Painting Step 2..

Here's an update. I messed with the sky and tree line and blocked some areas of the two vans.

Don't mind the bad lighting and contrast I'm not editing these pics to have the same light so some versions will look brighter than others depending on the time of day etc.

Painting Stage 1

In the true spirit of modern culture there should be no privacy. So here is the first stage of my painting. Watch it progress into a masterpiece or a dismal failure.

Stage 1 complete: Primed, penciled and base colours. Super dark so I can layer lighter colours over.

Next steps:
1- I suppose I'll do an over all clean up: Accurate shapes and forms for "outlines"
2- Add more depth in colours, at the moment it's blocked in so I'll subdivide areas.
3- Continue to subdivide layering lighter and lighter colours
4- I don't know, maybe blending area like sky and fixing silhouettes where needed.
5- Glazes and washes and special effects...don't know what they will be yet.

OK, this has to be quick, get ready:

Was supposed to see Franz Ferdinand, changed mind and went to two day stay at farm, made bread from scratch. Look at slide show. Sang songs, danced, ate, slept, played with donkeys.

Went to Ferrara, saw Deus and Interpol. Good music. Annoying guy behind me I wanted to kill. Tom Waits in Milan was amazing, saw Benigni and wife. Concert brill. Milan is dirty. I wouldn't live there. Toyed with idea of going back to serious job and career and then remembered I hate computers.

Como (famous town and lake near Milan) was flooded but beautiful exhibition of Schiele made me happy. See his stuff if you can it's just incredible. Then back to Bologna to another concert. Next day up mountains for a ridiculously large steak BBQ and sing song. Drunk until very late. Up early.

Finished language course. Intermediate now. Last weekend went to river for another BBQ and swim with fishes under waterfall. So hot. 34 degrees and sunny all the time despite weather forecasts of rain.

Started painting. Blogging and emailing annoys me. Trying to scan and upload all my photos. Still have 6 undeveloped rolls from god knows when. Must buy good digital camera when I have money. Tonight I go to drop cvs into bars and restaurants of Bologna. Wish me luck. No plans for crazy concerts or short trips as everyone in Bologna goes away and I have no money for holidays. Come over to Italy to keep me and Fede company.

Miss you all, keep in touch. J Out.

Catch Up Painting

So I have started the painting at last. At the moment my painting style is somewhat a copy of uncle Joby but he gave me the go ahead so I think it's cool. It's not like I'm going to sell this stuff anyway. It's really fun doing the whole process. For me now it's like magic, I'm learning so many new things about painting I hadn't thought existed. Like glazes and priming, sanding, thinners, thickeners, etc.

I guess you think I really don't know anything about painting and I'd say yes. You're absolutely correct.

I'm also going to go to the Accademia di Bellle Arti in November if I can. It's a university degree course in Painting. It's pretty prestigious and you don't have to do any written exams, just oral exams and they teach you Italian for free. It costs less than 800 Euro per year and you get a studio space and subsidised material costs. It lasts 3 years. What do you think? Also they are not strict on punctuality here in Italy so you don't even have to attend classes if you don't want to. You just have to read the books and hand in projects. I think it's also a good way to meet people involved in the art scene in Italy.

That's all..

Studio Pics

Sorry it took so long. I got rather bogged down in Italian study and looking for a job. It turns out I might be working in a restaurant as a waiter in a week or two. Ha ha.

So here's some pictures and a video of my studio. As I said it's not too grand and it still needs shelves and decoration but it makes me happy. Most of my time in the studio is spent learning verbs and vocabulary. I'm looking forward to spending a few days immersed in paint and pouring out intellectual jewels of colour and spontaneity.

This week I'm going to a few "gigs": Franz Ferdinand; Interpol and Deus; Tom Waits.
Currently I'm listening to their most recent albums just so I can cheer and smile smugly at the right moments.

Anyone interested in coming to visit? Drop me a line and we'll sort something out.

The picture of the outdoor cinema screen is the world premier of the restored version of Hitchcock's original "Blackmail" (the silent version) which was accompanied by a live full orchestra that played the soundtrack. The location was in Piazza Maggiore (outside at night, 32 degrees so nice and warm). It was an amazing experience and it was free. I love Italy.