Strange Drive - Jasons Studio Blog

A painting in stages. part three.

Jason — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:20:52 +0000

It’s interesting to do this. It’s curious the way different artists approach the act of making work. I remember watching a few episodes of Art:21, which I highly recommend, and being continually astounded by the end results of an artists labor. It’s always a surprise. Here is the result of 5 or 6 hours of painting after the drawing and inking stage. I think I am a pretty slow painter. Possibly though, there is just a feeling of trepidation at first, like dipping a toe into a foreign stream.

first pass

Attempting to examine my own motivations, It seems like at this point I am trying to maintain a sense of balance throughout the space. The forms seem heavy-handed, but I think I am mostly trying to preserve color balance.

Stages Part Two

Jason — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:54:54 +0000

The continuing process of a painting. So at this point the drawing is fixed and I “ink” it. It’s not really ink, it’s a mixture of ultramarine blue and raw umber and solvent to an ink like consistency. Mostly I just hit areas that I really want to continue to see through the early layers of paint. So I hit the darkest areas with a full strength drawn line and sort of shade out with a wash the shadow areas. Traditionally this “imprimitura” was done with raw umber or asphaltum. Some people today use burnt sienna or I even see Kent Willaims do it here with ultramarine blue. I don’t really do to much. I can see the charcoal drawing pretty well and I want it to dry pretty quick so I can get to painting.

First laying on paint

new painting. stages.

Jason — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:11:44 +0000

I just started a new painting in the last few days. I have been posting up some things on facebook but I thought I would put it up here too. I always enjoy getting to see inside others process, so I will make an attempt to describe mine. Note that I will continue to update THIS post with new content as I go, so check back.

stage 1

This is a 36″ x 36″ mahogany faced panel. I do the following steps to prepare my surfaces.
1. The panel is sanded and coated all over in alcohol-based shellac. Two or three coats brushed on and sanded lightly in-between coats.
2. Next the panel is covered in three or four coats of acrylic “gesso” I use Golden brand generally. I alternate brush on directions and sand in-between every coat.
3. The last thing I do is put on a base coat that has the following mix.
About 90% burnt sienna and 10% cadmium red mix is added to a medium mix of about 60% alkyd medium and 40% Turpentine or OMS.
This coat is MOSTLY medium, its a tinting coat and if It’s mixed properly, it will be very shiny gloss and “glow” in the light. Now the panel looks like a giant jolly rancher.
Now we are ready to draw. Yay!

stage 2

I do my drawings in charcoal. I work from life and photographs or photographic collage. This is about 10 hours or so of drawing, erasing, drawing, etc. Sometimes I do preliminary drawings in pencil or charcoal, mostly to work out compositional issues. It took me a long time to realize that composition issues HAVE to be worked out first and that no amount of clever painting can fix it later. There are still some drawing details that need to be worked out here, but I am ready to move on to the next stage. At this point I am going to spray the canvas with Krylon workable fixative (you can also use retouch varnish) to set the drawing for the next stage, “inking”.

News for February

Jason — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:58:20 +0000

I have the following paintings currently on display at The Ragan Gallery at 210 Healdsburg Avenue in Healdsburg, Ca. Coming up this spring there will be a huge wine tasting, art event in the area. Contact the Ragan Gallery at 707-473-0612 for more details. I’m not sure of the specifics yet but I will post something when I know more. It’s a great time of year to take a vacation to wine country.

Holy Ground 24" x 36" oil/alkyd on panel 2010

Silent (with apparitions) oil/alkyd on panel 24" x 48" 2011

Coast no.12 oil/alkyd on canvas 24" x 36" 2011

Late night drawings.

Jason — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:39:06 +0000

Figure drawing in charcoal. 18″ x 24″ Feburary 10th 2012 San Francisco, Ca.
I got there late after quick poses. There was a lot of traffic on the bay bridge. I was only able to get two poses in. This is the second one, I was warmed up a bit at this point. I haven’t spent much time drawing the figure in a while. I always forget how much I love doing it. This is a 20 minute pose. I may contact the print shop that I use to get some full size prints made of this image.

Amazing. Blu and David Ellis. Time-Based 2D street art.

Jason — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:07:43 +0000

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

I love this video. It blows my mind every single time. I come back and watch it every once in awhile whenever I feel stuck. There is always a new / different / un-thought-of-yet approach. Use your environment. There is beauty everywhere.

Tuesday Night Music – The Submarines – Shoelaces

Jason — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:40:04 +0000

The Fuehlometer (Feel-o-meter)

Jason — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:42:33 +0000

The Fuehlometer (feel-o-meter) Is a joint project by the artists Julius von Bismarck, Benjamin Maus, and Richard Wilhelmer. A digital camera is focused on the passing faces of the people standing in a specific area. A computer analyzes the photos and sends the results (happy, sad or indifferent) to the giant smiley on top of the lighthouse.

I love this, I think it would be more interesting to use multiple cameras and formulate an algorithm to find the median of a large area, like the entire city of L.A. I also wonder if there is some form of biofeedback that occurs. Do we regulate/alter our emotions/states when we are made acutely aware of them.

Christopher Hill

Jason — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:59:07 +0000

Christopher hill has been going through a fast paced evolution and the work he is making right now is pretty interesting. I sort of feel as though I can feel his mind racing when I look at his new work. There is a lot of frenzied energy in the forms, but also a real sense of quiet in the space in which they are placed. These are two of my favorites.

Inspiration and genius. Klaus Stadlmann

Jason — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 06:51:58 +0000

Klaus Stadlmann talks about the worlds smallest 3D printer

Klaus Stadlmann majored 2008 in industrial engineering at the TU Vienna. This video is priceless for the dialogue and insight as to what could possibly be done with a #d printer the size of a lunch box. I have been lusting Over 3D printers since I read “The Makers” a while back. I really want to use one of these to make art.