I dropped off the face of the planet for a week and a half to lock myself away and start/finish a rather hefty painting for part of the Fresno Takao Flower Nursery catalog for 2008. There was one day last week where I was quite literally painting for 10 1/2 hours straight with no break (food and bathrooms are so overrated anyway...). 
I went to bed at 4:30am the next morning to try and get a little sleep, but honestly, the only thing that stopped me from painting even longer was the fact that my right hand was permanently curled in a rather painful paintbrush-holding-position. It wasn't until the next day that my fingers were relaxed enough to be able to hold a pen. Egads.
Anyway, the painting was finished last night and I'm so proud (there's a somewhat bad cyan overcast in the photo above--I was just too excited to show it to you!). A red/white lionfish lost amongst a handful of surfinias (well, a rather typical Michelle-interpretation of them at least). My biggest acrylic painting to date at around 12ishx16". 
The only problem I now face is trying to get a super high-quality digital file of it made for prints and such. Too big and awkward for me to scan (and so far, none of the local printshops can scan that large either) and photos of it, even super-large RAW photos, can't quite capture all the details with paint strokes and minimal color gradients (I admit, I'm extremely picky in this department). Curses! This is why I never paint this large. I'm going to do a bit more hunting on the scanning part, see if I can't come across someone with a big scanner, or maybe I'll take it to a professional photographer who's experienced enough in taking art photos.Nevertheless, prints *will* be made, dangnabbit, and the original just might wind up for sale on Etsy at a later date after the catalogue is published. And I promise, prints of the recently sold paintings are a'coming (I feel rather guilty it's taking me this long to get them made and listed for sale). Especially now that this beast of a painting is finished. I can't thank you guys enough for your patience!
I'm off to do a bit of tidying up of the painting table and organizing supplies. It honestly looks like a whirlwind, or perhaps a giant wave, has swept through my living/studio space. Is everyone doing something nice for the weekend? Movie watching? General lounging? A trip to the aquarium, perhaps?
Posts
8 comments:
oh wow! that is such a stunning piece!! :) my golly... I could never paint for that long though; my hand starts to cramp after a couple hours!
I've been on the hunt for large-format scanners too. My first choice was a local print shop that specializes in large-format blueprints and the like; but they only had a black and white printer (so call ahead!). I ended up going to Kinko's, of all places! The scan was pretty nice too, and the price wasn't too bad!
wow.... that's all I have to say. It's beautiful, michelle. I am very impressed. :) And at your fortitude as well. you're my new hero. :)
sorry we didn't make it somewhere yesterday! I ended up lounging around doing nothing anyway, which worked out pretty well for me, actually. :) so, another six days this week... have any evenings free?? :D
Ahhhh. :) Thanks guys! And thanks for the tip, Casey! I think I *may* have found a print shop an hour away that has a big drum scanner that I can use--yippee! Now I need to email them and discuss prices (gulp).
And that's quite alright, Rachel. I didn't even get your email in time (yesterday was a bit of a drainer at work anyway). We'll work something out. :)
Awesome! I love it...it's nice to find someone else who has such an appreciation for everything "under the sea." One of my favorite places in the whole world is the Oregon Coast Aquarium down in Newport. Very fishy!
Ooh, I love that aquarium too! I'm thinking about trekking to the Seattle Aquarium within the next couple of weeks to do some fish sketches (time willing). They remodeled it recently and did a fairly decent job--a little less claustrophobic. :)
i just noticed you took that picture on your piano. That's probably the most use that piano's gotten in awhile! :D
and while I adore your yellow jacket... I know I must prevent myself from getting a similar one, because I believe I would resemble a dead fish in that particular shade.
Haha! Yes. The poor thing has a decent coating of dust on it. I like to kid myself into believing the dust adds to the mystique and mystery in it's decor.
Who am I kidding?
ok...yeah
I'm pretty much just liking every thing you do!
Post a Comment