March 21, 2011

decisions, decisions



Here's Duane Keiser, the painting-a-day-blog originator, taking it one step further. Now that I'm using oil paint what this says to me in neon letters is FAILURE TO COMMIT. Or maybe DITHERER. We always see ourselves in the process, don't we? :) While I was painting yesterday my inability to make a decision actually played in my favour when I suddenly realized that I didn't have to include the element that was causing me angst. So I merely didn't and, because I was using oil paint, no one can tell from the painting that (a) there's something missing and (b) I have 'issues' with decision making. Oil paint can be very forgiving in that way.

Because too much choice is a problem for me it took me ages to get started on the painting I'm working on. The avoidance activities were many, but at least they were creative. First there was a little personal and sentimental movie-making project that I spent way too long on. Then there were further adventures in learning HTML when I tinkered with the blogging template I chose for my Tumblr photo blog in order to better fit my design wish list. In another life I'd be going to school to learn to be a web-design geek. But for now, geekery must take a back seat. Life is full of sacrifices.

13 comments:

valerie walsh said...

i saw this the other day when his sister paige posted it :) makes me wanna use oil... not! :D

Melody said...

I did start working in oil a year or so ago but it simply wasn't clicking for me. Although I loved the fluidness of it, the long drying time drove me crazy. I've seen a few of your oil pieces and think they're great....it seems to be working for you Andrea.

Ponita in Real Life said...

That was all very fascinating to watch, but it was almost like he just couldn't decide what he wanted to paint... If you want an orange section, why not just paint that? Or is it about the evolution of an image in your mind and trying to transfer that process to the canvas? Anyway, he used a lot more paint this way! But like I said, very fascinating to watch the process. Very cool!

Tracey said...

lol this should be called 10 paintings a day ;) Very interesting to watch, I may have to bookmark it and watch it at the beginning of each painting session to remind myself that painting is rarely a linear process

Nice to see such an established artist show videos of their challenging days rather than just the videos of paintings magically flowing from their brush to the canvas :)

andrea said...

I think Keiser did that just for the camera -- and our entertainment. A painter that prolific is probably way beyond the kind of artistic prevarication that painters like me are prone to! (And Melody: I LOVE oil. I do use it quite differently from acrylic paint, though.)

INDIGENE said...

I love oil painting, but I have not worked in it for several years, because of space issues and the drying time. I miss it so much, and wanting to go back to very large pieces, which for me cry out for oil painting. I'm sure it's in the future...like next couple of months. I'm not looking forward to that feeling of starting all over again. I agree with you about Keiser, but I'm sure he has doubts like we do, because all artists do, especially, if they're human!

LDahl said...

Wow, loved that live animation! What a creative idea!Peeled the whole orange and ate it away down to one segment. So cool!

andrea said...

I: Though I use layers, which requires quick drying, when painting in acrylic, I find a kind of protracted alla prima method more satisfying in oil paint.

L: maybe he got hungry while painting and therefore needed to change it up? :)

asperezas said...

I thought he wanted to show how to make a turtle :^|

kj said...

oh i'm glad to be here.

i watch this video with total fascination.


kj

Kim Hambric said...

It didn't occur to me that he did this intentionally until I read the comments. SO funny though.

I mainly work with fiber and collage -- not so easy to change the content. But I would love a film of myself creating a piece. So often, the element I begin with is thrown out somewhere in the process.

As artists, we are so lucky to have this decision making process to go through time after time after time. Thanks for sharing that video.

Murr Brewster said...

I spend at least as much time walking away from a painting or a piece of writing in progress as I do sticking around. Part of it is avoidance, and part is recognition that I don't know what I'm doing yet. After about the fourteenth feint, the tumblers start clicking and something gets accomplished. I'm not sure they would if i didn't walk away.

andrea said...

Peras: :)

KJ: Does writing happen the same way for you?

Kim: I just assumed he did it on purpose. Maybe i should seek out his blog and find out for sure! :) (Bad research...)

Murr: I think you're onto something. Some of us need as much time to process unconsciously and consciously.