Varying the Grid

Here are current progress pictures of the two 30″ square panels. The one that I showed yesterday is first, showing how I’ve gotten rid of some of the divisions that had created nine squares.

I scraped and sanded back into the surface in places to reveal some of the original random marks and in the process creating more marks. I’ve emphasized collage elements in three places by changing their color, and added a strip of black and white along one edge.

The white passage with the random scribbles across it will be toned down to integrate it more into its surroundings. I will likely antique it with some black and smudge it around the edges. We’ll see.

I think I like this one now, but won’t know until I build up the surface with gels and texture. They always greatly enhance what is already there.

The second one reached this current stage rather fast, right after I photographed the basic grid that I had started with. I really like it a lot as is, but know it isn’t quite “finished.”  Still pondering any next moves.

In both of these, I don’t want to reach a stage where they will seem overworked or too slick and contrived.

Can you tell I’m bringing in some of the influences from my industrial photo shoots back in the fall? They start here, with more in subsequent posts.

In fact, this is a closeup of the piece of collaged newspaper at the top of the first painting. The partial headline reads “. . . Clean up Industrial Park”