh (that last noise was a cymbal.)

Rural Dignity, pencil, 6×9-1/2″

It will be in the exhibition book for the Landscape, Architecture and Seascape 2011 show!!

$4 Lawn Job, part 3

Our lawn-mowing boy in the story was satisfied with the $2 job for awhile, and then decided to see if he could do the mowing job for $3. This time he mowed carefully in one direction, then mowed carefully in the other. He probably trimmed the edges and dug out some weeds. It took a bit of fancy talking, but he convinced Mr. Persnickety that the job was indeed worth $3.

When I read the story, I couldn’t figure out how he could possibly improve on that massive effort at perfection. I thought he ought to be satisfied that he was able to do a $3 lawn job; after all, Mr. Persnickety had warned him in advance that no one had ever done a $4 job in the history of hiring neighborhood boys to mow.

This is just how I felt when I began drawing collages. It took a long time to plan, a long time to lay out, and a very long time to shade. Didn’t seem as if there was any place to improve after that!

$4 Lawn Job, Part 2

After our boy in the story mowed the lawn, he went home to puzzle out how to earn $2 next time. After some thought, the second time he mowed he probably went over the lawn two times, a bit more carefully and perhaps in 2 different directions. He told Mr. Persnickety it was a $2 job, he was paid, and both were happy.

In comparing this story to my drawings, this is my version of the $2 lawn job. Still have pencil, desire,  and skill. A neighbor/friend/customer suggested that I back up and show the cabin in its setting. (Thanks, Janey!) I was a bit worried about tackling trees, but knew I could figure it out with enough practice. Eventually I got comfortable with the added “growies”.

$4 Lawn Job, Part 1

There is a story from my childhood about a boy who went to a neighbor looking to earn money. The neighbor, whom we will call Mr. Persnickety, said he could mow the lawn. The boy was to supposed determine if he had done a $1, $2, $3 or $4 job and tell Mr. Persnickety. If the man agreed, he would pay the boy that amount.

I’ve never forgotten the story. In applying it to drawing, my early work would be the $1 job. Have pencil, have some skill, have great eagerness, will draw. It is probably the equivalent of making one quick pass across the lawn with the mower. Here are 2 of my early drawings. I had no idea how to handle trees or shrubs, and if someone asked me to draw a building, I drew it. Just it. Nothing else but it. Start at the beginning, finish at the end, sign, get my dollar and go home.

An 864 Square Inch Oil Painting

The background trees are finished. Hmmm, about 1/3 of 864 square inches = 285. That leaves 589 square inches to paint. Approximately. Careful inches. (Fishing Guy appears to be in need a superhuman orthopedic surgeon.) This photo represents 5 days of painting. 10 more days on this??? Needs drying time. Needs to be varnished and more drying time. Needs to be delivered May 2. Guess I’ll just try not to get distracted by any more yarn paintings or other odd items and see what happens! You all will have to visit the show in Tulare, opening May 5, to see if this Giant Oil Painting made it!!

Product or Process?

Day Four resulted in more trees, brushy material, layers, working back to front, left to right. This left to right and top to bottom is the method I use when drawing with pencils. As a right-hander, it prevents smearing. As a Get-‘er-Dun Chick, I love the efficiency, and when it is finished, I’m in signing position.

Knitters often discuss the topic of Process Versus Product, deciding if we enjoy the process or just desire the finished product. In drawing with pencil, I’m usually 75% Process and 25% Product. I’ve found that in knitting, drawing and painting, the enjoyment of process increases with my skill level. In painting, it depends on the subject, photo quality, paint behavior (or misbehavior), brush obedience (or disobedience), and deadlines. Sometimes deadlines motivate me; other times they “pressurize” me. (My friend/neighbor Charlie says “Don’t pressurize yourself”.) This painting is probably a 50/50 situation of enjoying the process as much as I am looking forward to the finished piece.

P.S. Isn’t this a classic California Sierra scene by a California Artist? 😎

Day Three on Unfinished Painting

This was a rainy day so I couldn’t see well enough for detail painting. It was a good day for just loading on layers of greenery in the background to be finessed later!

Will this painting get finished?

What I really mean is will it be finished in time for the show at the Tulare History Museum, opening May 5. My good friend DJ and I love to discuss business. I asked her to look at the paintings I have for the show to see if she thought it was a good mix. She said it could use one large central point, a grab-’em-and-pull-’em-in kind of painting. We tried on several ideas. The mail came, and there was a large envelope from Kodak. I opened it, showed DJ some of my photos, and she said “THAT’S IT!” She pointed to a pair of photos, asked if I could paint the two together for a large picture. After dithering a bit, I asked Michael if he minded being painted for a show. He liked the idea, so here we go!

This is HUGE for me. 36×24″ is MASSIVE. It feels bigger than a mural, because with oil I layer and layer and layer, and use as much detail as I can manage. Murals use acrylic, and sloppier strokes look tight and careful on a giant scale. Murals are fast compared to this size of oil. Oh-oh, I’m shutting up now or I will talk myself out of trying to finish this! If it is finished, I will tell you but not show it. I want you to come to the show! The opening: Tulare Historical Museum, May 5, 5:30-7:00

And, just in case you may have forgotten, this is a painting of a man fishing in a stream in the Sierra Nevada, in Sequoia National Park, in California. I am a California artist!

Salvage Job

Remember the painting accident a few weeks ago? (Oops, on February 16) I’m trying to salvage things. Here are 3 items that I am getting as a result:

  1. I’m using the canvas frame and some canvas from Mr. Stroben to stretch a new canvas. So far it has involved carefully removing the ruined canvas, finding the piece of new canvas, ironing it flat, laying the ruined canvas on the new and cutting a pattern. Next I have to find the staple gun.
  2. A blog reader named Michelle sent me to a site that had a beautiful tote-bag made of a painting. Hmmmm, I just tossed 2 ragged and stained tote bags. Perhaps it is time to sew a new one using the semi-finished painting of my favorite bridge! I seriously dislike sewing. Knitting is an entirely different process and much more rewarding. But to sew a new tote bag would definitely would be making lemonade out of lemons.
  3. The ruination of the painting caused me to begin a new painting of the bridge. Will it be better? That’s not a question that can be answered, because the first one will never be finished.

If I knew how to draw on a blog entry, I’d make a red arrow and a circle to show you where the rip is. It is a vertical thing in the lower portion, providentially leaving the bridge itself available to be reborn as a tote bag. I asked my very gifted older sister, She-Who-Can-Sew-Anything if she had a pattern for a tote bag. Instead of jumping in with an offer to sew one for me (I am an eternal optimist!), she told me to look on the Web. Sigh.