Thursday, February 24, 2011

Man & Lure


Man & Lure, oil, 12x12 canvas panel

This is alla prima (about two hours) and first time trying water-soluble oils.

I don't know this person--if he were younger, he might be the guy who waxed my car last year. This was pure play. My son's fishing gear is stored in my workshop--instead of a shirt, this guy got a fishing pole and a fluffy yellow lure.  I managed to avoid the hooks.

I may add hair and eyebrows later--maybe not.  Maybe a hat!
Posted by Picasa

36 comments:

  1. Naaa----that's the guy that does the music on the Letterman Show. Nice shades. Tat signiture is brilliant. Water soluble oils? What will they think of next? Those autographic marks in the background are very interesting. They sre subtractive--right? Definitely go easy around the hooks. Why is this reminding me of Matisse? Wm

    ReplyDelete
  2. nice!!
    lets go fishing, he's the guy thats going to carry all the gear.

    ReplyDelete
  3. William. Thank you, thank you. It does look like Paul Shaffer! I knew it reminded me of someone; couldn't figure it out. There was a box of letter stamps on the counter--I got a bit carried away with the "o." Subtractive--yes, and fun. Maybe I'll call it "Paul Shaffer, Warrior."

    ReplyDelete
  4. It looks like he's been fishing for awhile. The roundness of his face makes him friendly if not a bit quirky. He loves the outdoors and can tell a great fish story. He rarely wears hats.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nah, he's not as creepy as that guy on Letterman! ha ha I like the bald head and no eyebrows but think he may need earpieces to the glasses? Very cool!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi JB. He looks like he'd be about 5' tall--I had some anatomy books in the workshop.


    Hi Pam. I think this guy would tell totally made-up fish stories--and he's definitely quirky (he wears his shades too high).


    Hi Rhonda. I actually like that guy on Letterman--haven't seen him in a while because I usually watch Charlie Rose. At the last minute I added the nosepiece, then decided to just skip the earpieces.

    ReplyDelete
  7. No. He's a story telling-beer guzzling-southern fisherman, he doesn't need ear pieces. He uses duct tape. Love it. It's so Hallie. And you're a story teller yourself.
    Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Hallie. William is right, he totally looks like the guy doing music on the Letterman show! The accentuation of the muscles and bones is amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I thought the same thing right away, that it is Paul Shaffer:
    http://blog.newsok.com/television/files/2008/11/paul-shaffer.jpg
    I like that Paul Shaffer apparently fishes without his shirt. Provocative!
    I love the background...looks like writing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. KOWABUNGA!!! Witch doctor goes fishing! Totally lurid dude.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I never knew Paul Shaffer was a fisherman. Live and learn. I think he may want to use a little sunscreen next time, though.

    -Don

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Sue. I've seen quite a few fishermen; none of them have been without shirts. I'm a fan of duct tape.


    Jane, thank you. I had actually planned to add a shirt; then changed my mind. I only had a few colors on my palette and was running out of paint and time.


    Celeste, thanks for the link--same nose, even. I was hoping to have left-over paint for an end-of-the-day painting (following your example). I used it all; in fact, this is thin in places.


    SamArtDog. You are so SMART. This reminded me of something--I thought "savege" and "warrior." Witchdoctor is spot on; now the jungle background makes sense and the lure is a bit voodooie. Thanks.


    Hi Don. Yes, sunscreen is a good idea. I had a list of four colors for painting figures but I didn't have two of them (yellow ochre and black). I used ultramarine and something else--he's very pink and red.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hallie, what did you think of the water soluble oil paint? Does it go on like oil? Does it have any odour? Easy clean up? Tell me more.
    Interesting lure or is that leer?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Carole. Well, my last painting with regular oils was done about 45 years ago--before totally going with sculpture, so I really can't compare the two. During the past ten years, I've tried acrylics, open acrylics, alkyd, & watercolor crayons. Based on this one small painting--I don't remember any odor, and the two brushes I used were swished in water and wiped off (they look clean but probably need to be washed with soap). These are Holbein Duo paints; I bought them at Art of the Carolinas Expo in November. Yesterday I painted; so today I'm reading my book, Water Soluble Oils, by Sean Dye--I sometimes work backwards. I don't have any allergies; I just hate clean-up work. I had no regular oil paints so I thought I'd give these a try.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Right away I thought Paul Schaffer too! Weird!
    I like the background and his amused expression.
    There's a book by Mary Deutschman on Water Soluble Oils that's pretty good. I use them at school--good for the students with the clean up. But I personally prefer regular oils.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Indigomar. Weird is right. I look at him and think of a neighbor from MD who sometimes wore a toupee; then because of the muscles I see the guy who detailed my car--then I see Paul Shaffer.
    My guess is regular oils are better than the water soluble ones. I'm just lazy about clean up. I like alkyds because they dry faster; I lack patience. I'll check out your book recommendation.

    ReplyDelete
  17. You got that color thing goin' on again and I love that cool patterning all round the figure with that piece of fluff hangin' down...there's a lot to be said...I rarely watch late night TV so I can't comment on the likeness/creepiness.

    Your tattoo signature is giving me a smile.

    ReplyDelete
  18. You get extra points for a word like "voodooie".

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Donna. This is very colorful and I forgot that oil stays wet--smeared the tattoo a bit. I must learn patience.


    Okay, SamArtDog--I'll take a point for "voodooie" but I probably have to subtract at least one point for "savege" (savage). Here in southern VA, hoodoo is an oft-used word--I think it's a cross between voodoo and hoodwink. If a car salesman says, "I wouldn't hoodoo you"--be careful.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I thought Paul Shaffer right away too - one day I'll have an original thought. I think it's great you did this in such a short time. I think the background with all of the loops and stuff is very interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Dan. Ha, I painted it and didn't think of Paul Shaffer--just thought the witchdoctor looked familiar. I spent a short time because I'm working up to doing a "real" painting; I need practice with oil--I keep forgetting that it's wet. The background hides a lot of fingerprints.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Very cool ... and I love your wry humor! I spent a year or so struggling with water-soluble oils and became very discouraged. The tubes don't hold up well over time and become "clotty." At first, they seem great but after awhile it's a struggle. I threw them out. Maybe the product has gotten better since them. I'd like to know your opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi Kathy. I found these were "dragging" in places. Then I read the book and learned that you can't use both linseed oil and water--it's one or the other. I will probably go back to alkyds or acrylics; I just enjoy trying new things. There will be one heck of a yard sale/workshop sale when I go!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi Hallie...I'm trying a second time here to get a comment through...which is ...thanks for pointing out the face that watches over the heron...like that.
    I like that branch...many wonderful winged ones visit that spot, but mostly it's the Osprey's perch.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Donna. I think you may have John Lennon watching over your back yard..........Imagine.

    ReplyDelete
  26. He looks almost skeletal, did you use a model? I love the added touch of the fishing hook and contrasting background, makes me wonder even more what goes on inside your head when you chose these details!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi Robin. My mind was pretty much in neutral. There are advantages to clutter--on the counter in the workshop/studio were anatomy books and alphabet stamps. I thought the painting needed a vertical. In one corner was fishing poles; in another old water skis and a pool stick--just a matter of choosing. I did look through a tackle box for the last touch--the right lure.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hallie, cool piece! The skeletal comment reminds me that you sculpt from the inside out and paint that way, too. I can feel his bones and muscles. Very successful with water-soluble oils. The fishing pole and lure tell a story -- I see him out in some remote, perhaps southern, swampland. Great "tatoo." But then I have southern swamps on my mind now as I plot my bicycle tour

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi Mary. I hadn't thought of southern swamps since I've never visited any. I really look forward to seeing paintings from your bicycle tour.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Love this! I'm amazed at how well the oil pastels worked for you. Looks like we are on the same wave link with our unique models and eye wear!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks Eva. These are water soluble oils--something new for me. I love oil pastels, though--maybe my favorite--like playing with crayons.

    ReplyDelete
  32. This is so delightfully quirky that I had to chuckle at seeing it! He seems to be having a lot of fun even though there is not much context to let one know it. It's just they way you painted it. But then your work is so playful.

    I use water mixable oils on my oil figures. I have problems with solvents and so does my hubby so regular oils are a no no for my house. I have used acrylics too. But painting the way I do is much better suited to oil than acrylic. When I discovered the water mixables I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

    It behaves just like regular oils. The trick is to use a water mixable alkyd medium and not water to thin it. I use Grumbacher's Quick Dry Medium and Holbein Duo paints.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Davida--how nice of you. I will place an order this weekend for the Quick Dry Medium (I have Liquin for alkyds but it doesn't say water mixable). I am using Holbein Duo; I bought them at a show and each one is priced--whew. I had no idea that certain tubes were $20/$25; I think I'll remove those prices so I'm comfortable squirting out a lot. Thanks for sharing what you use for your gorgeous paintings--they knock my socks off.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Depending on the pigment and size of tube, I have never paid more than $10 per tube (40ml). I also wait for sales at my favorite mail order websites.

    You're right Liquin is not for these paints.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hi Davida. I usually wait for internet sales, too. I was at an Expo in Raleigh when I bought these--one of those spur of the moment things. Luckily, I only attend those shows about every three years.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi again. After reading through everyone's post about water soluble oils I have to get a couple of tubes to try them out. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete