Portrait Challenge Using Shapes

See my slide show separately. For some reason, I couldn't get the html thing to work this way for a slide show.
This is my work for a challenge that was issued on the blog "Creativity Journey" last week. I sent mine in Friday and the final result is a part of the slide show there. You can look in my sidebar and click on Creativity Journey to go to Myrna's blog. She has some really interesting work there, and good ideas.
1. The first slide is from a tin type of my great-grandfather, James DeGraffenreid Miles. One of these days, I want to do a portrait of him in a Civil War uniform. I have a couple of pictures in a suit of those times, but haven't found anything of his uniform. So, I thought this would be a good picture to really examine.
The challenge was to use a program on the computer to posterize a picture, then use those shapes to do a painting. Myrna used a special paper and pens, and worked fairly large.
I don't have Photoshop and my basic Paint program didn't help, except that I was able to paint out the scratched background on the tin type. I thought that I have the ability to identify shapes and work with them, without a computer program. And I could try out a different type of paper that I already have, and try different kinds of pens or paint.
After looking at Myrna's examples, I thought that I was through, but, when I went back, she had added a background. So, I felt that I had to add a background after I had finished the figure. This did turn out to be an interesting challenge, and, as I thought, it did force me to examine parts of the face a lot more.
Strangely, despite the bright colors, when I get off from the painting, it does look rather realistic.
2. For the second slide, I put the photo that I printed out, without a background, on my light table, and put a piece of block printing paper over it. Then I simply traced the outline and started to break the face up into shapes.
3. The third slide shows more of how I broke the picture into shapes using a pencil. Some of the shapes were on the photo, but some were possibly formed by the age spots on the original photograph.
4. I tried different kinds of pens, but they either didn't run and blend on this paper, or they bled into a mess rather than an interesting line. So, I opted for watercolors. The paper seemed to be too small to use acrylics. I realized that I would have to make some changes because of the difference in materials, and the way that the watercolors handled on the paper.
I was not happy with the final results, at first, but, when I looked at it from a distance, it does resemble a person. I do have two other copies, that are different, that I can try to work on more.
These are the notes I made about this challenge:
1. I spent days trying to figure out how to posterize on my computer. Finally found that the only way I can do that is to have Photoshop, which I don't have. Tried Paint, and that one only is a basic program that also won't posterize. I knew that I had seen that somewhere before, but it must have been when I first got my computer.
2. I found a picture that I have been wanting to do as a portrait. It's from a tin type of my great-grandfather and want to paint him in a Civil War uniform.
3. I saved that picture as a bmtp, then could use basic Paint on it to paint out the background as white. I thought that I could just draw in the shapes with the drawing tool, but my hand is not steady enough to make that little pencil go where I want it to go. I did manage a rough outline around the figure. I was able, then, to print the picture of the figure.
4. I decided to see what I could do using block printing paper, rather than drawing or watercolor paper. I used that over the print on a light table, to trace the picture and shapes.
My light table is improvised. I have a soda fountain table with a glass top in my kitchen. I put a foot stool under it, a small lamp on top of the stool and used a couple of books when I needed to raise the lamp.
While I did several drawings, I elected to use the version in which I broke the face up into planes and geometric shapes. I gave this assignment to my students, when I was teaching. They worked in basic geometric shapes, before doing portraits and clay sculptures of the head.
5. I experimented with several types of pens, but I didn't think that they did anything special. I need to use materials on hand rather than buying a lot of new things, at this point.
6. I decided to just use watercolors. It doesn't work as well on block printing paper. Soaks in too fast and also goes through. Something like gesso on it might give a different effect. At least it didn't bleed as I worked.
7. I forced myself to use a color wheel and tried to stick to those colors rather than just what I felt like putting down. Analagous colors, then complimentary colors, were my choice. I did think of lights and darks, areas that came forward and those that recede as I worked.
Now, I realize that it might have been better to select a picture that had more color in it! This was a tin type, on a black piece of metal, with a little color added, and white painted outlines. There is a blue cast to it, and it has a lot of scratches and marks where a frame had been long ago.
8. After I had finished the person, I decided to add a background. I experimented with using Press and Seal kitchen wrap as a mask. I pressed it down, then used a stencil knife to cut out the shape. Then I painted a loose background and dropped in a little salt. (I usually use margarita salt for that technique, but I just had table salt on hand. Plain salt doesn't show up as well.)
9. I learned that, if I use the Press and Seal as a mask, I need to be sure to be really careful with the stencil knife so as to not go through the paper and all!
Also, the thin paper needs to have more paper underneath it as the paint will go through if you use a lot of water, and it can also run under the masking tape used to hold the paper in place. I did get a little stain on my white drafting table. But, it will come off eventually.
10. Now, I'm going to try the other two I drew, using different color harmonies. The block printing paper doesn't work well for things that you want to run, though, so I will have to try that on something else.

In my blog yesterday, I mentioned that I hoped that those who needed rain so badly will get it, and that it is getting dry here, again. So much so that we are under a burn ban. The big Aggie bonfire before the Thanksgiving football game with the Longhorns was put on hold because of the burn ban in the county where it is to be held. The county authorities are scheduled to meet again tomorrow to reconsider. There was only a slight chance of rain.
Well, of all things, the clouds rolled in about dark, there was a lot of lightning, and we had rain all night and into this morning. So much so that I read that one road out in the country had 4 feet of water over it by last night. I hope that some of those who are so desperate for rain will get the rain they need. I don't know if we are caught up now. I'll have to find out on the news tonight.
Hope that you enjoy my pictures and slide show, and reading about how this painting came about.
Let me know if you see something of particular interest to you. Thanks for reading and sharing.

Veterans Day

Salute To Veterans
Uncle Irvin in Rome WWII
Family Photo NFS

Are Those Statues Wearing Shorts?

I was thinking that tomorrow is Veterans Day, since I thought I heard that the kids are out of school on Monday. (I guess I heard wrong, though.) But, I just realized that today is the day. I had hoped that we would get to go out to the Veterans Day parade downtown and to the Veterans Memorial where my uncle's name is listed. But, without someone to drive, I guess I will just stay at home this year. The youngsters, certainly, need to participate in these things.
I did want to do something special on my blog, to honor veterans. I had planned to do some art work, or photograph something that I have already done, for this day.

In our family, we only had two, that I know of, who were able to serve in the military. Most were too old or had health problems at the time of conflicts in the past. And there was a great-grandfather (and his brothers) who served in the American Civil War.

Above is a photo that my uncle sent back to the family when he was on leave in Rome during WWII. He was in the 88th Infantry QM division, the Blue Devils. This photo was "shocking" to some of the family because of the unclothed male statues in the background. I was small and was instructed to close my eyes or not look when the picture was brought out of the envelope. Now, I have to laugh about that. You can't see anything exposed in that picture. And, it looks to me, as if the statues all are wearing shorts! I can't help but wonder if some group that went around covering up the nudes in paintings and sculpture, didn't have a hand in covering up the men in these statues! Maybe they were made that way originially. I don't know. My uncle didn't seem to know if these were some of the famous Michaelangelo statues that we read about. He just knew that they were really big. Now that he is no longer living, I have a lot of questions, especially about his time overseas, and even about these statues.

I have been typing the letters that he wrote to my father during his time in service. And, I Have a lot of his pictures to go with them.

I did find some v-mail from him, some years ago, and, several times, he would say that he couldn't tell where they were. Sometimes the family could guess because of things he said about home. At a family dinner a few years ago, I said to him, "Now that the War is over, can you tell us where you were on.....?" And he started telling. I couldn't stay there to listen as someone called me to come help with something. I wish I had written all that down, now.

His sister had his name placed on the Veterans Memorial in Bryan. In civilian life, Irvin ran his father's dry goods store, worked in the Post Office, and had cattle. He was very active in community and church affairs during his life. Like others in our family, he remained single so he was close to another father figure for the two children in our family.




Great Uncle Eddie
Veteran of WWI
Family Photo NFS

This is a photo of my great uncle, Eddie. He was one of my grandfather's brothers. Eddie worked in his father's cobbler shop, then it became a grocery store. I don't know a whole lot about Eddie. He never married, like a lot of people in our family. He did serve in the U.S. Army during WWI. Someday, I would like to get his service record and find out about where he served. And, we need to have his name added to the Veterans Memorial in Bryan. His tombstone says that he was a private in the 3 Infantry.


Father in Aggie Uniform
Family Photo NFS

Oh how Daddy wanted to be in service during WWII. He kept trying, but they wouldn't take him. He still drilled with the men left in town, ready to serve and protect, if they were ever needed. I remember when he went off one day, walking to town and leaving the cars for Mama to use, to go in a truck with other potential recruits. I watched with my nose to the screen door, begging him not to go, tears running down my face, as he disappeared down the street, past the park. Mama went into her room and cried, then she got busy cleaning all day. I just wanted someone to go outside and make mudpies with to pass the time, fearing that I would never see Daddy again.

He was so disappointed to fail the physical. He was doing fine until they had the men run up and down stairs, carrying wooden crates of Coca Cola bottles. (He did that every day as he worked in Uncle Tom's grocery store, so he was sure there would be no problem.) But, after the exercise, the doctor rejected him with a heart murmer. He had been sick with Rheumatic Fever as a child.

The rest of the family was glad that he was staying at home, but Daddy still wanted to go, as most men did. Grandma, especially, was so upset over having Irvin overseas that she developed an ulcer. So, she sure didn't want another son in harms way. And, the older men needed him to help with the cattle and businesses. And, of course, we all just wanted him to be near. Our family stayed close to each other. He would have been happier if he had been able to go off with the other men.

I've added into my salute, the men who wanted to be veterans but couldn't go for various reasons.

Two WWII veterans who I know, are probably observing today. I don't see them often, but I do know a bit of the service of Margaret, an Army nurse, and her husband, Clarence, who was in the Air Force. Theirs is a love story that could be a WWII movie.

And there is Reba, who is deceased, and was also in the Army in WWII. She didn't have all the combat adventures, but did serve as a librarian. She published her diary before she died, and wrote many stories of the old families of Calvert for the local newspaper. She was able to live a full life. There are pictures of her in her book, "A Calvert Diary".
There were others from my home area, who I don't know that well. But all have their stories. Most did not seem to want to talk about their experiences and just went on, quietly, with their daily lives. A couple of them had limps that we would always associate with their wounds during the War. They might have been willling to talk, if I could have thought of questions to ask them. Someone should have done that before they were silenced in death.

We've lost many from that era. We certainly want to remember them all today, and the many others who served their countries.


Great Grandfather Miles
Family Tin Type NFS

This is another family veteran, this one in the U.S. Civil War, from Alabama, then Texas. He was a captain in the Confederate Army by the end of the War. He was in the 7th Texas Infantry. The son of an Alabama planter, he came to Texas with his new wife to farm in East Texas. We used to have his sword, and still have his clock, his Amnesty Oath, a tin type of his wife, Ellen, and some of his history in books. I also have the frame that this picture came from. I wish I could find a picture of him in his Civil War uniform. I may have to use this photo as a basis for a portrait.

I've wondered if these might have been wedding portraits. If so, they date to about 1853. I need to send for his service record, also, and hunt for his sword. But, that's another story.

I didn't actually know anyone who served in Viet Nam. Some of the boys from our school went to the Korean War, but I've not seen any of them long enough to hear any of their stories. I didn't know them that well. Some students went into service while I was still teaching, and I was so relieved when they came home and were alright. Some, in more recent years have gone into service, but I have not heard from them. We just hope that they all come home to their families, safely when their job is done and our country secure.
When I was growing up, one of the things I wanted to be was a flight nurse, thanks to the Cherry Ames books! I even made myself a dress for homemaking class that resembled one that Air Force nurses wore. (I was better at designing clothes, than making them! Not nearly enough patience.) I was too young to get into nursing school after high school. By the time I was old enough, I decided that chemistry was too hard for me, and maybe I had better stick to art. So there went my career as a flight nurse. I still liked to take care of people, though. I was probably better at doing that. I kept trying, though, and always returned to art and teaching. That is until I realized that I didn't have the strength or energy to be a nurse anymore.

Be sure to look in my sidebar under Authors and Artists and click on Esther Read. She has written a book with stories about Hispanic WWII vets. Her book is "After the Blessing".

I hope that you have been able to go out and observe today, and honor veterans in some way. As we look forward,now, to Thanksgiving, it is certainly a time to give thanks for all we have, and for our veterans, of yesterday and today, and to do what we can for those who are still here, and for those who are still serving for us.
Thank you, Vets! Hope it is a great day for you! And I hope you enjoy the old photos today. There is art in them, the promise of more art work to come, and then there are those statues from Rome, which are certainly works of art.
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