August 26th, 2010

Please excuse the lack of update, but I have safely made it to Virginia!
Though I planned to post over the weekend, I'm having problems with the wireless internet connection at my new place.

So, my paintings are a bit beat up from the move from Mexico to SF to LA to VA. They have some fold creases which I hope will smooth out (they are currently hanging over my tv in high hopes). I'm also currently searching for a place that will make these paintings into stretched canvases for me so that I can continue painting and preserve them better. Hopefully it won't be too expensive.

I'll post again with pictures once they are stretched and I can get a connection at home!

August 4th, 2010

I've just been painting away the past couple of days. From this Friday though I'll be taking a break for about 2 weeks as I transition over from Mexico to CA to VA.

Status of Painting at yesterday's end

Status as of now

So I worked on my father's face today. I haven't done anything to the background yet as I am still debating on what I should do for the pattern...but I'm leaning towards the second sketch.

August 2nd, 2010

So, new sketch...or new pattern anyway.

After seeing my first sketch, my parents commented that it made my dad seem like Kim Jong Il. Though it wasn't my intention I understood what made them think that way. So today I sketched my dad's portrait on the new canvas, but left out the background. I then did some more image searching and thought a bit more about my dad and how North Korea has impacted his life.

As thoughts were running in my head and images passing before my eyes, I clicked into a map of North Korea. It was then that I realized that for my father, the greatest obstacle and frustration regarding North Korea was probably the fact the country was locked--that the land was physically inaccessible to him. Always knowing that his father (my grandfather) longed to see his family or hear any sort of news, one of my father's goals in life had been to find my grandfather's relatives on the other side. Being unable to enter into the country my dad had to resort to neighboring countries and other resources.

Painting begins tomorrow!

July 30th, 2010

My sketch for my next painting. It took a few tries to capture my dad. In the beginning, he was posing too much. Posing like he was thinking, smiling, probably due to the awkwardness of being in front of the camera, but in the end I just told him to think of North Korea. To actually think about them instead of the picture, and it was as simple as that. I'm debating whether I should arrange the heads of the military officers into the shape of Korea. We'll see.

July 29th, 2010

Self Portrait

So I finished the white of the men, a nice double layer on the red flags, and added some details to my face and hair. Unfortunately, I left my camera in Cali and the camera I have to work with is not the best. I still have some shadow work/rendering left to do on about half the men, but couldn't do them due to surrounding wet paint.

For now, I'll leave this aside and work on my next painting. I took pictures of my dad yesterday morning. I'll either re-post tonight with a sketch, or tomorrow. I was hoping to get 3 paintings done in my time in Mexico, but it seems with one week left, I'll need to work hard to just get my dad's somewhat developed. I know this time not to make the background pattern so complicated...much too time consuming for a summer project. I guess it's 3...if you count in my practice painting.

July 24th, 2010

After a couple more days of painting, I haven't been able to get much done the past two days due to visitors making their way to Mexico. I did get about half of the men's detailing done. It really takes longer than it looks. I'm pretty excited to have it all finished. I couldn't do the other half a couple of days ago because the background green was still wet and mixing in. Now, if I get the rest of the men done and do another layer on the flags and hair, I'll be fairly content with the background.

Only picture I could manage to edit down in the time I had allotted.

July 20th, 2010

So I've been sick the past few days, and while I continued to paint, I failed to update my blog. Sorry!

I've mentioned this before, but oil painting really does take much more time, and as I haven't really painted anything at this size requiring so much detail and intricacy, it is taking quite a while. I've painted everyday except for Sunday for at least a couple of hours each day yet I still have a ways to go. I forgot to take pictures after painting the blue of the men and their heads and flags, but I do have pictures from a couple of days ago and today.

Honestly, it's a bit weird documenting my painting because I'm used to people only looking at the final outcome. It's pretty embarrassing to show the in betweens, but oh well!

This was...Saturday? I was definitely dissatisfied as it didn't look like me at all.

These two were taken today. Second coat of green on the background and my face is coming along.

Hopefully I'll be somewhat "done" by the end of this week. But I wouldn't be surprised if it carried over 'til next. Whether it's done or not, I plan to have my sketch for my next painting early next week. My dad asked to be next. Lol. So, after a little photo session with my dad sometime this week, I'll post up my sketch asap.