Harman Studio Blog

More work on the preparatory sketch… basic symbolism of Platonic Solids has the cube representing Earth and the tetrahedron representing Fire. So the columns show the progression from dense materiality through the seven spirals of evolution to the more subtle realms of spirit. I want to convey the idea of the cube as an energy source, fiery and potent. My main concern now is to balance the colors and tones of the temple with the heavenly realms, maintaining contrast and perspective, but I think this is sufficiently worked: I’m ready to transfer the outlines to the board finally.

Working on the sketch today, decided to really construct the columns myself instead of  relying on other’s art. In Illustrator, I designed the spirals as a straight column, then swelled the base and middle a bit. Decided against the double smaller columns, no call for them. This column is becoming a seven step chakra energy channel, now that I made the colors transform. So: square energy for the base, representing Earth and materiality. Above is circle energy, for spirit. I now need to design the energy geometries that inhabit the above and below, these are just placeholders.

Here’s a peek into my workflow, on this painting “The Hesitation”. In an earlier post, I showed my pencil sketch for this, and I spent a number of hours preparing a panel, working on the drawing and starting to paint. I chose a smaller size panel than usual, thinking I might finish more quickly, but I got bogged down. It wasn’t speaking to me. Finally, it became clear that a new start was in order. A larger panel was gessoed, and I had fun making this sketch in the computer. Photoshop is a wonderful tool to try out various elements until they feel right, and this is now ready to transfer to the board. It’s a painstaking procedure to draw all these details onto the virgin white gesso… but now it’s got that zip I like to feel!

Here are two views of my first mural in a home. This wall is large, 16 feet wide by 12 feet tall, with two side walls. The owners wanted an image that would give a sense of landscape rather than a fully representational render. They liked my earlier ribbon mural (in a clinic) so I came up with this combined painting. Careful masking took two days, followed by two days of mixing and spraying the chosen colors. To finish it off, I sprayed a protective gloss coat on the ribbons only. Unmasking was the best part!