Two New Drawings and a Photograph

Some weeks all you can do is show the new work, no comments warranted.

Untitled - Acrylic Paint on Acid Free Mat Board - 32 x 40''

Untitled - India Ink on Arches Watercolor Paper - 36 x 45''

Two New City Drawings

City 4 (left), City 5 (right) - Acrylic Paint on Bristol Paper - 22 x 30 inches

I Had To Try It!

I was occupied with a commission this week - triangles of cardboard washed with varying amounts of white acrylic paint, glued on to watercolor paper that has a wash of Indigo watercolor on it. See the posting from January 5, 2014 (http://mrmagooart.blogspot.com/2014/01/new-lake-collages.html) for an example.

But, I have been wondering what it would look like if I flipped over the cardboard and let the front of the cereal boxes show. So I made a few small studies, 2 verticals and the horizontal piece pictured below.

Recycled Cardboard, Watercolor Paint on Watercolor Paper - 6 x 18 inches

The amount and vibrancy of the color alarms me a bit, it's not exactly my palette. But it does suggest a few tantalizing possibilities.

1122 Foster Avenue, Chicago

Rode my bike to the gallery this morning, this building caught my attention for some unknown reason as I went by.

1122 Foster Avenue, Chicago

Spillway7

Spillway7 - Acrylic Paint on Archival Mat Board - 32 x 40 inches

Pictured is the latest 'Spillway' drawing. They seem to be getting more dynamic as I move forward. I had a mock-up frame built to get an idea of what the pieces would like in a more finished state. There was an abundance of conversation about the color of the frame, everyone had an opinion. These blue pieces are as much about their background color as they are about the drawn elements, and choosing just the right frame seemed important to the finished product. Dark gray was my first instinct, and the gray pictured is perhaps a tone too light. I would match the tone of the gray to the tone of the blue. But just the right natural wood might be interesting also.

Detail

I'm asked quite a bit about the spills and splatters in these drawings. My response is, of course at first I'm frustrated, but then I embrace the lesson to let the material do what it has to do. And to except happenstance and a bit of chaos.  Many people tell me the drips are their favorite element of the drawings.

Computer Generated Studies

As I work on this series I sometime use the 'Photoshop' to flesh out ideas. Below are a few of the computer drawings I have generated so far.