I’ve been working with multiple figures:
Multiple figures
Multiple figures
A friend of mine, artist Jim Angell, said, “You’re knocking on the door” when he looked at these. In introducing more than one woman the challenges of color, composition, and movement become more apparent. I’m happy with the sensual, fleshy quality the women have. But I’m bothered with the stasis of these pictures. The figures are similar in weight, color, and size. I want my eye to continuously rove around the panel, which it doesn’t do yet. 
In the third piece I like the negative space that starts in the upper left and works its way down. But the negative space in the upper right is competing with it. I decided to make another version of this piece varying the color and lightness of the figures in hope to create more depth and motion. I also incorporated a new figure in the upper right to accentuate the negative space in the left. 
Multiple figures
I’m leaving the safer realm of one centralized figure. I’m beginning to use the entire picture plane. I’m beginning to crop. I’m making asymmetrical compositions. But unfortunately this piece is not working yet. It looks like two separate paintings welded together down the middle. And each figure needs more contrast in its size, color, and weight.
In creating these pieces I’m gaining clarity on my process. Once I’ve printed on the fabric and bound the thing together with encaustic the picture is finished. I haven’t figured out how to go back into the piece and change it. But what I can do is make another version. Working with the computer, I can adjust the hue and darkness of each figure. I can move the figures around. Because I am using a computer during this phase of the process I’m getting lost in all the options I have at my disposal. I’m realizing that I need to give myself more time to live with the pieces before they are printed and painted.