I started this painting on 20th October, 2010, for the fractured Vision show in Birkenhead Pavilion. It is taken from a royalty free image of a mask submerging into the water.
I liked the image as it to me described how a person could feel that they are drowning in what they have made of themselves, that what they have become is not there true self, and that they are living under false appearances, hence the title Dissimulate, the mask idea, is again about hidden identity.
3rd November, 2010.
Well I have painted the top half of my painting; I did that in an afternoon. The tricky bit now is the water and getting the reflections right from the mask. I am using a different brush stroke in the bottom half of the painting, compared to the top.
Not quite right!
I need to make short little horizontal brush strokes and reflect the mask above into the water.
Lessons learnt from this painting, well, I need to work on my brush work more. I am developing a distinct style in the way I work, but I need to be aware of how my brush can work for me. I think I may do some little exercises in painting techniques in my own time, I will do some simple still life images, it may help as I have never really done anything like that before, it will give me a basic training in which I can develop my style.
