[finished*] Fish in a Box - 20091028

Fish in a Box

Artist(s)/year(s): Myself/2009.10.28
program/tools: acrylic paints on wood panel
Time taken: collectively ~a week?
Original Size: 24"x32"

The title really sucks, but there's really when you look at it, you see a fish, and boxes (the cardboard + created/formed boxes...)

I have some issues with it, the fish is a little weird looking, and that section with the torn up paper revealing the corrugated cardboard isn't as developed as I'd like it to be... But I'm really happy with how much it just pops out at you. I think it was well liked during the critque. And I certainly hope all my efforts done go to waste when my mark for it comes in! Don't tell me I stayed up until 4 to not recieve an "A" on it (I'm not greedy though, a low "A" is acceptable too~)!

I hope, if I did it right, if you click the image, it'll lead to a larger version... The photo's not that good, I'm not a photographer.

But this guy is.



I think the next post I'll make, I'll post some sketchbook stuff.

WIP: Fish in a Box (20091021)

detail shot of the first of the cardboard dividers

Some more cardboard dividers are done, LOTS of masking for the dots.

after working a 6+ hours today...

dots dotted and nearly complete (they are actually really messy up close); rest of cardboard dividers painted, but not shaded; fish is pretty much done, though I'm going to work on the fins some more; added more depth into the paper; improved some of the cardboard background tones...)

Seriously, I'm going crazy.

I have a week left... I still have to do the torn away cardboard, there's text on the dotted paper (;A;), the wooden sticks, and other little cardboardy details... Will I finish??


Let's hope "yes".


It doesn't look photorealistic... But... it's not bad.

WIP: Fish in a Box (20091014)

Temporary Title: Fish in a Box

Artist(s)/year(s): Myself/2009.10.14~
program/tools: Wooden brace panel (made it myself!), acrylic paints (liquitex)
Time taken: 6 hours
Original Size: 24"x32"

I say 6 hours because that's how long my studio class is, but I don't think I started painting on it until about an hour in... I was still trying to map everything out on the board first.

I'm actually having some trouble matching the colour of the cardboard, and the paper (>A<)! I spent my last hour and half working on that crumpled paper in the corner! I'm a little worried though... It looks like crumpled paper and it looks very nice, but it's done somewhat impressionistly rather than realistic-ly...

Poor fishy... I had painted most of it's body + fins, but then I chopped off all the fins to do the background paper...

And remember how I said I don't like masking in my last post? The corrugated cardboard (;A;) and they aren't even my smallest masking tape width... So I have to continueously wait and wait for it to dry... But lucky, I've found that Liquitex paints are really good if you want fast drying paints.

*coughcoughproductpromotion*

Before this year, I used Tri-art and Golden (usually tubs), and while they were good, they can end up really plastic-y and sometimes glossy, so drying actually took a while... When I started using Liquitex, it didn't take too long for drying (good!), the colours end up nice ([meaning they don't go really dark when they dry] good!), and yeah yeah I know teachers will teach you to mix colours and not by premixed colours, but they offer a nice variety of colours some that I don't think I've seen with the other brands (even better). And, which I really like is that they come in Heavy Body and Soft Body. I'm not too sure if the other companies do, usually I've found that tubs were more "heavy" and tubes were "soft" but still had thickness to it. Heavy body has a thicker consistancy, so they hold better--good for working thickly, with impasto, texture, etc. Soft body is much thinner, it's not liquid, but it is drippy; it's good for mixing with washes, glazes, since they are thin, they dry quickly, and they are very soft to work with.


If I didn't have to do this project perfectly proportional and realistic and completely detailed, I think within the next few days on which I work on this, I'd be happy with the outcome... I have about two more weeks to finish this (;A;)...

Some actual art!

currently untitled

Artist(s)/year(s): Myself/2009.10.07
program/tools: Collage (paper, cardboard, paints, and other misc. scraps)
Time taken: I'd say about 4 hours...
Original Size: 12" x 16"

This is the first part of the 2nd assignment in my painting studio. First we make a collage, scale up, and paint EXACTLY. I know, I know, I've dug my own grave with all the texture in there... But in the end, if I am successful, I'll be just SO SO SO very happy (;u;)... And if not... At least I made a really cool collage! Honestly, I've never thought too much about collages... But this one was really fun. I think I'll do this again sometime.

We also needed to make a colour photocopy of this, and it looks pretty good as a copy. I'd even sell it as a print if I had a larger fan-base/generally people just interesting in my works, and money... Maybe I will some day. Maybe.

It feels a little odd that there is only one image on there (the goldfish). It would probably have worked the same without it... The collage is mostly about the feel of some of the materials, and mostly I considering a study of the properties of cardboard. I had fun with cardboard last year, so that was kinda brought in here. And the boxes... Last year in my NS&S class, we worked with grids (not in the Modernist way), and it was fun also. Plus, there's something about boxes that just makes you read them a certain way--there's a certain organised quality to them...