Odalisque - watercolor - 10" x 8" by Dave Martsolf
This image is a watercoloring of a pen and ink drawing. The drawing was transferred to watercolor paper by laser printer, then colored-in with watercolors.
The pen drawing is one of those exercises where the artist seeks to plumb the unconscious depths of his psyche and let whatever is percolating down there flow out in whatever manner it wishes.
The first line is drawn in a single flourish, which is then observed for several moments until 3-dimensional visions begin to appear.
The shading is then begun, using the same vibrating line squeezed through a variable nozzle. The resultant image may end up totally abstract, or might remind the viewer of recognizable objects. Final coloring can be used to match those objects. The Odalisque objects are in your imagination.
The title Odalisque refers to a slave in a harem. My naming is relevant only in terms of being a slave to love. The undercurrent I feel with this piece is the expression of the joy and excitement of sharing love, consumming love, and being consummed by love.
Watercolor painted on 90 lb cold press acid-free watercolor paper.
The original is 8″ × 10″. It is for sale for $298 US plus shipping. Contact Dave Martsolf through Bubblemail or at davidmartsolf@comcast.net for details.
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Comments
Very clever title
though it owes it origins to many more surrealist masters
cool work Dave
Thanks TG,
More time. Give me more time. And, hope you are well.
Dave
– Dave Martsolf
very nice work Dave,love your expermenting,colours are wonderful.
Thanks Martin,
I am working on a few more. Photography of the finished pieces are tough because the colors are so light. I try to match the original piece as close as possible. I fact I am going to upload a better image on this one in a moment. Thanks, Dave
– Dave Martsolf
Hi Dave, what an interesting description and exercise, and when gazing at this, seems I can change what i start to see just by tilting my head, so it’s kind of like a viewer device, very clever! How ya been, buddy? I’ve reverted somewhat to my old love of pure landscape, with the twist of collaborating with others select fractal images that show promise. Pure fun for me!
Hi Syd, I have a few more of these little ditties to hoist up and then I will be sure to head on over to “Syd’s Place” for a taste of that fine wine you so graciously serve up for all of us. Cheers!
– Dave Martsolf
“The pen drawing is one of those exercises where the artist seeks to plumb the unconscious depths of his psyche and let whatever is percolating down there flow out in whatever manner it wishes.”…..interesting! I believe this explains your drawing. And your so right! The non-colored drawing really does keep the imagination freer…for some reason in this case color limits the possibilities of imagining whatever you want. Really interesting.
I am thinking of coloring some of these drawings several times, each in a different way, much like the way you go to the grocery store when they have a coloring contest with 100’s of kids each drawing Easter egg designs in a different way. Sometimes I feel like these kids, but I also get to draw the base drawing. 3rd grader, that’s me!
– Dave Martsolf
Hi Webbie, Thanks so much for the double honor of having “Odalisque” and “Mountain Retreat” featured at the same time. I am amazed and humbled. Thank you so much! – Dave
– Dave Martsolf
It’s really beautiful, Dave! Congratulations on your Feaures.
And thank you so much for explaining how this is to be done. I’m going to give it a swot, although I have done that in my other work, but without the shading. Never thought of it as 3D.
Dayonda
P.S.: Check out Catz Rule. It was started exactly as you described. Then I had one of those compulsive afternoons filling the thing in with lines. I appreciate your more simple and soft design as an opposite to mine. D.S.
Wow! Nice design. And, congrats for all YOUR features! Great job (on Catz Rule). – Dave
– Dave Martsolf
Thank you for this great honor! – Dave
– Dave Martsolf