Bohemian Spirits series- part of the Mudras
This one means Unshakeable Trust and Confidence.
My idea is to bring the mandala pattern into her figure. She becomes one with the spirit and herself,
I have to get the pattern into her arms and hand on our right.
This is on 12”x12” copper panel. Beliw is the block in, the reference, and now pattern overlay in progress. Only one layer, have to build this to the finish. Crappy iphone shot!
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This is absolutely spectacular Nanci. I so appreciate being able to see the reference and better understand the decisions that you are making. I think posts like this are an educational goldmine for people jumping into the representational arena. Big thanks!
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thx Tony. Much appreciate your words!
Sorry for the crappy shot as it is quite difficult photographing copper. I may have to get a filter for this. It is also not in chronological order and I did select it as such but have no idea what happened! The background is a wooden screen with a design pattern that did not fit my concept. I rarely do color studies and usually have an idea from my head and try to do it in the photoshoot. From there, something speaks to me along the way as I am painting it, and it changes into a whole other design. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it is a 1 hour time frame to get the image I love. BTW that pattern is a PIA as I free handed nitram charcoal and now trying to paint it.
I am having trouble with the copper as it is textured and very dry so the paint does not glide on for the many swirled lines. Should I use french curve templates to get a more rounded and elliptical look??? Liquin on this not great to layer with!
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Nanci, this is wonderful! Just a note here from my background: your question of using french curves is a good one. The patterning is all from Tibetan Buddhist motifs used in painted thangkas which often depict a cosmic mandala as one type (of mandala). Yours is a Lotus Flower with multi-petals, ringed on the outside with small Buddhas within the small circles within outer lotus petas. I think you have caught it pretty good by what I can see. On the note of french curves, authentic painted mandalas (thangkas) were done freehand by the artist, with no tools to render shapes other than the rings of a circular mandala and a straightedge for converging points. Of course, it is up to you, but I thought I would just throw that into the ring for you. (I have personally been trained in doing Tibetan Buddhist mandalas and thangkas.)
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Wow! Thank you Beverly!!! I am doing a series of these and need to pick your brain! Thanks for the insight. I did free hand it. I am done now with her hair and head and necklacez. Will be uploading a new wip.
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Nanci, absolutely you can pick my brain! I will help if I can. This is a wonderful concept for a painting, right up my area of interest!
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