I present to you my latest painting, "Icarus in Training". Icarus doesn't have his wings yet, but like the young birds, he is training, preparing for the big day, when he has to make the leap of faith and fly.
We all face at some point, the next big step, in our life, in many different forms, and many different times, when our life will be transformed one way or another. A large part of the outcome is determined by our mindset. But this topic I am going to keep for my next post. Stay tuned...
Painting Development
This is a brief look at the painting development. There is much more work to it than what you see in these three images, but I did not take too many shots, as I was busy working on the painting and... busy on Steemit.
"Icarus in Training", Leo Plaw, 40 x 30cm, oil on cavnas
The original is available for purchase. Bitcoin, Etherium, Monero and Steem/SBD accepted.
Please leave your thoughts and comments below. Upvote and Resteem if you like it.
@ellievallie wrote a short story that had its germination in the above painting of Icarus. I recommend visiting her post also.
More of my artwork can be found on my website. LeoPlaw.com
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Cool.
What a wonderful composition. The energy is buzzing with the anticipation of a future flight.
Thank you @opheliafu!
As the TV Superman would say, "Up up and away!" =)
Very powerful. Love it
The Fight of Icarus was one of may absolute favorite stories in Greek mythology. Such an excellent painting.
The motif has always been attractive, and I think there have been many wonderful artists in the past who have done excellent work with bringing the image alive. They have been inspirational for me.
You deserve all the praise you keep getting with each post here. This is a great piece. Will definitely share, though I don't have many to share too :P
Thank you Christopher! I am grateful for the share, regardless the size of the audience. Greetings. =)
good work..i like your forms and the posture too
Thank you @purplerabbit!
Excellent piece Leo! Really nice and straight forward composition and I'm impressed, how you gave the figure such strong bird like characteristics.
Love the early morning colors of the sky, emphasizing the theme of a new dawn.
Thanks Reinhard. I'm really putting the focus on colour with my work now. I really need to master the subtleties of colour, light effects colour, colour effects dimension.
As humans, we identify with human form. We express ourselves with it. Thereby, if we use the human figure in our work, we can communicate ideas directly and people will understand, regardless of spoken language and most culture. It is universal, because the human form is universal to us.
Yes, the color aspect alone is such a big thing to master. Working on glass helped me quite a bit with transparent pigments, which I really love... to the point, that I almost neglect the other ones, which do have their place in the painting.
You mentioned the palette in another post, and I was kinda curious, what your preferences are... although I respect every artist who's not ready to share such things... being a bit secretive about my stuff too ;-)
Absolutely agree, with what you say about the human form, but... not sure if I'm making sense... you bent it in a form that would make one instantly think of the posture of a bird (and I'm not only talking of the arms) that the theme of "flight" is imminent
I see no harm mentioning the tubes of paint I use, but which on which point on the canvas, I won't say. How and what I mix, an artist has to work out for themselves otherwise they are learning nothing. It is what I have to do when I examine artworks of others, or translate a reference into the painting.
I work mostly with earth tones these days. Discovering Apelles Palette as the fundamental starting point of all of the Master Painters set me in this direction. The key is a limited palette with mostly dirty colours.
Cadmium Yellow, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Kasseler Brown, Van Dykes Brown, Paynes Grey, Ultramarine, Prussian Blue, Titanium White.
I may vary this selection slightly for each painting.
With the figure, I did modify it slightly to invoke the impression of flight and take off.
You are very talented! Keep us updated with more paintings. I especially like the muscles contrast!!
Thank you @keyss! Certainly! There are more artworks on the way. =)
Make sure you follow and then you'll get the updates.
On the one hand, I've had such a normal upbringing with my mum, who has kept me grounded, but on the other, the wild experiences through my dad.
And you get to decide which action to play out, and figure out which best suites when. =)
Upvoted. I'm going to resteem this now :)
Thank you, thank you @taylor.swift! =)
Beautiful painting. Already following. Upvoted for sure :)
Cheers @artystuff! =)
Wow this is a beautiful picture. I think the title captures the pictures content very well as well as the painting does a great justice to the title :D
I'm happy to hear that @gniksivart. Thank you! =)
This painting is beautiful.
You inspired me to write about Icarus!
https://steemit.com/neomythology/@ellievallie/neomythology-burnout
♥
Wonderful Ellie! I'll take a look. =)
Thank you.
Thank you for the resteem! =)
You are most welcome, thank you for the inspiration!
Pleased to provide the spark for a creative fire.
This is absolutely beautiful - the way you worked so many colors into the body is gorgeous and on point. I had a portrait painting professor in college who used to say "Light effects color, color effects dimension" .. you have done a great job of representing the change of planes across the body and how the light will interract with each one slightly shifting. Great work - looking forward to seeing more - upvoted, following and resteemed!
Thank you @j-vo! Light and colour are very important to me. I spend a great deal of time studying the works of other artists. I am also giving much more attention to the world around me, to observe, what is actually there, and not what I think I see. I am learning to "see."
Exactly, my professors helped to unlock thay in me and my work had improved so much! I just love your work, and I will be looking out for more!
Thank you @j-vo, more to come. ;-)
WOW - grandios - well painted , and the thoughts behind the painting is cool ...
Voted & resteemed
Thanking you most kindly good sir! =)
Very cool Leo....love the little progress strip!
definitely worth the upvote.
Thanking you most kindly. =)
I really like how you put the diversity in work, this artwork stays a bit more human. than your other artworks. I love your art in general, looking up to you for the next one!
Cheers!
Thank you very much @svdsdragunov! I will be working on drawings until next week. Then I'll switch back to painting again. Stay tuned for the updates. =)
Attracted right away to the painting due to the title. I've always been fascinated by the lesson one learns from the story of Icarus.
Beautiful painting and great detail. What you chose to portray in Icarus' position before taking flight is truly powerful and compelling. Nice to also see the progression of this piece of work.
Thanks for sharing!
Icarus is a theme I have painted quite a few times now. The story and the motif has inspired countless people before us, and likely countless after us.
Thank you @offoodandart!
will this be a series? Like the story up to the crash-landing?
Ages ago I made a colored drawing of Pegasus crashing. It is lost and I don't have a photo. Maybe I should take up that idea again. I studied Greek Mythology already as a pre-teen in my grandfather's library.
I have painted the theme a number of times over the years, and it will likely appear again. It was figure that inspired the idea, so there wasn't a planned series.
Yes, perhaps you should redo your crashed Pegasus.
One feels attracted to those things which give pleasure
This is something extra! Really nice painting and feeling of freedom it gave me. I also saw your top 10 artist on Steemit list. Helped me to find some new masters I haven't seen before. Your work really inspires and to see you and other artist who have been part of Steemit for a longer period and your passion. I really want to take part of this even more. See my "Smallest portrait on Steemit - Time Lapse - Here. Have a great day!
Hi @jnart! Thanks for your comments and dropping by and introducing yourself. You have a new follower. =)
I see you studied at the Florence Art Academy Sweden. I've started tracking the classical art academies around the world and trying to plot the network of figurative arts. I'm sure you can understand my personal interest. How long did you attend the academy?
Stupendous!
Do you do commissioned art? I conceptualize, you configure, crowd pays?
Hi @panopticalvia! Thank you for your inquiry. I have a number of projects on the go at the moment. I have done commissioned artworks for a fixed price.
Surreal that I found this just now. I can relate at times.
I like your art! It's great! great skill! thanks fot sharing! follow you!
Invite you to see my blog, also about an art!