A Different Influence...

 "Infernal Web"

(11x14", Oils on Linen, Framed)    Price:  $750.00 SOLD

I was prowling through a bunch of art books in our library and came across one of the collected works of the legendary science fiction and fantasy artist, Richard Powers. His vintage abstract take on golden age science fiction book covers are quite compelling and often visually stunning. His later, more personal works took on a range of earth colours and tones that reminded me of Australian Aboriginal artwork that I had studied a couple of decades ago. Both had very mystic overtones, both epic storytelling with minimal detail. I wondered what it would be like to play with the same colours and tales, so out came my new tiny sketchbook for thumbnail ideas and off I went, doodling. The first rough idea was the third entry in the pristine tiny pages and felt like it was going to go somewhere. So, on the next page, I refined the idea to its finished version. Enlarged the final drawing to super size, transferred it to a linen board and started laying paint. Above is what it became. I'm rather proud of the outcome as I stepped out of my regular comfort zone for painting rocket doodles and told a bigger story with a more personally unique style of design. That seems to be happening a lot lately, so stick around for further paintings that are in the works. Did you notice the dying rocket ship in the lower left hand corner being crushed against a glowing maw on an asteroid by the web weaver's silken-steel tendrils? The incoming ship is either going to attack the alien 'spider' or is going to get caught itself, or sheer off and not see it at all. What do you think will happen?

Meanwhile, below are the two teeny drawings that I did to complete this rocket doodle... Notice the changes between the original idea and the final design, and the addition of the incoming rocketship. I loved how Powers worked spidery white lines around his subjects in what would seem a purely whimsical way, but are often intrinsic to his designs and building of his subject matter. I tried to do something like that, but my more prosaic brain made them the tentacles of the alien, instead.

Anyway, I have a couple of paintings from pre-Covid lockdown to finally add to my blog, which I will do soon. One is an epic portrait, and the second is a whimsical robot holiday painting. In the meanwhile, I'm back to painting more rocket doodles, and drawing in my little sketchbook. So, thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will again...
Cheers,
Marianne