Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Shadowed by Deadlines

This topic was interesting. The more I thought about it, the more I realized my pet peeves were mostly things I brought on myself.

Deadlines for example. I have this need/hate thing about them. When I paint I'm very obsessive about details & could happily keep tweaking forever. So I'm usually resentful about having to stop & declare a piece done. But I also really hate being late.

This inner conflict results in a lot of long nights, stress, & eyestrain. Yet if it weren't for deadlines I'd probably still be working on this piece I started 8 years ago!

It was done as an entry to an RSVP competition with the theme of shadows. (I made the deadline & it made the show!) It's acrylic on primed paper, 6x9". Click for a closer view of obsessive detail in the border.

Apologies for another old one... I'm hoping to get an original drawing done for this week, but it's looking somewhat dicey. Deadline stress again!

32 comments:

Bobo said...

Fabulous. I like the details of her hands, and the background is amazing beautiful.

Nicola said...

Yes, your juxtaposition of detail makes me want to see this piece in original form. Reminds me of something Raymond Carver wrote in connection to his short stories--how he would write one in a couple of days and then tweek it for months. Anyway, your piece is a feast for the eyes...

Anonymous said...

The detail is gorgeous - is the background painted with a brush or a pen?

You've caught that soul-destroying exhaustion horribly well.

Curious Art said...

Thanks, all! Tanaudel, the background is painted with very fine brushes... 4x0 to 10x0. Sometimes I even trim them down with an x-acto to achieve the finest lines (virtually invisible at this resolution). Told you I was obsessive!

By the way, I call these paintings MANIAtures...

Anagc3 said...

nice eyes very dramatic!

SLW said...

Wow, this is much "colder" than a lot of your other pieces. I can really tell it's a pet peeve.

Anonymous said...

I love the details you make! I like the eyes. Its truly bulging out i mean it does looks stress and tired.

Ellen said...

Your work is really awesome! I hope Penny interviews you on I-Fri. I would like to learn more about how you got started!

Isabelle said...

This is a fabulous image! Your obsessive ways are helping you produce true wonders!

Unknown said...

Wow great composition. I love the Poe -esque character and the blood.

Anonymous said...

hahaha! i love this and the part about the obsessive you. thank goodness for deadlines, even artists need some rules.
thanks for visiting life illustrated and your kind comment.

Unknown said...

utterly great

Sally said...

Beautiful illustration! I do feel the same about deadlines - can't live with them, can't live without them!
Your painting style is amazing and I am totally drawn in by all your details.

Unknown said...

wonderful work!!! I love it and like you have this thing about finishing touches and deadlines...I have vowed to never be late with any deadlines...could be why I am up so late every night...lol

timafli said...

I don't like deadlines but you know we need them in order to get things done. Very cool illustration, I believe you are a great craftsman.

Cynthia DiBlasi - Fine Art said...

Deadlines make me go absolutely out of my mind! That is also when I feel I do my best work. Your work is beautiful, and I think the obsessive quality you have is what makes it as fabulous as it is. Every piece you show is gorgeous and looks like much love, care and attention to detail have been put into it. Great job Leah!

Tony LaRocca said...

Cool work - looks like an undead-line to me!

Ammon said...

You are insanely talented.

Wow

Great website too. I really like your range of work

Anonymous said...

Beautiful piece ! The details are gorgeous. I am happy to learn that I am not the only one to hate deadlines !

Nemo said...

Absolutely gorgeous...I smile reading your "pet peeves". I hate deadlines too, I´d prefer it doesn´t exist but, you are right, it´s necessary...
The background is really amazing, all the details, I love it!
I´m full of admiration. I´m uncapable to work on the same ilo more than a day...

Ces Adorio said...

Holy macro! I am glad I stumbled on your blog! I was just at the Carolinas. Lovely place.

neilornstein said...

I live my life chasing deadlines (or vice versa). I sometimes have daydreams about going to jail (a minimum security hoosegow) where I could catch up on my reading.
Mostly I feel the way your person looks.

Anonymous said...

i can really relate to this! you've captured that feeling in this piece perfectly.

your being obsessive has resulted to a lot of beautiful artwork, which is a good thing for us who admire your work :)

Anonymous said...

these eyes feel like mine...

Richard Franklin said...

Leah, there's absolutely nothing wrong with being obsessive if this is the result. As Nicola said, "a feast for the eyes". I say yum-yum to that. The border/background is marvelous with all the flourishes and little quotations. And you've captured that deadline feeling very well.

Greg Hartman said...

Hi Leah- Love the border in this one...no wonder it was pushing the deadline! Your obsession with detail is appreciated and inspiring. I understand your delima I think, it would be nice to have a less work-intensive style but then it wouldn't be any fun to produce. I've done another Alice in Wonderland piece you might enjoy...check it out when you can.

Digital Scott's Illustrationblog said...

Such an amazing piece! Utterly fascinating.

Greg Hartman said...

Yeah, vegetarians taste best and you would have been in the right place! To answer your question about the Alice paintings:they were just for fun, I was thinking to make prints and cards of them...your idea for a home in the Children's Library is a good idea for the original paintings.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is some crazy detail on the border. Your blog is filled with amazing work; some true works of art.

Tony LaRocca said...

As always, your style rocks. Love it.

Dot said...

you have a gorgeous style.. thanks for stopping by my blog!

dot

Emily said...

bit of a gothicly worn out feel... alas if only stress were this romantic! hihi... sigh, anyhow great illo!