Digital Development

During the time involving testing programs and apps and learning how to use them, one of the ideas I've always kept in mind is using digital means to develop a real-world painting. Much of my digital work has been based in the world of drawing--line rather than mass; value rather than color. Nonetheless, developing a complete oil painting using a digital-first idea is something to pursue, seems to me.

I rummaged through my digital drawings and paintings accumulated during the past year or so to see if any of those might warrant development in oil paint.

 This is the famous Chicago Theater located on North State Street in its namesake city. For a contemplated oil painting, as in thousands of photos the sign is the obvious focal point. But to punch it more, my plan is to surround it with mostly cool and muted colors. The values of the distant buildings will show them in sun while the near ground is cooler and darker. In this iteration, I put a man in the lower left corner, but on further thought it seems to me I might instead add figures on the sidewalks to provide more human presence. If it turns into an oil, it will likely be fairly large, perhaps 30x20.

The streetscape to the right features another well-known sign, this time for Minetta's in Greenwich Village. Across the street is another famous sign, this one for Cafe Wha the renowned music venue that has been there for most of the last sixty years. Both of these establishments were and are hubs of Greenwich Village. Writers like Pound and e.e. cummings frequented the place, as did some of the Beats. This view along MacDougal Street looking west, but I took a lot of liberties with the far buildings, making them cool but relatively high in value to push them away from the warmer tones in the foreground. The closest buildings will be very dark but warm. The figures will probably be different, but the awning and enclosure will stay, as will the trees. This particular view is in winter.

My oil paintings lately have been mostly city streets and buildings. As that work continues, one or both of these is probably destined to become tangible. If and as that happens, I'll post images of the progress.