1956 (WEST TEXAS) THE PAINTING

This is 24" x 48". Named 1956 (WEST TEXAS) trying to capture at home with Mom.

1956 PREPARATORY SKETCH

First I did a plan which always changes. 

Then painted some of the pieces that would go in the painting.

Practice, practice, practice.

AUSTIN KLEON AT BOOKPEOPLE

Last night, 5/30/14, Austin Kleon had a reading of his new book, SHOW YOUR WORK, at BookPeople (a Great independent bookstore). Sharon Smith, Cindy House and I got a seat down front. This is some of my sketchbook notes from the reading.He said originality is an idea of Capitalism, a Romantic notion. I do agree that chasing "originality", beyond one's own personal expression, isn't all that interesting.

RED OR YELLOW?

Does anyone know of two pigments that when mixed together is redder or yellower...as the blue is bluer.... than either of the two original pigments?
Glazing Cadmium Red Medium with Alizarin Crimson CAN make the red redder but that is not mixing. That's layers. Where does the idea of Three Primary Colors come from? Does it come from before the industrial revolution which produced PG7 (Pthalo green) and dioxyline purple (PV 23 RS)? Just asking.

1956 (WEST TEXAS) BLUES

The West Texas sky really looks black at night but it is a deep 3-D black. To reproduce 3-D on a flat surface is just a metaphor so I used the dark blue made from purple+green for the stars background. The middle value blue at the top of this detail is ultramarine+bit of white. The blue at the horizon is the Pthalo+Diox blue + white. A whole dialogue of blues with red & yellow bits in the stars to make an imitation twinkle. I know some is lost in photographic reproduction but this  gives the idea.

ART GUERRA ART SUPPLIES, NYC

I told Art Guerra at Art Guerra Art Supplies (510 E 13th St # A, New York, NY)
that I could mix a blue. He became livid. I tried to explain to him but he wouldn't hear of it. Art is a real art supply guru/fanatic and a wonderful resource.

BLUE COURTESY OF JOE SOSA

Blue is a primary color, cannot be mixed. That's theory and might be semantics. This a photo of a palette with my blue that I make from Pthalo green and dioxyline purple. I put a bit of the purple and the green so you can see the pigments I use.There is also a bit of ultramarine blue on the top side for a comparison blue.

Joe Sosa described this phenomenon  when I bought his Blue painting back in the early 1980's.