The fourth installment in his 2018 LEFTOVER’S & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery project.
This began as a demo piece, working from a doodle done by an audience member. It went unfinished until I discovered it in my studio last week. Completed with oils leftover from another painting.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
The fourth installment in his 2018 LEFTOVER’S & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery project.
While washing out a Japanese sumi brush at the end of a painting session, I snatched a scrap of paper out of my wastebasket. Before rinsing off the brush, I executed strokes with the soapy acrylic paint and enjoyed playing with the bubbly textures that came out of it. After painting a half circle on the paper, I set it aside and went back to washing out the brush.
The next morning when I glanced at the paper, I thought it looked like a hat or crown. My imagination kicked into gear and I added more in colored pencil over the acrylic paint to complete the image.
I suspect the influence came from the song “Can’t Get It Out of My Head” which we saw exquisitely performed by Jeff Lynne in concert at Madison Square Garden recently.
Can’t Get It Out of My Head - Electric Light Orchestra
Midnight, on the water
I saw the ocean’s daughter
Walking on a waves she came
Staring as she called my name
And I can’t get it out of my head
No, I can’t get it out of my head
Now my whole world is gone for dead
‘Cause I can’t get it out of my head
Breakdown on the shoreline
Can’t move, it’s an ebbtide
Morning, don’t get here tonight
Searching for her silver light
Source: michaelwhelan.com
ZEBROID CROSSING (2018) by Michael Whelan, the third installment in this year’s LEFTOVERS & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery project.
A smear of acrylic paint on my palette looked kinda like some sort of alien animal to me, so…
Source: michaelwhelan.com
LIGHTSEEKER (2018) by Michael Whelan, the second installment in his 2018 gallery project.
It’s a big idea on a small scrap of canvas!
A couple of months ago, I glanced down at canvas on the floor as I walked by. It was just a scrap cut off a print, but I couldn’t shake the vision it evoked in my mind.
Afraid I might forget, I sketched it out in charcoal then sprayed it with clear gesso to fix the drawing. In all my years painting, I’ve learned not to question an idea that calls to me like that—just execute it and figure out what it’s all about later.
Later that evening as I was cleaning up from another project, I roughed in the image using leftover acrylics on my palette. Then a couple week ago, I went back over it, only fiddling, leaving it sketchy instead of turning it into a finished rendering.
It’s essentially done in three colors: cobalt blue, raw umber, and Payne’s gray, with a touch or two of burnt sienna. The little figure is only ¼" in height, rendered with a tiny Japanese modeler’s brush given to me by Jordu Schell.
I believe now that I was seeking to escape from that other project.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
HIGH FLIER (2018) by Michael Whelan, the first installment in his 2018 LEFTOVERS & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery project.
On a whim, I added the figure to a study for my recently painted Tad Williams cover for DAW.
Editor’s Note: Over the past 3 years, Michael has been documenting an ongoing gallery project made up of accidental creations and warm up paintings executed with leftover paints. We’re starting a little late this year, but you should be seeing regular L&PG gallery posts for the remainder of the year.
For more details, see the original LEFTOVERS & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery and also be sure to check out the 2017 gallery as well.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
Week 14 of Michael Whelan’s 2016 LEFTOVERS & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery project.
This original will be available with our next email offering coming early this week. Not on our list? Follow us.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
HIGH WEST WIND (2017) by Michael Whelan, the twelfth installment in his 2017 LEFTOVERS & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery project.
This started as a collection of brushstrokes on palette paper while working on a Lovecraft painting.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
RETURN TO MELNIBONE (2017) by Michael Whelan, the 10th installment in his 2017 LEFTOVERS & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery project.
Both a leftover AND a palette gremlin—the purest combination that I’ve done so far. With oils left on my palette, I painted over shapes on an old illustration board. As soon as I started to lay the color on it, I was thinking of the ruins of Melnibone.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
LEMON TOP (2017) by Michael Whelan, the 9th installment in his 2017 LEFTOVERS & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery project.
This was a sketch done with leftover cadmium yellow and raw umber. I had a scrap of canvas used for a test print. I was curious if I could coat it with grey gesso and sketch on it. I guess the answer was yes. ;-)
Source: michaelwhelan.com
THE LOST CITY (2017) by Michael Whelan, the 8th installment in his 2017 LEFTOVERS & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery project.
A board used as a palette which became a scene reminiscent of a Lovecraft story…but not so much of a palette gremlin as a palette snowscape.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
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