The End is Near.....

of this year, which I can't believe. When I came back to post my progress on this painting, and saw that the last post was in OCTOBER! well time flies I guess, whether you're having fun or not. I want to get this painting done in the next few weeks. I'm hoping for a Christmas present to myself. The incorporation of words still haunts me - I still have concerns about the most effective technique -so, I have only just begun to get the theme words in the two upper  corners. In this first photo, I elected to get rid of the door, and instead created sky and a butterfly, and the first corner word "Love".

On the other side of Love lies Belief, and you can barely see the word painted in. Gotta get some highlights on the letters, but the actual color is perfect for the planet and outer-space scene. And oh yeah, the dolphins are a new addition too, though admittedly, it was not too fun painting them....maybe I just prefer painting mermaids.

I included this last one just to show the detail of shells in the sand. The trouble I'm encountering with a painting of this size is balancing my desire to get into the details of my objects, but also needing them to be big enough for the viewer to appreciate. Everything kinda melds together if there's too many small things on a big painting; especially if the small things are laden with detail, KWIM? But all of those elements ARE attractive to me- my goal is finding a way to incorporate them cohesively and aesthetically. I think this is why I'm dragging my feet on adding the words-But I will!

It's getting really cold too....so painting in the garage is becoming less and less attractive. And I certainly don't want this or any of my work out there when snow comes, so there's an incentive right there. The way it's been going the last few years, we'll probably get snow soon.