Wag the Dog - 24-04-22

Waiting on the Shelf

My graphite pencil drawing Wag the Dog – 26-09-21 was waiting on the shelf to be put into oil. After my last oil Slava Ukraini – 18-04-22 I thought I’d use another surrealist theme and why not? Since I started to do mostly oils two months ago I made mainly cubist paintings. Of course there are many roundistic drawings I have to transfer into oil. The ones with surrealist themes I consider to be another important aspect of my work. Therefor I surely don’t want to neglect them too much and see what might come on linen. Looking back at these drawings I see there’s always something to dust off or to alter, even to add.

Luministic Color Palette

Before the beginning it was clear to me I had to use a luministic color palette. The depiction simply was so chiaroscuro I soon realized, using color this time, happiness lies in purple and yellow. Maybe I also was triggered by a work of Herman Gouwe, called: ‘The Sower ‘. I saw it last week at Singer, Laren. I consider him some kind of best kept secret, maybe not fully recognized. The purple-pink-yellow color scheme simply is dashingly vibrant and made a hugh impression on me. It was the second painting of him I saw after ‘The Mower‘. Surely a master of light. A third reason was that in 2013 I made a pastel with the same color scheme. In the back of my mind I remembered the intention of using these exact colors in an oil painting one day. This was that day.

Easy Peasy

The painting almost painted itself, mainly transfering proportions and tonal values. For some reason the purple-yellow scheme fits me like a glove. I used mainly Old Holland Nickel Titanium and Schmincke Caeserian Purple. The latter was new to me but it is a beautiful reddish purple I could use very well for this one. Mixing the two got me beautiful brownish and orange-like pinks. I extended the scheme to some hints of Turmaline green and purples that tend to the blue side. Easy peasy, until so far.

Another Dog

Problems started in the lower back of the lady at hand. I found the depiction a bit boring, unlike the drawing. That can happen, crancking up scaling. From a distance the painting looks quite alright but closer it looked rather empthy. More was needed. Then I saw a second german shepherd popping out. Problem solved.

Oil on linen (70 x 100 cm)

Artist: Corné Akkers