Work as Art

It is either this blog or therapy tonight. I worked on art work for the PCPC art show tonight. It was so much like work. And work was really rough today. We got busy and all the usual challenges were there. It was nice to have some distraction. I haven’t had much sleep this week. I’ve stayed up reading, had trouble unwinding after class and then just had a lot on my mind. I haven’t talked to my counselor for about a month and I know I need to. I miss her because we are really just friends now. She is writing curriculum for an online Biblical Counseling course, so she is busy. She has taught at DTS and is a writer. She is always a great encouragement to me.

For the art tonight I took the new scan that didn’t lose the grayscale and once I found it on my hard drive I cut out the drawing shape in photoshop. Next I had to find the background photo on my hard drive and resize it and put it through a watercolor filter. Then I placed the cut out drawing on top. I moved it around a bit. Then I tried to find where I wrote down the finished size that I submitted when I registered for the show. It is nowhere to be found. I made a new size up and hope it is close. 22 x 28 inches. I am writing here in case I ever need to know what the finished size is like when I buy stretchers and a frame.

Next I resized the artwork and saved it as a jpeg, CYMK. That is because the printer will convert it if I don’t. I want to convert it myself. It is a graphic artist thing. I want the control, not to give it to the machine. Then I saved the file in a smaller size in RGB for the web. This all takes time because the file is BIG. Writing this out makes it sound simple, but I almost crashed photoshop when I converted the file to a pdf for Kinkos. I have to walk away from the computer when the large files are converting, resizing or saving. I plan to take the file tomorrow to have it put on canvas.

Interestingly enough the day I redid the scan and decided to go for the canvas my friend Tim came into the print shop to work on some of his products and he wanted to show me his canvases. He does something very much like I do on canvas, so he gave me the inside info. And I discovered watercolors work best on top. So I was very excited and thought Tim’s visit was a God thing.

Now I need to find out when the banner people are at Kinkos. And then the next step will be to add watercolor on top of the canvas. I am going to have three canvases made. I also plan to have some done on the color copier at work. I need to resize the artwork for that and I don’t think I can handle that tonight. It has just been too long of a day on the computer doing work.
On a brighter side, tomorrow at work a lady from a church in Plano is coming to drop off files so I can design them a brochure. That will make me happy. Also I made arrangement with my artist friend Brenda to go gallery hopping on Saturday. She has been a friend to me in a time when I really did lose most of my friends. She is a pretty cool lady, but her sticking it out with me make me love her even more.

It amazes me how writing like this calms me and helps me put things into perspective.

Tweaking

I added some contrast tonight because I didn't take it to work to scan. It was raining and I didn't want to risk it getting wet.

I plan to take it tomorrow. There is an older gentleman who comes in everyday. He doesn't believe in God. Every once in awhile we talk about spiritual things. I want to talk to him about the drawing. He asks me everyday about my classes because he used to teach college classes. The Lord has put it on my heart to tell him about His love. I think that is what the drawing is about loving kindness or compassion.

Went to look up the word I am talking about online and I came across Matthew Henry. I need to put this into my own words, but somehow through the art I want to tell John * how huge God is and how solid is love is.

The Lord descended by some open token of his presence and manifestation of his glory in a cloud, and thence proclaimed his NAME; that is, the perfections and character which are denoted by the name JEHOVAH. The Lord God is merciful; ready to forgive the sinner, and to relieve the needy. Gracious; kind, and ready to bestow undeserved benefits. Long-suffering; slow to anger, giving time for repentance, only punishing when it is needful. He is abundant in goodness and truth; even sinners receive the riches of his bounty abundantly, though they abuse them. All he reveals is infallible truth, all he promises is in faithfulness. Keeping mercy for thousands; he continually shows mercy to sinners, and has treasures, which cannot be exhausted, to the end of time. Forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin; his mercy and goodness reach to the full and free forgiveness of sin. And will by no means clear the guilty; the holiness and justice of God are part of his goodness and love towards all his creatures. In Christ's sufferings, the Divine holiness and justice are fully shown, and the evil of sin is made known. God's forgiving mercy is always attended by his converting, sanctifying grace. None are pardoned but those who repent and forsake the allowed practice of every sin; nor shall any escape, who abuse, neglect, or despise this great salvation. Moses bowed down, and worshipped reverently. Every perfection in the name of God, the believer may plead with Him for the forgiveness of his sins, the making holy of his heart, and the enlargement of the Redeemer's kingdom.

Finished

For Now.

This will be a mixed media piece. Mixed media just happens. We will see where this one goes. I also need an artist statement.

Rendered

Looks like it is going to happen, I need this done tonight. Scan tomorrow at work. Scott says more contrast in the face, especially his. Yes.

Drawing and Listening

Drawing

This is a bad photo that I tried to get to look better, but it shows the start. I work from left to righ to avoid dragging my arm continually through a rendering. I still am not sure what else. I am going to photograph the bike path by my house with all the electrical wire. Not so much for that but it is a path and I can get the look of distance. I still am thinking of framing it with a cardboard box with writing on it like "will work for food."

I love drawing. It is nice to turn on the itunes and draw. Good stuff.