Jumping Off a Cliff

Look what I just got....

Wow!  Three more huge canvases! I have plans.  BIG plans!!!

But first there are still a few things I need to do to finish up my Indian.  Gonna pump it up!  In order to do that I must jump off yet another cliff.  

My first college painting teacher and once closest friend (I miss her friendship) used to tell all of her new painting students,

 "Making great art is like jumping off a cliff.  If it doesn't challenge you, if it is comfortable and familiar, it is no longer great art, it's just  a hobby."

Now I'm not saying what I'm making here is "great art"  but it has been challenging and I was really afraid to take the next big, important, and crucial step to see the vision I had for this piece through to the end.

I have gotten so many compliments on my painting and I really, REALLY appreciate all of the wonderful feed back and with that in mind you can see how it would be difficult to take what most consider a finished painting through to the next level.

I have never gold leafed before tonight and I wasn't even sure I could make it look right on the massive scale of this painting but I just had to try.  

So I did a test run on an old canvas........

and it looked horrible!!!  This stuff weighs less than air.  OML (Oh My Lord)!

Well, I  decided to go for greatness but first I tried to get one more picture.  I took it to the  fabulous back steps of my trailer house to use the natural indirect outdoor light, or whatever.  I guess this will have to do for my best photograph of my painting before I either completely screw it up or raise it to a higher level (hoping for the later).  Good bye brown background!!!!

Here I go, jumping...

Crap!  This is scary!  Just keep going!

Not too shabby  .Looking saintly with his gold halo.

Nice contrast, I am beginning to relax!  (ignore the tripod leg!  oml!)

I was starting to get excited about my jump off the cliff and enjoying the rush when I ran out of gold leaf.  

Darn!

To be continued...