Moving on from covering the original canvas in a dark colour I wanted to explore if the effect and narrative of the image changed by using a white to partially obscure the original portrait. When I started to paint over the first one it felt to me as if I was veiling the image not blocking as I had with the darker colour before. It seemed to give a softer description to the first one.
After sanding the white away from the features, particularly the eyes, the impression was one of gentle observation of the eyes looking out.
Kathryn Raffell, 2015, Ghost, Acrylic on Canvas, 40cmx50cm.
However with the second canvas I started over-painting from the outside edges towards the edges of the face and the effect was totally different. The impression was of a face trying to peer through the part not over-painted. The white was acting like a barrier, or wall, that was being broken through from behind the white layer. The remains of the face was peering through. It gave an unsettling feeling, as if the image could move to observe the viewer from a different angle. I almost wanted to carry on and paint the whole surface.
Kathryn Raffell, 2015, Untitled, my original over-painted work acrylic on Canvas, 40cmx50cm.
Outcome of these pieces of work:-
- I need to hang these on the studio wall and contemplate how, and if, I will rework or add, subtract from the canvases.
- Question if I want to continue to explore in this manner
