Arwork for De Lisle Catholic Academy
Starting the De Lisle Commission:
9th March 2020.
Starting the De Lisle Commission:
9th March 2020.
DAY 1.
I will be changing the blog post daily until the painting is completed and you can comment at any point. I may at times reorder the sequence of the photographs to more accurately describe the work and the symbolism behind the various elements.
I was invited to create a piece of artwork for De Lisle Catholic Academy that would reflect the school's unique character and mission. Before I left for Jerusalem, I had a really productive meeting with representatives of the school, comprising the Principal Dr. Pye, The Chaplain, Mr. Agius, and several students.
They discussed the key concepts that they felt would need to be part of the artwork that reflected the school's community and aims. To summarise, these, taken from my notes of the day were: Community; Worship; Interdependence; Helping One Another; Being parts of the Whole; Connected by a Common Thread; Individuality and Difference in Harmony; Inclusivity; Equality; Help and Support; Do What is Right, Not What is Easy, the latter being the school motto.
I was impressed that several students had looked through my website and identified ways that the work could link to my way of working.
I am now starting this work and this blog will serve as a way of informing the students of my daily progress and the thoughts, ideas, struggles and hopefully solutions that will ensue in the making of this unique work.
Making an 'ideas' or reference board.
When creating a work that has been commissioned, I often start with the collection of pictograms or simple graphics (often the best by the way) that I can use to start 'building' a concept or a painting. Below are the images I collected to get me started. It is important when referencing other artists' work to ensure that you accredit them.
I do not at this point intend to use these images, however, I may want to create an approximation of some of them and I want to make sure that a) I remember where I found them and b) that I can, if need be able to pay the copyright fees to use the work, or if I 'paraphrase' the work at least be able to accredit the artist with the original idea. So for now, my initial selection of 'concepts' in visual form can be seen below. See if you can associate the graphic images with the concepts that the student group identified:
I thought that I would start with Christ in the centre of the work, for now.
The oldest known icon of Christ Pantocrator – Saint
Catherine's Monastery. The halo is a representation of the divine Logos of
Christ, and the two different facial expressions on either side emphasize
Christ's dual nature as both divine and human.[1][2]
Thinking about layout
Since I spoke with the students at De Lisle, I have considered their thoughtful comments about incorporating the concepts within a face as per my previous work on 'Personal Maps', where the story of Crete is superimposed on an archetypal face. Here, I am experimenting about doing something similar, but with the face of Jesus, perhaps utilising the halo as the area where the concepts are placed.
Day 2. A bit of information follows about paint and surfaces. It may sound a bit boring but can make all the difference and if your work ever ends up in a museum 500 hundred years from now, the curators will thank you.
Today, after much consideration about what to make the piece on, I opted for high-grade oak ply. Although not as smooth as MDF, it has a longer life and despite some bending, if exposed to water, it is likely to remain unaltered with the passing of time. It also contains fewer chemicals which is a huge advantage. So it was off to the timber merchants and then preparing the ground by sanding and sealing in a very weak PVA solution. The reason for this is that if too much PVA is used, the wood loses its absorbency and becomes shiny. This, in turn, means that when you paint on the surface the brushes glide rather than depositing the paint on the surface, making coverage difficult. It also results in less pigment entering the wood surface, which means that the paint is more likely to sit on the surface and eventually crack.
I also cast my net a little wider in terms of facial references for Jesus. Below images of Spinoza, a Portuguese/Dutch/Jewish philosopher, a copy of a Byzantine icon (a modern version) and a still from Jesus of Nazareth, where Robert Powel, an English actor depicted Jesus in an iconic and well-received classic film portrayal.
I went straight onto the surface, with some basic drawing in charcoal and then good quality acrylic paint, which flowed well on the dry and sanded oak plywood. I was determined to anchor the whole painting on a compelling and meaningful depiction of Jesus, as central to the work. Several versions and alterations later, I felt that I was getting closer to a face that would do justice to the subject. I was very moved at one point, when the face seemed to come into focus and become recognisable and acceptable to me. It is important to get this part right before proceeding as the whole piece will revolve around the central image of Jesus.
Rough broad coverage of the main face in black and white over charcoal drawing.
This is called Grisaille, and it basically
means painting in greys. This creates the form on which you can then add
colour and create a more realistic skin tone if you wish. Or you could
create a dream-like quality to a face, by exaggerating the colours and
increasing the tonal contrast. There is much work to follow and the face
may change drastically over the next few weeks, but the essence of a kind and serene face is beginning to take
shape. I started to sue some very light colour washes over the grissaile as a way of rendering the face in full colour, later on in the process.
Day 3
Today I decided that I needed to work some more on the face and made several attempts at the skin tone and shape.
I also started to think of how our concepts could be incorporated organically into the composition. Originally I had planned to just use the halo as the place where all the action would take place, but now, I am experimenting with using the whole background and creating a tree of life idea that will contain several scenes depicting our concepts. The tree of life would emanate from the hand of Jesus if I can make that work visually.
Days 4 to 8.
This was an intense period of painting where the majority of the surface was covered. I moved around the painting a lot, working from one area to the other, whilst parts of the painting were drying.
Below I have included a large number of images of the face of Christ. I hope that you will be able to see minor alterations and the build-up of successive layers or glazes, some translucent and some opaque. I have used two methods of application. A glaze, in this case, is a runny, diluted transparent colour which can be applied to add layers slowly over a monotone image (black and white, grey or sepia tones, depending on your preference). The second method of application is dry brush, which I go on to talk about a little bit later on in this blog, where it was used to paint the 'prayer' circle. On the face, I used a 'dry brush' that was very lightly loaded. That means that there was little paint on it.
(No brush that is 'loaded' with paint is really dry, they all have paint on! 'Dry brush as a term basically means, that the paint is used with little or no water. In oils, the same applies, but in that case, little or no solvent is used.)
Sometimes when one paints like that, it is almost impossible to see the build-up of paint and it takes several layers and applications of both thin glazes or sparse dry brush applications to see what is actually happening and to notice a discernable change in the image.
A more yellow or sepia series of glazes changed the appearance of the skin and gave it a deeper 'golden' hue.
When I started to draw the main compositional elements of the work, the simple idea emanated from that of the Tree of Life. You can click on the verse concepts to learn more about the quotations below.
Revelation 2:7
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'
Revelation 22:13-14
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
Types of Christ » Tree of life
Revelation 22:2
in the middle of its street On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Genesis 2:9
Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
I did not make many video clips, but you can see the speed of paint application, is quite slow. In the speeded-up version of a time-lapse clip, you can see in a slightly different way of how a painting emerges.
So below I now start to create the 'fruit' of the 'Tree of Life'. I opted for this approach because it gave a more fluid composition and enables me to incorporate into the painting the concepts of Teaching/Learning, Prayer and Devotion/ Working together and coexisting and the good Samaritan. The latter was actually the first concept I painted, but the last image that I will complete. The reason is that I am generally happy with the concept and the image which I copied but altered somewhat from The Good Samaritan, 1852 - George Frederick Watts - www.pre-raphaelite-brotherhood.org. (Kindness From One To Another).
I then moved on to the idea of the community. 'We are all separate houses, yet together we are a community'. See our original discussions and how this idea emerged from our initial meeting, at the beginning of this blog post.
At this point in the painting as I explained, I needed to move from one part of the surface to another as areas needed to dry and I also needed to complete as much of the intended composition to see if major changes would be needed.
As you can see from the images below, I 'blocked in' (filled in, painted, laid a foundation colour) the circles in red, so I could see, again, how this might work. The red ground also adds some depth to the colours that are applied on top. At the same time it is not as harsh as white, showing all the tiny mistakes and blemishes, and not as 'lifeless' as a light brown or sepia which most artists prefer.
From time to time, I added minor details such as a few hairs or even went over parts of the face to bring it down tonally, or to add definition to the features. The eyes in particular have several layers to create depth. Originally green and then blue, I settled for light hazel and then when that seemed too light I toned them down to browns to go with the darker skin tones on Christ's face.
I added blossoms to the tree emanating from the hand of Jesus. These were painted in a more expressive manner to the rest of the painting so far. I also added clouds above the houses. Both of these symbolise the changing seasons and our fortunes in this earthly life. I also wanted to allude to the destruction caused by conflicts, so the clouds were painted as if emanating from the 'village'. This duality in images is something that always fascinated me. It stems from the way we as individuals interpret an image in vastly different ways from one another.
Again and again, as a painting takes shape, I start to notice small details that need strengthening. The robe and the trimming needed several attempts to create a solid, but lustrous effect, particularly on the gold area. No gold has been used so far, only shades of yellow.
The houses complete, and the shadows are believable. They nestle together in the sunshine. I could not help but create a kind of idyllic Mediterranean village, a place symbolic of peace, tranquility and welcoming embraces from the neighbours and friends. Of course, this image is very much rooted in my childhood, or rather my dream of what a beautiful, friendly idyllic place could be. All painting it is said stems from our heart, rather than from reality.
I now began work on the top right, symbolising devotion, prayer, personal contemplation, re-centering of the self.
I now began work on the top right, symbolising devotion, prayer, personal contemplation, re-centering of the self.
Top right-hand corner: Prayer and devotion. I wanted an image set in the modern world. Here, set in an 'industrial' or built-up environment, a young woman in praying. I started to blend in the paint, but the paint and the hard surface allowed for some interesting textures. I decided to pursue this, by using 'dry' brush techniques, but with slightly thicker 'impasto' that is paint that is not too diluted with water and allows a build-up of texture as the brush is dragged across the surface.
Here you can see what happens when you allow successive layers to build up' leaving some of the preceding colours exposed. In essence, it is the eye that brings the colours together and blends them, creating the effect of solidity. The further away you move from the picture, the less apparent are the marks and thus the finished effect looks quite smooth. As you move closer as I have done with the above photograph, the more obvious the technique becomes. I also think that it makes the image appear more 'dreamy' and aetherial.
I started to apply the same approach to the image of the parental/teacher figure and the pupil. You will notice that I 'draw' with a brush, rather than a pencil. It is because mots of the definition and detail is applied over the drawing which changes drastically, so I prefer to spend the time on the painted layers, rather than the dawing layers. This is sometimes a good thing and at other times it is not. You as a painter or artist in your own right, need to decide what is best for you and for the style of wotk that you wish to create. The fact remains that often a good foundation( no matetr how it is achieved- whether by pencil or other means) is the key to a strong painting.
19th March 2020.
It is now ten days since I started the painting and anyone reading this blog post who has not lived through the current events ( an impossibility, of course) would not know (another impossibility) that there is a global health crisis. I am awar that De Lisle, among other schools is facing some very difficult times ahead. Members of staff and senior management will be focusing on the big picture and on what is to come, as pressumably schools in England will be joining others all over the world, and preparing for a long and unpredictable shut down. I am carrying on with all projects and commissions and will continue with the painting, loosely entitled for now 'The Tree of Life'. So here is the progress made in the last two days:
The Teacher parent and pupil in the final stages. I decided to contain the texture by adding a graphic black line around the faces and the hand. This simple device creates a very different illustrational feel to the painting.
I am often trying very hard to find new ways of telling a story and imparting a message. I wanted the fourth circular component to speak of the theme mentioned by the students, namely of the different cultures that coexist in the school. I did not, however, want to just line up some faces. I wanted to create a different way of telling that story. So I went for flower petals. You can decide how effectively this communicates the message of co-existence and of being part fo the same whole.
I will need to rework the eyes on some of the small portraits, but for the time the challenge is to create some plausible faces of different ethnic groups and a variety of ages. I will refine these over the next few days, but they are almost there. It is the eyes that require attention when one paints so small. Compared to the main face of Jesus, these faces are quite diminutive.
Rotating the canvas to get to the faces.
I went back to the left side whilst I was waiting for the paint to set on the flower/rosette and incorporated some text in the ribbon that is wrapped around the tree. The words are from the Latin Mass.
Back to try and refine some of the marks and lighten the shadows on some of the faces. Currently looking very graphic and illustrational.
I wanted the school motto to be highly visible or at the very least central to the work, so I placed a large gold ribbon behind the head of Christ, but in front of the halo. I wanted this to float in 'real space' and interact with the tree.
I altered the background or the painting of the Good Samaritan, to make it warmer and bring it in line with the colour scheme of the painting.
It remains now to scan the painting for areas that need significant work, better definition, and refinement. I hope that you are all well if you happen to be following this post.
20th March
More details of the process today:
Throughout the painting which I have so far enjoyed immensely, not everything has gone smoothly. Several times things needed additional work or removal and repainting. The blue ribbon below with the school's name is a case in point. It looks nice on this picture, but in the scheme of the whole painting, it looked out of place and somehow, it did not add what I hoped, namely simplicity (there was already a lot happening) and harmony rather than competing with the gold trimming of the robe.
20th March
More details of the process today:
I reworked the smaller details very slightly, just tidying up and ensuring that the lines where necessary had a clean and simple appearance. The small leaf-like shapes are symbolic of nature but also symbolise the way knowledge spreads 'life leaves in the wind, good words will reach a place in this world and make for a kinder day' (Balkan proverb).
I revarnished the butterflies and increased the contrast. They are symbolic of life's subtle beauty and the shortness of it in the grand scheme of things.
You will notice the blossoms and the autumnal leaves co-exist as do the various ages of the people in the flower painting that contains the faces. This comes from a beautiful poem by Nobel Laureate Odysea Eliti which begins: 'This world is one and the same world'. He goes on to say that everything coexists and to me, it implies that time is irrelevant somehow when we talk of important matters such a religion, faith or nature. All seasons are meaningful, all human ages are equally valid.
Having sketched the letters in roughly, I felt that I needed a different solution to that corner.
This is the latest attempt, where the ribbon echoing the one on the left of the painting has been incorporated. The message: 'I learn by Teaching' speaks to me and I hope it also resonates with you. Further above, the name of the school rests on the branch. I think this gives a tidier and more suitable appearance to this corner of the painting.
June 8th
Varnishing Day!
Finally
the painting was collected from the studio today and is getting ready to be delivered
to De Lisle Academy later this week.
Three
layers of matt varnish will protect the surface of the painting from dust and
particles that will build up over the years and will enable the school to
carefully clean the surface with a dilute mixture of water and very small
amount of detergent, if it needs it further down the line. I chose matt varnish
to avoid glare and reflections and so that the painting will be easily seen from
anywhere. This is particularly important
if the work is placed at a higher level, which means that it is seen at an angle from the floor
level. I did however find that the painting colours needed to be emphasised, so I mixed a glossier varnish using liquitex professional acrylic varnish. This, despite being on top of the Matt did have the desired effect. Although this was a change in my varnishing plan, I felt that it also resonated much more with my original inspiration which was Byzantine icons. They are often heavily varnished, which deepens their colours. The glossier varnish also emphasised some of the heavier gestural paint textures.
I am now calling the work finished. It has been a real pleasure, and many thanks go to the De Lisle school for their trust and engagement. I hope the painting is enjoyed for many years to come.
GS 9th June 2020.
I am now calling the work finished. It has been a real pleasure, and many thanks go to the De Lisle school for their trust and engagement. I hope the painting is enjoyed for many years to come.
GS 9th June 2020.
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