Chaos - painting

Yesterday, I finally finished the first of 2 paintings I'd been working on here in Haarlem. Its called Chaos, and features 5 crows mid-flight, taking off, and landing, on a stormy background. It is about feeling chaotic (naturally), a little scattered, and in a state of movement in unclear direction.

I bought the canvas, black and white acrylic paint, and 2 paint brushes from Xenos a few weeks ago for some ridiculously small sum around 5 euros - that shop is magically cheap, interesting, and offers an extra 25% off at the weekend! I started with drawing a couple of practice sketches of crows, and testing out different compositions, before drawing out my final plan onto the canvas, unsure of how it would really come out. 

practice sketch

materials 

the plan

If memory serves I had procrastinated a great deal that evening, and was also drinking wine, so by the time I was ready to paint it was already far too dark (and I'd had too much wine). I've made the mistake of painting in the dark before and although I eventually painted a lot of this picture in less than ideal lighting (oops!) I didn't want to start that way. A few days later, while my roommate was out running errands, I found the time to start and managed to get a fair amount done while watching The Mask You Live in - a documentary about society's depiction of traditional masculinity, the male counterpart to Miss Representation, both of which I really really enjoyed. 

first 2 birds

Over the next couple of weeks I painted small portions in increments whenever I had the time, it was a really nice creative outlet and surprisingly easy. I had trouble when deciding on a background, and asked around for advice from my colleagues. The favourite idea was something stormy, with grey clouds and rain, and perhaps some lightning, but having never painted anything like that before (and also set to struggle as I dislike painting in backgrounds behind already filled areas) I was a little skeptical although determined!

first attempt at a background (with coffee of course)

After I painstakingly outlined all of the birds and made a stab at painting clouds, I decided that I actually hated how it was coming out. In an attempt to make the clouds soft and undefined, I had made a something reminiscent of a primary school photo background. Sadly this put me off painting quite a lot, and I took a long break before eventually taking a look at other cloud paintings online for inspiration. The second attempt was much more cartoon-like but I am much more pleased with the way it looks.

second attempt (now with tea)

much better clouds!

almost finished

Yet again I got distracted, and began to paint something new (another cheap canvas!) and so the crows languished in the Night Watch room for almost 2 weeks before eventually being completed. Putting in the final highlights and signing in red was very satisfactory, made only better by the fact I finished the second painting (post coming soon!) on the same day so we were able to hang them in our room that evening. The following day I gifted Chaos to a friend and colleague from the hostel who was particularly fond of it, as I do not have nearly enough space on my own walls back in Maas, and I thought it would be a nice gift before I am scheduled to leave next week. I'm really happy with how the painting came out, and I'm happy that its hanging in the gorgeous apartment of such a cool friend.

completed painting

in the Night Watch room