Post 25: Not much Happening Painting wise for the Last Few Months

    I do wish I had spent more time painting in the last few months, but Politics seem to have taken over my life. I don't even know if my Activism is doing any good, I just had to do it.
   I have managed to work on this Project a little though, and Trompe l'oeil window is almost finished. On the other hand, "Mugshots" is on hold until I can figure out how to work in the large black nude figures.
    Going directly from 1sq.ft to 24 sq.ft encaustic panels may have been a little too ambitious... Also, thinking of selling, even though it would make a great looking show, it's a pretty large size to fit in a  house. So I decided to scale down for a while, and built three 3ft x 4ft panels, sanded them, and primed them with 2 coats of  Golden Absorbent  ground using a small foam roller, to give them just enough tooth to catch the pastels.
   I decided to start with the previously Photoshop designed "Sepultado", and reworked the concept a little, fitting the 3x4 ratio, adding two old spikes, a green poppy pod, and a bee on the Bronze Hands:

   I suppose I should take the time to explain the concept of the piece. Back in 2000, I was planning to continue the Series of "Dummies with Souls" after building my house, and made full blueprints for a lifesize "Sepultado" inspired by those I had seen in Guatemala on Holly Week. 

    It is basically a jointed wooden  figure of Christ that is actually hung on the cross on Good Friday morning:

    It is taken down at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and laid down on a slab covered by a shroud. It is later placed in an ornate Glass Coffin supported by a huge Float, and carried in Procession all evening:

   Unfortunately, it took more than 3 years to build the House, and I never got to make my "Sepultado". I did manage to cast the hands and the feet in Bronze. 

   It seems fitting to use the blueprint in this new project, as well as an image of the hands, wich is all I have left since they were sold as a set:

    The symbolism is obvious. There are many other elements and Symbols of the Passion that could possibly be used as well: a Blooming Red Poppy from my Dad's Garden, a sponge, nails or spikes, a hammer, dice, a crown of thorns, the ladder, etc...

   But first, I needed to do the background painting. I starting rubbing in shades of ochre on the top part, and transfered an enlarged image of the blueprint:

   I also decided to include the face from the Shroud of Turin, enhanced the contrast in the original, reversed the tones, rubbed pastels on, and transfered a loose image by rubbing the back of the paper with a spoon:

 I decided to try a new technique this time, and used pigment mixed in water with some gum arabic as well as the dry pigments. I tilted the panel to make the "watercolor" run, sprayed, used toothbrushes to spatter with colors,  sponged, dripped, sprinkled dry pigments on the wet surface, sprayed with a solution of gum arabic , and kept working it until it dried to something I was pleased with. I then lightly rubbed pastel sticks to mix in colors in the generally grey bottom area.

I ended up with this background painting:

    I am not sure yet whether the line with be black as originally intended, or remain light as it is now. I like to remain flexible. Actually, flexibility is built into this new "Photoencaustic" technique I am making up as I go. I went ahead and printed the images on scale, including some alternate choices, and cut them out precisely:

   I am then at liberty to place them on the panel, try different ones, move them around, and adjust the composition. This is the version I have now, but it is subject to change. The main decision is between the green Poppy Pod and the Blooming Red Poppy: