James Portrait Framed & More Studio Putti

I finished a new portrait and framed it. A studio helper slumbers below, they are surprisingly unhelpful given their talents. A life size, multi-figure work behind me; there is no more empty wall space in here, I feel part of the paintings myself these days.

James is one of my smaller, non life-size portraits. I think he came out really well. This was painted on panel for a change instead of canvas. You can learn more about him from my September post on him.

The big, new painting in progress behind me is called "Sleepwalker", and you can even see the tracing paper taped up there which I am using to transfer drawings onto the frame. It is going to be a very wide frame full of hand-painted illustrations, maybe a little like Gustave Klimpt?

You can already see one of the finished sections of the frame in the lower right hand corner of the picture. I don't work up these "ornamental" paintings as much as my main painting, but instead go for more of a trompe-l'oeil effect. Even so each little guy takes about 2-3 days each to complete. I will show you the frame and painting later, but it really feels as if you could reach out and grasp his hand or little feet.

"James" Oil on Canvas, 2011, 18 x 24 in.
A studio Putto slumbers. You may already know who these guys are from my last "Morella" post. They are a relatively new addition to the studio.

Alan in polka dots, Orlando the Furious painted on the right. Orlando is painted in oil on gessoed pine wood. It will be sort of half frame/half painting in its own right when I finish with it.
They are supposed to model and be helpful, kind of like apprentices, but they fall asleep on the job a lot.