Ghost of Versailles..and Benjamin Franklin's balloon.

Yesterday Nova featured the making of Ben Franklin's balloon at Versaille.  Part of the program was about the colors that the were used to create King Louis' gold on a blue background.  There were very strict recipes.  The blue was a cobalt base, the golds were shades of ochre.  Very good...it confirmed my instincts about painting that gold tone.

This morning I've started introducing the deepest ochres.

My right hand likes to go fast with the brush.  The canvas is only 24x24" and I don't want sloppy drippy stuff going on all over the place.  It is very challenging for me as the right hand has an innate knowledge, and I keep saying, not yet, we'll save the best for last.

Below are various details of the painting, any of which, could stand alone as a painting. Sometimes I fall in love small sections of a painting and decide to rework an entire painting around that one small section.  Instead of starting another painting, or derailing the work in progress, the prints of these details get re-worked into monotypes.

best, and onward

deb.

Work in Progress: Madame B. stage 2 and 3

Above is stage 2. the canvas is 30x32, mixed media with aluminum leaf, oil, egg tempera, chalk. this has been in the works for 2 years. I pulled it from the racks a month ago and started to rework it. Below is stage 3, as of yesterday afternoon. The values are very close, so i had to up the contrast and intensity, so that it would photograph. The work needs to be removed from the stretchers and re-stretched or placed on a board. The painting has been sanded and re-colored, the drawing refined. I am 'in-between' looking within, trying to determine if gold should be introduced.

My posts will continue to be intermittent. No internet at home, trying to live within a very tight budget. Until the next time the signal gods grant me some air time, dream some, write some, look some, paint or doodle or google or whatever fills you with joy, do it.

deb.

Magnolia

other people's shoes "Steve Madden" copyright '07 debbie clarke

A very quick oil study of some shoes worn by somebody else. It's not easy getting the heels to sit on the plane. The tension between the surface and the ground excites me, as well as, the speed of the stroke.