Monday, August 16, 2010

The Garden

The Garden - 21" x 24", oil, ink & watercolor pencil on Maple
click image to see it larger
The last piece in the series of tattooed ladies. Although I seem to have become strangely addicted to the tattoos  so I don't think this series has ended. I suppose I would call this more of a phase than a series.

 I consider this piece to be the best work that I've ever done. This feeling is a little daunting though.  In a perfect world, I would think that each new piece should be better than the last, but instead I feel like I just get lucky. Since I did these three paintings relatively quickly, I have learned from each piece vital things that I have carried in to the next. My previous piece, Eternal Summer, I wasn't entirely satisfied with how the skin turned out, as I found it difficult to use the oils on top of the primer. For this piece, as an experiment I applied the GAC 100 everywhere but the skin portion: 


I love the way the raw wood soaks up the oils; it makes them dry much quicker that way. I also paint in very thin layers and use linseed oil, which also aids in a faster drying time. The quicker the oil dries, the quicker I get to draw the tattoos! 



As you may know, I am usually the model for my paintings. I find that this way I have the most control over the direction of the piece, and I also don't feel any weird pressure to make it look like anyone specific. I don't try and make my ladies look like me, though sometimes it's kind of inevitable. This time around, I wanted to make her face very different from the others, so I did. She's modeled after Lara Stone, whom I adore.



The butterfly tattoo in her early stages. That afternoon the sunlight joined me through the blinds and warmed my hands.


  
Anyway, I'm strange. I work really quickly and sometimes I think I need to slow down. If I spend more than two weeks on a piece I seem to lose inspiration and I wont work on it any longer. I'm a maniac and will paint nonstop if I have to, while the window of inspiration is still open. If I wait too long, my mind and heart wander to other ideas, other patterns, figures, shapes..
Oils and I have rekindled our romance and I think I'm going to continue this love affair. I have many projects that I do need to be working on, but I'm tempted to just glue myself to my easel and not resurface for a week. Alright, so not the best idea.

xo,
C

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOVE

Anonymous said...

your art has helped me to get out of a bad place and start painting again (it's going really well). thank you for all the inspiration!

Unknown said...

I love this painting, it feels much more realistic than the previous. And the tattoos are so beautiful and dainty - not how i would imagine tattoos to be. I'd love to see you put some more tone in the hair on your next paintings. It looks like it just black and is very flat which maybe lets the rest of the BEAUTIFUL painting down. still love it though!! :)

charmaine olivia said...

@Beth thank you for your input! I'm actually a big fan of contrasting 3D and 2D textures, like the skin and the hair. If I painted realistic hair as well, it would be very boring to me. I like to mix it up :)

Sara said...

Lusciously luscious! The way you just described the oil within the skin tone soaking into the wood has me wanting to experiment with a lack of primer myself. Yum. Really adore the chest tattoo on this one =)

she hearts art said...

love the tattooed girl "phase". Your work had been such an inspiration for me. Thank you for sharing!

http://sheheartsart.blogspot.com/

Kim-Anh Nguyen said...

Just discovered your blog and i really like your art! you're really talented!

William K Wallace said...

Truly stunning artwork...I'm impressed!

Peter Fong said...

Woww. Your painting skills are amazing. So inspirational. I'm too scared to paint I usually work black and white pen and ink haha. This makes me want to paint!

Deborah Starnes Kraft said...

Your art reaches into the soul and pulls out the beauty inside. Even though my chronological age surpasses yours, I connect on levels that only artists can.........Me for my musical singing ability and you for your physical expressions. Finding you that rainy day at work online was one I will never forget. You have helped me through some tough days and don't even know it. Charmaine Olivia........your name is even a song. I so admire your work Charmaine Olivia.

charmaine olivia said...

Deborah! You totally just made my night. I'm so happy to hear that. thank you, my dear
♥ ♥ ♥

zeus bascon said...

oh how i love your poetic and romantic works, lovely charmaine! it will be mad for me to say im envious of your man to have you...

anyway, yeah.haha great works really! and i love this piece. tattooig the woman's body with flowers and butterflies. it is as just as a metaphor.

ian said...

Great job! Thanks for sharing your story! I can't wait to hear more when I get to actually talk for more than a minute! You look awesome by the way - I hope you feel better too.

Unknown said...

Getting this as a tattoo.thanks for bringing beauty to this world

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog, and thank you so much for commenting!
♥,
Charmaine