So SQUISHY!!!

I think as humans most of us are constantly searching for the next best thing. What's newer, what's bigger, what's better. I had made the plumpie, but it was almost to easy. It just couldn't be possible that after a few small paintings I had found the next path for me to run down. The first two images are examples of me seeing if the plumpie could be improved upon.  I thought maybe it needed little limbs or more lumps. The second I referred back to some old shapes to see where the plumpie wanted to be.

I was also trying out some different color combinations. I still was using very few layers. Trying to achieve a finished look with just a pass or two. Notice the colors are still very blended. 

I am always back and forth with the idea of whether or not my creations need bodies or not.  The third image here here is a plumpie head type thing. I got a little smudge on the cheek, and I tried out some more action lines, but the real fun is the texture. I like the technique of using salt on a heavily pigmented wet surface.   Gives this real nice spotted type texture.  If you try this be sure to use kosher or sea salt, iodized salt just doesn't work as well. 

Image 4 is one of my favorites I've ever made. I keep meaning to return to this style, but I haven't yet.  Something I really like about the separation of the parts and the black line connecting them.   I like painting with green also.   So  many wonderful shades. 

Images 5 and 6 here were the two pieces I made during Christmas. I wanted to make them abominations of the plumpie to see how far I could push it.  They both opened some ideas that i worked out in later pieces.   I like the green one especially.  I found out with the red one that red is a really powerful pigment, and that just a little is more than enough.  I tried this weird texture thing with it also, that didn't wuite work out as planned. These two were also the first ones where I started putting bold outlines on the plumpies, more like my older drawings.  In my head I see every picture as a potential sticker that would be wheat pasted somewhere, the bold outline kind of plays into that culture. 

That wraps it up for this one. I think the progression is pretty evident, and in the next post you'll be able to see where things really start to take off. The plumpies start to change and take on their new form and the colors start to get real serious. 

As always thanks for looking. Comments and critiques are always welcome.