Heart and Soul acrylic street musician portrait

                                                                  Heart and Soul
                                                                       12"x16"
                                                                    Acrylic/oil

This is one is ready to be done, the fourth in my street musician series.  I just loved the concentration that this guy has for his music, and yes I think he is making music from his heart and soul.  I also really like the connection between the musician and the cello.  Yes, I do listen to music while I paint.  I am a person who grew up on classical music, my brother is a very talented musician.  I like to listen to instruments rather than keep track of words.  So the music is often soaring in my art room.

I am having the best time at just shutting up and listening to my heart and letting the brush go for it.  After all these years it is about time I guess.   I also look at this like I am kind of sneaking up on it.  This is larger than I have been painting, 12"x16" and it is primarily acrylic but does have some final glazes of oil.  I also did this on canvas board rather than paper, it is a medium texture canvas and going forward I think I'd want to get a finer grade. Also I took the time to varnish it with non-spray varnish, gave it a bit of a thicker coat and boy, oh boy, did it ever pop the colors out.

Also, want to tell the story of the background.  I originally wanted to do another background entirely, but ended us using a board with an old painting, about twenty years ago painting.   So it was a pretty sad painting, and rather than gessoing over with solid white gesso I thought I'd put on ultramarine blue, spreading it with an old hotel key card.  You can see in spots where the underpainting shows through because the ultramarine is so transparent.  It wasn't looking all that exciting and I had some shadows/hard edges where I didn't want them and as you can see I scratched some vertical lines in it while it was wet.  I wasn't feeling any energy in the piece so I sponged on some additional color and let it overlap the musician and his instrument in places.

Thanks much for stopping by and taking a look.


Comments

laurelle said…
What a wonderful painting, Nelvia! The composition is excellent and the background enhances the subject.
laurelle muditaart.blogspot.com.es (I added this because the comment sign-out choices are not anything I use;)
hmuxo said…
LOVE the subject Nelvia. And this is beautifully painted!!!
Joan Tavolott said…
I think this is one of my new favorites of yours! I can almost hear the music. I loved reading your description of how you did the background, which really came out so well. This is beautiful and has such emotion!
Nelvia said…
Thank you Laurel for stopping by and leaving such a super comment, it is very much appreciated. I will visit your site.
Nelvia said…
Thank you Hilda, these are coming together and if I just shut up and let go it amazes me what is coming out. Sure hope it can continue. After all these years I am finding that brushes are my friends.
Nelvia said…
I agree with you Joan, this one has a real connection between the musician and the instrument. Thanks so much for sharing what you felt with this, it really helps inspire me to continue.
What super use of an old used canvas! The background is great and works so well with the feel of the piece. This series has been a joy to see Nelvia - well done!
Sheila said…
Love reading about your process, and how you overcame obstacles. ;) I love it. The lines are dynamic, the layers are rich, and the light is awesome! The intensity on his face is palpable. :)
Jane said…
Very intense , love the background , makes it almost surreal !

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