Into the green

There were tales of the great serpents that lived deep in the forest. The hunters knew that snakes and lizards like to warm their cold blooded bodies in the dappled patches of the woods where the warm glow of the sun pierced the forest canopy. When the great, green creature showed itself the hunters knew they should have brought more men to deal with the coiled and scaley thing that rose before them..
 Oil on canvas, 18" x 24" w. digital

The Battle of the Ice

The Russian filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein is best known to most people for his film 'The Battleship Potemkin' and its widely copied scene known as 'The Odessa Steps sequence' during which a baby in a carriage rolls down a set of stairs as troops march to crush a rebellion. My personal favorite Eisenstein film is 'Alexander Nevsky'  in which Russian forces must repel the invasion of Novgorod by Tuetonic Knights.
 This sketch in progress is influenced by the scene entitled 'The Battle of the Ice'. Here is a clip with very dramatic music by Prokofiev. It is an epic film and I highly recommend it for its visual grandeur and powerful musical score.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2YYfjpphMU
 ps I realize it's not practical having large horns or antlers on a helmet but sometimes it's more about what looks good. Here is the original thumbnail from a previous sketchbook saturday.

Sketchbook Sunday

Just a few quick doodles from the sketchbook this week.
New finished pieces coming soon!

From the deep

The day had been a success. The nets were full enough to last a week or more. A great ripple shuddered against the small craft. The sun was sinking below the horizon and suddenly things didn't feel right. The great monster broke the surface like a bolt of lightning and the only thing left to do was row.

oil on masonite w. digital, 12" x 12"

In the dark

Once in while you get the opportunity to see what it might have been like trying to be an artist in the days of old.  Wow! Here in Virginia many thousands of us lost power on friday night due to a storm with 80 mph winds. With temperatures nearing the 100 degree mark, Saturday was spent mostly in the studio trying to make the best of it. My studio does not have a skylight on north facing windows so it was a bit like working in a cave. Unlike Rubens or Caravaggio I did have the benefit of my trusty battery powered headlamp, lantern and a radio to assist but if you've ever tried painting like this  you know how difficult it is and must have been for those working by candle power alone. The  conditions they worked in were not like today and that makes the brilliance of there work even more astonishing. Next time you visit a museum , think about the conditions the artists were working in. It should make you appreciate the work a little bit more. Or even better, the next time your power goes out, get out the candles (safety first!) and paint. You'll see what they were missing and appreciate what you have even more.
 I am fascinated by how artists worked before electricity. I tried to find some information on how studios were lit B.E. I couldn't find very much but here are a couple of links.

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=200094

http://www.waldemar.tv/2010/12/the-art-of-darkness/

 I should also add that working while listening to the little radio was quite pleasant. I heard a great edition of The Prairie Home Companion with guest Arlo Guthrie and then a great show called Hot Jazz Saturday Night that was dedicated to  Red Nichols and the Five Pennies. I had never heard of them but they made the darkness more bearable. Have a listen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJGZTF74Hzc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uocFYLNg4xE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFFw1o68AJ4