Symphonic Lines Held in Check

The first abstract painting from
the Line & Color series

Roland’s journal entries and photos done while painting this piece which became the inspiration for this series. 

Oil on Canvas: 16 x 20 in

Artist's Journal

Started and Finished: Over a couple of days in the middle of July 2022

16 x 20 inches oil on cotton canvas

The canvas was primed with acrylic gesso tinted with brown latex house paint.

Goals: Create a painting from a charcoal sketch.

Note: In the first pictures the dark shape in the middle of the top of the canvas is the shadow of the top painting tray, or top canvas holder, of the easel.

Vine Charcoal Start With Some Paint Already Applied

First photo of "Symphonic Lines Held in Check" process

I started with vine charcoal lines which I enjoyed applying because the charcoal is soft and flows quick and easy on the canvas. Unfortunately I did not take a picture of this stage. I did edits by wiping off charcoal with a cloth rag. I started adding color without applying a fixative over the charcoal, which would have stopped it from mixing with the paint. An oversight but I liked the result. In theroy if some charcoal did not have paint applied over it it could come of it touched. I have since passed a damp sponge over the dry painting with no smearing.

The first photo shows cloudy gray areas where I rubbed away the charcoal. Also the first touches of a very light green and blue tints of color. I like very much the way the piece looks with the darker lines holding the piece together and the piece has a good flow to it.

Small Changes

Second in the "Symphonic Lines Held on Check" series.

Small Changes

Third in the "Symphonic Lines Held in Check" series.

Small Changes

Fourth in the "Symphonic Lines Held in Check" series.

Small Changes

Fifth in the "Symphonic Lines Held in Check" series.

Square and Vertical Cloudy Spot

Red lines outline especially liked areas.

I like the lighter larger square which is shown in the middle toward the left and I like a lot the vertical cloudy spot which is now sort of bluish. Both are outlined in red.

Finished

Symphonic Lines Held in Check

I like the darker border I added. It took a few passes for the final look of said border. Each time getting darker and I wanted to be a warm border which it is.

After finishing this piece I thought that this was worthy of a series and I’d like to go forward with the same color tint as a ground and using the charcoal as a starting point and using muted colors as done on this piece with maybe getting more confidence with the colors as I go.

Dissolve Slide Video of Referenced Photos

Mousing over and off the video, when it is playing,  makes the controls appear or disappear.

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