Abstraction Begins

So as you can see, I started adding in the fractured urban imagery today. This is probably my favorite part of these paintings, when I get to go nuts on the still life objects I've created. I start off by blocking everything, so to speak, with a dark color. Here I've chosen to use a dark blue, comprised of raw umber and pthalo blue. I really like the combination of the green blue and violet, but the red in the background is starting to clash. I think those areas will eventually be covered up when I finish painting this layer. I've been trying to use thinner layers of paint recently both in my figural work and here in this abstracted still life series. I think today I was fairly successful, letting the lights of the background show through the blue, in the blocky forms on the left side, of the top painting. More to come on that painting within the week...

The bottom painting, I just recently started, and once again I'm trying to use my palette knife a lot. I'm also trying to be more reductive in my process. In the lighter brown areas I wiped the paint away when it was still wet to create forms. It's a learning process. I added in the halo there for a vague religious reference. I'm personally not very religious, I just like the implications that a halo has. We'll see where this one goes, but I like it so far.

Well thats all for now, I think that pretty much brings us up to date on all my work. I'll be posting more after I paint more, hopefully by the end of the week. To anyone who might actually be looking at my blog, post comments, let me know what you think. I love criticism.