Try a New Technique

So here is a new technique I tried called, peinture à l'essence. It was a technique developed by Edgar Degas to mimic the look of pastel but because it is painted using traditional oils, it does not require the protective glass in the framing. Although Degas abandoned it, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec adopted it and used it the rest of his career.

It starts with using a piece of cardboard for a palette. This allows the oils in the paint to be wicked away into the porous board. The artist uses turpentine to get the drier paints to the right consistency and then the panel (an unprimed, untempered hardboard or chipboard) is painted using more of a pastel technique. In this technique one is not supposed to "paint" with the brush but rather draw with various layers of color. The paint dries almost immediately allowing you to continue with the next layer.

Although mine is perhaps more textured than some, I found I really liked this technique.

Posting a Bit of Inspiration

My brother sent me a link for this new animated short by Ryan Woodward. It just got turned down by Sundance Film Festival and he's feeling a bit bummed - Show him the love! This is amazing!!!

Thought of You from Ryan Woodward on Vimeo.

Thought of You - Behind the Scenes Preview - ROUGH CUT from Cambell Christensen on Vimeo.

Be Creative - With Yourself!

Having trouble coming up with new ideas? Have you found that all your fantasy/mythological creatures look the same? Then try using better reference - like you!

The challenge: Create a self portrait but combine animal references to make a brand new you.

I started with a photo I had taken of a European Goshawk (my favorite hawk).
Then I had a friend take a photo of me in the same lighting as the hawk (or as close as we could manage).
So then I looked through my files (in particular recent trips to the zoo) for other animals that had a similar lighting scheme and pose. I found this camel.
And this alligator was in the right ball park
So next - find the most creative way to mix them all together. My effort is found below.
My sons came up with a great name for this creature - CHAD! It stands for Camel, Hawk, Alligator and Dad :)