detail of This is not what it looks like… (panel eight), 2006, ‘blackened’ 2009
oil-based ink on panel
12 x 12 inches
Over and Out, 2004
For those of you out there taking notes, these were the first two paintings I made with wood dividers. There’s a detail shot and a little more backstory in this post.
detail of This is not what it looks like… (panel one), 2006, ‘blackened’ 2009
oil-based ink on panel
12 x 12 inches
Progress in Works, Volume Four
With all the ink applied, it was time to work on the framing and support structures for the paintings:
First, the individual frame components were cut to the appropriate lengths, then dadoed to accept the sandwich of painting layers. A stain test was performed on some scrap oak to determine the number of coats needed to match the décor of their living room. When it was decided four coats would be a perfect match, I crafted some drying jigs and dedicated two full days to stain application.
As the frames were drying, I was also able to work on the sky backgrounds. I had originally envisioned back-painted glass, which would give a nice, glossy contrast to the much duller painted surface. In practice, however, plexiglas proved to be much more advantageous, as it is lighter and a bit easier to work with—- this was doubly-helpful, as I could cut full-sized sheets down to their proper sizes on my table saw. The main disadvantage, of course, is its susceptibility to scratching, so I decided to paint one side and leave the protective plastic sheet on the other throughout the remainder of the assembly process. A blue latex acrylic was matched to a supplied swatch, and applied in four cross-hatched coats.
Due to the relatively large size and growing weight of the paintings, I came up with a sturdy bracing system which could be used in conjunction with sliding cleat hangers. Since each painting was approximately 33” wide, the cleats would be able to span two stud-mounted screws (distributing the weight across the wall), and allow for adequate spacing.
Now, the only remaining steps to completion are the application of the spot colors and the final assembly!
Progress in Works, Volume Three
Having inked all the grapes, it was time to tackle the foundation color. At this point, I realized how many pieces were actually involved in this painting: 3 background panels; 3 cut-out panels on risers; and 24 individual leaves (also on risers). Luckily, I had a few cans of pre-mixed ink that were nearly identical in mass tone to one of the supplied swatches, so continuous coverage was not an issue.
For the back- and mid-ground panels, I simply knifed out an even layer, carefully leaving knock-outs where the corresponding risers would be mounted. Initially, I was going to glue everything down, but figured if any component were to break, screw mounts would ease in the repair process. At any rate, the knock-outs served as placeholders for my arrangement, and were numbered to match their mates.
When the six panels were covered, I went back and pulled textures into the ink with a thinner blade, in order to imply additional leaves. If you remember my previous commentary on the inking process, you know the inks tend to flow as they please, but I’ve become fairly adept at controlling the higher-viscosity ones. The Rule of Thumb is “more ink equals more convolutions”, although variance makes everything more interesting.
Once the leaves were inked, and all the pieces had formed their skins (about four days later), I was able to assemble each painting. The scope of the entire project was coming into focus, as I could really appreciate the interplay of the layers, in colors approaching the final intent. Of course, there was still a lot to do, as the frames and sky needed to be constructed…
Those mini-projects will be covered in the next volume.
