Finished and In Progress

My work thus far has continued to develop into a discovery of what brush strokes and types of paint application contribute to the importance of the subject matter. I have certainly found that even if a technique is not ultimately the right direction for me to go in, it is always worth trying. I speak mostly to my usage of drips at this point. In my first piece I purposefully worked with a great deal of water so that my paint would drip on its own. As I progressed into my second and third pieces however, I found myself adding drips where they would not naturally fall in my initial paint application. Also, with my third piece I experimented with the use of more direct symbolism by adding a different type of mark making over my fathers portrait. I also portrayed my father in a position contrary to a classical portrait. As I work to complete my fourth piece and begin a fifth, I am contemplating whether overlaying marks are too distracting to the viewer and are detracting from rather than enhancing the importance of my father as a subject matter. At this point I think I will continue to ease up on the drips and try applying more paint to the portrait before trying to add symbolism that is too bold or overbearing.