"Rat Condo"
Image size 30" x 22"
Watercolor
What a horrible name for a painting, right? Well, living in Southern California, we have palm trees everywhere. Some are well manicured and some have a lot of the dead fronds hanging below the pretty green ones. When I see these trees that aren't well maintained, I start imagining what critters are living in those dead fronds. I mean really, what a perfect home for rats and other critters. Nobody is disturbing them and they can live there forever! Rent free!
I came up with the name for this painting before I painted it. Sometimes that happens and I actually like working that way. It gives me a goal instead of painting a picture and then struggling to think of a name. Sometimes, naming a painting is the hardest part of the process.
This is a poured painting. I save the white areas of the paper with resist and then wet the paper and pour red, yellow and blue over the whole paper. Then, I decide what areas I want to save that are that value, add more resist and then do another pour. I continue until I have achieved the value contrast that I think will work. After the resist is removed, I tweet the painting where it needs it and then I say, "It's finished!"
Funny you began talking about the title of this painting because I found it super funny and creepy and want you to know it caught my interest immediately! What is really scary is that I tend to think like this myself. I can't pass a forested area without wondering at the dumped dead bodies that might be in there and that no one will ever find...
ReplyDeleteLove this gorgeous palm, Nancy!!
I think that way about forests too. We've probably seen too many horror movies.
DeleteI, on the other hand, love forests. But I don't imagine rats, just elves and such! LOL
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating process you describe. Lately I've been fascinated by the idea of pouring a painting, so I read your description with much intrigue. (I made notes). How did you ever get the details on the fronds??
The details on the fronds happened as I added more and more resist. Each pour layer created the feeling of more texture and detail.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing to see all the texture when you zoom on it..excellent piece.!
ReplyDeleteThank you Hilda.
DeleteBonjour chère amie,
ReplyDeleteUn travail sensationnel ! Ce palmier est magique... Toutes ces palmes superbes... je suis sous le charme !
J'aime comme la lumière contraste avec les ombres.
Gros bisous ☼
Merci Martinealison
DeleteEwwuu or something like,that. Know from FLA there are big palmetto bugs that live in there too. Love hearing about the process but can't imagine doing it. But yiu certainly get great results and lots of detail. Nice pic Nancy
ReplyDeleteThank you Nelvia. I don't know what Palmetto bugs are but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like them....
DeleteI think you are lucky you haven't had the experience and, yes I am sure you wouldn't like them either!
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