The Carving has Begun!
With the dark tones and the highlights painted in, I was ready to reveal the mid-tone. I began by slicing through the cardboard for the finer details and tearing the broader areas.
The torn areas could be seen as a metaphor for damage and resilience, the surface is broken and damaged but not destroyed. The exposed cardboard gave the portrait a physical depth and hopefully a psychological depth.
Having exposed the many tones and textures of the cardboard the painted areas began to look flat in comparison. The white background perhaps now looks too stark, but rather than seeing this as a weakness I see this as an opportunity to explore and experiment.
I have thought about the possibility of adding drips, dust, dirt or tearing more of the background away, however it cannot remain in its present state. Perhaps the flatness can be cured with another tone or wash?
