Here's the photo I'll be working from on this painting. I had originally just planned to paint the sign, but when I got the photo back, I noticed all the little people in the background setting up their tents for the day. I normally don't paint people, but I decided to give it a try on this piece.
DAY ONE: Here's the drawing on my canvas.
Here's the paint I'll use for the sky.
Starting the sky...
painting around the sign...
painting the sign
painting the water
more work on the sign
DAY TWO: Here's the paint for the people and their umbrellas.
starting the people
umbrellas, more people
I finished the people and then moved onto the sign and the boogie boards.
Now I'm going to add the sand!
The sand is finished. I tried to make it feel nice and HOT like it was in real life.
I think I'm done! Time to let this dry...
Here’s the first painting I’ve begun since June that was NOT a commissioned project . Which basically means, it’s the first painting I’ve done in several months, in which I chose the subject matter.
During the second day into this painting I realized something.
I had just finished a painting of a street-scape in Haiti that was lined with people and umbrellas and tents. And now I have the pick of the universe to paint, and what did I choose?
Another scene with people and umbrellas and tents.
If I think too closely about the contrast between the two paintings, it’s actually a little disturbing to me.
In my other painting, the people in Haiti are setting up umbrellas to eek out a lively hood in their city which was recently devastated by an earthquake. The tents are there to house the people who have lost their homes in the earthquake.
While in this painting, the people on the beach are setting up umbrellas and tents, simply so they don’t get sunburned. (Burned from the sun in a place they paid money to visit, and willingly chose to sit in their small swimsuits.)
Something about this does not seem fair to me. But I guess the people on the beach have worked hard all year to pay for their fun in the sun.
This painting was really just intended to capture a beautiful day on vacation, not to become a social commentary about life in America versus the rest of the world. HOWEVER, the contrast between the two different worlds sure did get me thinking.
I desperately hope the people from my painting of Haiti get to go on vacation too. Unfortunately, I’m kind of doubtful about that…
