The newest addition to my steam-inspired series, The Compass [above] is about navigation, maps, an adventurer and her gadgets and machines. Unlike the Clockwork Woman, this girl is far less cryptic, perhaps more in control. I am particularly amused by the fact that the type of compass pictured is a drafting tool, reflective of my own vocation as an artist and interest in geometric patterns, and that such compasses were often used in Medieval manuscripts as a symbol of God's act of creation.
As for the technical aspects of the painting, it is smoother and less abstract than the first piece in the series, less simplified than the second. . . I partly wanted to pay homage to 50's movie posters and sci-fi illustrations, but also liked the idea of the figure developing clarity and distinction from the various swirls and general mechanical shapes around her. Where will the series go from here? Will our traveler take a closer look at her map or will she take a wild leap into uncharted territory?
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2 comments
I've looked at this painting three or four times now. It's very engrossing. I keep staring at it and staring at it, and it's making my mind go routes that do not express themselves in words.
I know what you mean! This type of work is definitely taking me in new directions. . . I'm currently working on some traditional portrait pieces (well, I am working on several different things all at once, so I've no clue when they'll finally be posted), but I think I'll be going back to this painting and the other two "Steampunk" pieces again and again!
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