Can you tell what it is yet?

This is an attempt to open up my painting process. Normally I just disappear into my studio and paint without any reference to the outside world or the input of others.

I intend filming this project as well as photographing it for daily posts here and on Flickr.com (my flickr ID is Distant Sun). The intention is to make a documentary about the project for my own use as well as a record of the event. Unfortunately all I have is a digital compact camera so I’m looking for film makers to collaborate with, especially if you bring better equipment with them.

In return for your help I am willing to collaborate with you on your own ideas. The idea behind the project is to open up my painting process and see how it develops in response to the input of others. It may be that I discover a way of integrating painting/film making in producing this new art work and this will influence the progress of the painting. I am also more than happy for you to put your own spin on this and produce work of your own. This applies to any artist, not just film-makers.

The actual painting is now well under way. I started by using an Over Head Projector to project teaxt on to the wall. By using the OHP I was able to distort th eplanes of the surface creating optical illusions with the text. This is something I will explore further when I start adding images in to the work.

Just as an aside, I am as this project progresses getting to grips with my growing online empire. As well as this blog I have my own website and flickr pages. I am also involved with the re-design of the waygood's new website. From out of no-where the internet is starting to have a bigger and bigger impact upon the life of an artist. I am sure that there are artists out there who have never touched a computer, let alone up-loaded a photo and I am sure that they are happy and well. However for the comitted contemporary artist the potential of the web is just starting to unfold.

The canvas all 26metres (86 feet) is now up and stretched.

And a new questions has come up. What would you do with a surface area this big? How would the opportunity to use this surface sit in you practice?

Can your art work on this scale? If you already work on this scale I am interested in hearing about you strategies for working on such a scale.

Follow the project in my Flickr photostream

e-mail [email protected] or visit www.glenncruddas.com

This project is now well under way, I have got the canvas stretched and the first coat of primer is on. I am also now exhausted from two hard days graft.

The images continue to come in although now I am trying to make it clear that I am looking for any input to this project. It is, or has become, a dialogue about painting, painting on a large scale, so as well as images I am looking for any input; comment, text or suggestions. I would be happy to consider how I would work with say a poet or a performer.

Now that I have got the wall covered in canvas some basic issues have become more immediate concerns. The sheer size of the bloody thing for one. I'm exhausted. As I think I have mentioned before the length and shape of the surface suggest certainly a formal narrative arising as well as possibly a literal narrative, especially if I use the various very different images people have submitted.

Also considering the narrative, where do I start? The left hand side?

I will obviously keep this blog updated throughout August but I will post most pictures on my flickr.com pages.