New Finished Painting: Bubblegum Blue

Bubblegum Blue, acrylic on canvas panel, 14x18, 2008

This afternoon, I finished this abstract portrait after only a second painting session. Check out the difference from last week when I first started it. Amazing what a few more layers of color and some details can do.

I'm mostly happy with the way it turned out -- the brushstrokes and color harmonies give it an overall positive feeling. The one thing I'm not thrilled about though is some of the texture. It was painted over an older painting that had a dot pattern, so some areas are a little more lumpy than I would like. That said, I really like how the texture of the hair turned out -- almost like of layers of bubblegum, inspiring the name of the piece.

I think "Bubblegum Blue" is also a little bit of a jump from my usual abstract portraits. It has somewhat of a realistic and three-dimensional quality to it, but at the same time retains my cartoon-esque style. I'm usually able to get a more 3-D look when I sketch with pencil or charcoal on paper, and so I'm trying to bring that quality to my portrait paintings.

Now that it's finished, I'll pick up a frame for it and add a protective varnish when I'm back in the studio in a couple days.