Uniquely KJ

WIP: Bonsai Pt. 2

Kris Jean — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:51:45 +0000

I’m not quite as far as I would like, but I got alot done today. Since my last post I had not gone back to it. I need to get these done sooner LOL. I always seem like a last minute entry in the shows.

Here is my progress:

WIP

I really like to use pink and green in my art as contrasting colors (can’t ya tell?). I know it’s a bonsai tree and leaves are usually green I KNOW! I just felt the tree needed to be pink. Even the trunk is a very dark pink. Makes me think of a cotton candy bonsai tree in a land far away. It makes me smile I need that right now. (more on that later – maybe)

It will be lined in black. I’m torn on the pot color I’m leaning twards white or a deeper green to keep it all in the color story I have goin on here. Thoughts?

This sucker is really gonna POP POP POP once i get her lined out.

Well it’s 1am I guess I better go to bed, if I can. I also have another project I started but not ready to talk about that one yet. I’ve hit a hiccup before it even really began. So once I get that problem solved I’ll post about it. Wish me LUCK!

WIP: Bonsai

Kris Jean — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 06:03:47 +0000

Well I decided to go for it.

I’m happy with the arc of the tree, and the trunk. The leaf lines will be changing and prob taken out in alot of places and color used instead of line boundries.

Progress so far, wet cement.

Bonsai WIP

As I sit here pondering…

Kris Jean — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 04:00:06 +0000

What to paint next? Another Pop-Tanical? A nude? I have 10 8x10x3/4 canvases gessoed and ready to go. It’s just a matter of deciding on what to do. Bonsai is the next FOTM show, so that is an option too. Let’s see what the EBSQ shows are shall we?

Rhinos, Bonsai, and Familiar. (I won’t enter Motion Photography as I lent my SLR to my sis)

Bonsai, both my Dad and My Aunt Edith had one. Might have to do a lil research on that. – Hmmmm didn’t know there was different types. Interesting. Will have to keep that in mind.

Rhinos, that is a bit quirky – not quite sure what I would do with it when I was done though. Not sure if there is a market for rhino art LOL so it would just be a fun piece.

Familiar – a one word concept show – I don’t think I’ve done one of those before. M-W Dictonary says:

Definition of FAMILIAR

1

: a member of the household of a high official

2

: one who is often seen and well known; especially : an intimate associate : companion

3

: a spirit often embodied in an animal and held to attend and serve or guard a person

4

a : one who is well acquainted with something b : one who frequents a place

There could be something there too. I feel my brain churning – creative juices flowing………..

….to be continued

Snowdrops WON!

Kris Jean — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 03:03:06 +0000

As I sit here watching Basic Instinct 2 (have no idea why) I’m pleased to announce my painting Snowdrops won Patrons Choice. Patrons Choice means it was chosen by the patrons of EBSQ and that truly means alot to me. I’m very thankful that my fans and followers have stuck by me during my extended leave from art due to cancer and my recovery.

I’ve not posted the finished product here yet so here she is:

: Snowdrops by Kris Jean

She will be listed for sale on Etsy soon. Keep an eye on my facebook or my fan page for the listing.

Yesterday was a rough day, so this was just what I needed to help cheer me up.

THANK YOU.

WIP: Snowdrops

Kris Jean — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:33:51 +0000

My hands are so raw from painting this weekend. I’m not used to the small motor actions and it took a while to get fluid strokes. I’m hoping it will just be a little bit before they go back to normal. I didn’t realize how tight my hands have gotten.

I’m working on a painting of a flowering winter plant for an EBSQ show. I’ve not done a botanical in a while so the process was fun. I have changed my process a little bit and so far it seems to be working better. It’s an extra step but it is saving me heartache. After I sketch my base out I paint over the pencil with black then erase the lines. I’m reusing an unfinished nude canvas 8x10x3/4 wrapped.

The new step I added was to gesso again. The main reason is to protect from unerased pencil from showing through. Graphite is reflective so when photographed or lit it will reflect right through the paint. So I’m always having to paint paint paint just to cover those errant pencil marks. So it adds a step but relives more work in the long wrong. The other reason is I’m going to try to not outline the whole thing, I’m going to do it more artfully/simply – so this fades the black lines to guides.

outlined base design

background green stems and leaves

I have gone through and painted it fully, and it’s just waiting for black line details.

white and color detail shading added

So far so good. It should be done in the next couple of days and I will keep you updated.

progress I love it!

A New Begining (I’m Back – for good)

Kris Jean — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 03:18:14 +0000

I’ve found myself, lost myself and almost died all in the last couple of years. Alot has changed with me, yet alots has stayed the same. I find I am still on a path to self discovery, emotional growth, and self awareness; just as I closed the last leg of that journey. I do this through my art. I’ve taken some time off, which is something I swore I would never do as; it has always saved me in the past. However, this last bout with depression even art couldn’t save me. I sunk down low again, only to be brought back by the realization that nothing over the past year could have been changed. It is was it was. Cancer is gone. I survived. But that is not the end of the story…..only a new chapter.

My art is very personal to me, it is born from love of big bright colors and contrasts. I tend to lean more tward a graphic style because it alows me to play with balance, and color more freely I think. My subjects are mainly nudes and botanicals. We are never more exposed as when we are naked – one can’t hide. With my nudes I try to convey emotions and personalities without the use of facial features. There are many answers to the question “why”, but one has to look deep into the choice of colors, balance, stance, poses, of the subject. It is not just about a beautiful body.

My botanicals also take a graphic “pop portrait” glance at one of natures most striking visions. I try to bring their beauty to a new audience by utilizing a previously untapped style in the botanical market. They are so simple and complex at the same time, it is hard to show their full true beauty. So I try to simplify the colors, and lines; though sometimes I find it hard to hold back.

As with many artists my artwork is a living breathing creation – I never stop transitioning, growing, and learning as a person so my art should reflect that, and it does. They are my children.

(My previous blog was eaten by a snake so I’m starting fresh.)