Birthday Present, WIP

MultiMedia

So, perhaps over ambitiously, I'm working on this painting as a birthday gift. It's acrylic on canvas, and I haven't painted since high school (10 years, holy shit.)



My initial plan was to do several layers of wash and slowly build up some fairly saturated color and then go back over the top with ink/sharpy and add in a lot of details... basically going for a pen and ink look with bits of the color poking through the dark spots and the negative space.


So I'm looking for some general feedback of the piece thusfar in addition to:

I'm really liking it right now, I'm worried if I do black line work on top of it I'll ruin it. Does that sound good as a concept or do you think it'd be better to just push the direction I'm going now and forget the inking?

The painting is fairly big (3x4) and, I assume, would go in a living room that's mostly neutral tones. I was thinking about doing a few washes of some browns/earthy tones to fit the space but I don't want it to turn into mud. If you have experience with acrylic washes, is this possible to do or is each color layer pushing me closer to straight mud.

Finally, composition wise, most of the inking detail would go in the upper right 9th, with a few other bits on the people/what will be roller coaster rails. I want to optimally bring everything to focus on the inked area, so (imagining it's there) is the rest of the composition leading you to that area? Any suggestions for improvements.


If it's shit and I should just buy her shoes... you can tell me that too.

Thanks
-MM

DeeLock

There's just, not much here.

Do you have a drawing or sketch that shows what you're working towards?

MultiMedia

I'll scratch a couple of options out on my iPad in a little bit, past the initial sketch of the people I'd just planned on it comming organically.

lyrium

I would be careful about washing earth tones over it because I suspect it would get muddy quickly. If you are ever nervous about washes or drawing with ink on top of what you have already painted, it can be helpful to have a small bit of wet media paper to test and experiment on. Just paint a few strokes that are similar to the color and 'washiness' that you have in your painting. Then try a new wash over it to see what it does, or try drawing in ink so you can feel more confident about how you are going to make your lines before working with the actual painting.

MultiMedia

Great suggestion Lyrium!

As promised, here's a sketch of the basic idea/feel I would be going for. After seeing the concept a little more I'm confidant in the direction. No additional work to the actual painting has been done so any suggestions for composition/focus/anything else are welcome.

MultiMedia

Worked on it some more tonight. Bumped up the overall contrast, added in most (all?) of the black. It needs something hopefully some of you can see it.



My best direction atm is to finish out the arm and outline the rest of the rails.

MultiMedia

Some Details



and

lyrium

Did you want the main focus to be the people, or the structure you have drawn with ink? When just looking at it the ink draws the eye the most, but it is difficult to make out what it is exactly, so it is a little weak. It looks like a glove with things shooting out of it but due to the rails I would expect it to be an amusement park? Although if both you and the recipient know what it is, then that may not matter so much.
Reading your post it sounds like you want the composition to lead the eye there, but since the rest of it is relatively blank, the eye just goes straight to that spot and gets stuck there.
Also, you outlined her left lower leg area, but it's a bit hard to tell if she's wearing one sock or if it's the bottom of a very large left foot.

MultiMedia

I wanted the main focus to be the inked area, then having some elements to bring you back towards the small black people in the lower left.

The overall goal of the inked area was a kind of anxiety and uncertainty but also something to look forward to.

The left foot is supposed to have a cast on it (and a crutch next to it). Any thoughts on how I can make it read more like that?

MultiMedia

Also I don't know why I didn't think to put more park details in the ink. I'm an idiot. Thanks L!