stephen teater dot com

First coat

fyrefawkes — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:51:15 +0000

Gawl, it’s been a while since the last post. But then, I don’t need to remind YOU, dear readers, of that now do I? I hope you have faithfully executed your charges and endured with dignity and grace despite my absence.

To loosely reference a line read by Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus (a character based on Lucius Aurelius Commodus (161-192), son of Ceasar Marcus Aurelius, the namesake of my cat) in the blockbuster smash sensation film of 2000, “Gladiator”, I have been a busy little bee.

I am an art machine. I make art. And I practice art. In anticipation of making more and bigger and the best art. In between I read about art. The best. And anticipate its making. Yes, school is back in session and I am (to quote a friend…you know who you are) “lovin’ ev’ry minnetuvit”. Quite literally.

I’m painting with oil again in my life this semester (it’s akin to cooking with gas), and wanted to blocument (blog+document) the progress/stages of the painting I started this week (I worked almost exclusively alla prima in undergrad, and this process will be glazing and scumbling, so for those of you who are familiar with my college paintings, the end result will look different than what the three of you are used to).

This is the underpainting as it now rests.

I will post the subsequent stages as they develop.

And there’s so much more I’d like to show you, but alas this will have to suffice until another day and another installment. I’m looking forward to it. Until then, dear readers.

Jack and Bobby

fyrefawkes — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:04:02 +0000

Another early sketch I began early last week.

I was viewing a documentary/biography of Hunter S. Thompson and the Kennedys were mentioned in the picture, and I became inspired to do a painting. Charcoal on chipboard at the present time. I’m planning to finish this one in acrylic and then offer a limited edition run of giclée prints, because who wouldn’t want the Kennedys in his or her office?

More to come. Thanks for looking.

Under the weather

fyrefawkes — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:30:55 +0000

Classes started again this past Wednesday, and I came down with a pretty painful cold on Thursday, so it’s been an off week for me. Pressure’s on — 10 drawings due next week…so I decided to put them off and work on a side project for a friend today.

Just an initial sketch (I have my ‘eye’ on at least one area that needs to be corrected), but I’m looking forward to painting this one up…have some fun ideas for it and think it’s going to turn out just fine indeed.

Will post more process work as it’s processed and/or the finish if it just comes together that quickly. Thanks for stopping in.

The book

fyrefawkes — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:47:50 +0000

How many inchoates whirling around in my head, bumping into one another like so many Asian ladies at the Berkeley Bowl meat counter, every one bustling for attention and showing their paper tickets. I remind myself in deciding that life is advantageously unfair, so first here isn’t necessarily first there, but a small patient voice that’s been on the back-burner for years said something this morning that got my attention again.

Elizabeth’s working on a very exciting and promising project of her own, so while I’m available, my assignment is keeping Katy out of the needles and velvet and in good spirits (for two hours at a time, for the next few days, anyway).

And it would seem that sometimes the most productive thing to do is take a break and think up an actual plan, or to just passively meditate and let one’s subconscious bounce ideas off one’s ego, which is counter to my usual half-cocked “hurry-up-let’s-do-it-and-see-when-we-get-there” modus operandi.

I’ve needed a big project, but what I forgot is that I have a big project, it has just been shelved because of its bigness. I saw it again this morning (wouldn’t have if I’d been working on some other thing, but my good fortune brought me to the park with Kate), and from a very flattering angle. The Smithys…not solved, but at leasts dressed and ready to receive…

Stay tuned. This is going to be a lot of fun-work.

Horse and rider

fyrefawkes — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:27:06 +0000

The finished portrait!

Thanks for taking a look.

I have another project in the works: it’s still another portrait, but since I’ve had my fill of digital painting at present, this one will be completely analog. Can’t wait to get my hands and clothes dirty.

Commissions for profile portraits are still being accepted. To get your very own, place your order by January 31.

Stay tuned, dear readers…

First coat

fyrefawkes — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:24:41 +0000

Third step is finished: painting the figures.

The next posting for this portrait will be the finished painting, with the environment all done up and the elements all married and sparkling in harmony and everything.

Since the Facebook profile portraits are intended for online use, I’ve been finishing them digitally. So… now I’m deciding whether to continue with this method or to revert to analog painting (once I have more studio space to accommodate the paints, canvases, etc.). Both methods have their pluses and minuses, so perhaps I’ll keep both in the repertoire.

A very big thank-you to all who have commissioned a portrait. And, as a reminder to those who would like to commission their very own custom portrait, January 31 is the last day to place your order.

Thanks for stopping by.

Out to pasture

fyrefawkes — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:00:37 +0000

Here’s the finished second step for the current profile portrait project: placement of the figures.

Next step will be painting. I’ll post the finish once it’s…finished.

Until then, dear readers.

Horsing around

fyrefawkes — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:23:17 +0000

Today I worked on this initial sketch for a profile portrait commission.

I will post subsequent process work as the project develops.

Thanks for taking a gander.

Top of the world

fyrefawkes — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

And here we are with the finished profile portrait, background and everything. For this fellow, I thought the Matterhorn would be suitable.

Now, on to the next one!

If you’d like to commission a portrait of your very own, please stop by the Shop to place your order by or on January 31. Tick-tock…

Thanks for visiting.

On top of a mountain

fyrefawkes — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:29:01 +0000

A glimpse inside the Teater studios.

Same Facebook profile portrait commission, but I painted the figure yesterday (some minor corrections still needed, but those’ll be taken care of as I’m finishing the environment…you didn’t think I’d leave him limboed in a white void, did you?).

Thanks for stopping in. Oh — and don’t forget to order your own portrait before January 31. You can place your order in the Shop.