The Sin of Greed is Finished

Greed

'Greed'
30.  25. cm
canvas, acrylic, gold leaf, oil
Lorna Marrison




Greed is defined as the extreme desire and pursuit of wealth, status and power. So this guy with his immobile  face, hidden eyes and whopping big gold ring and a hat that is more like a crown feels dangerous. He has power and knows how to use it.

So apologies if he is really a family man who donates to charities.

The Sin of Pride is finished

Pride

'Pride'
30. x 25. cm
canvas, acrylic, oil
Lorna Marrison


Pride is the desire to be more important or attractive then others.  This dance by the Armaleggan Morris shows them strutting like beautiful cockerels showing off their plumage to their hens. Morris dancers are serious attention seekers.

Wrath is finished

Wrath

'Wrath'
canvas, acrylic, oil
30. x 25. cm.
Lorna Marrison

Wrath is uncontrollable anger or rage.

When showing this painting to family and friends I realised that other people interpret this image differently. The signs for wrath here are personal to me. Starting with the red acrylic toned canvas. Red signifies extremes for me and in this case blood and passion. I allowed it to penetrate all the paint.  If you click on the image to enlarge the men you will notice that they are sightless: the one by his blank glasses and the other by not having a pupil.  This signifies the lack of direction or understanding in their rage. Finishing with the closeness of their faces and the raised stick/weapon.

The Sin of Lust is finished

Lust

'Lust'

canvas, acrylic, oil
30. x 25. cm
Lorna Marrison

Lust is the continual desire for carnal pleasure which can become violent and self indulgent. 

When Eynsham Morris dance a stick dance it is rhythmical and violent but when Armaleggan  Morris dance their stick dance it is gentle and lewd. So this guy is personifying a combination of these dances and expresses the extremes of lust. So to save mine and his blushes I will leave the rest to your imaginations.

Gluttony, a further graphite study

Gluttony, a further graphite study

Gluttony

Gluttony

Why it's gluttony will be revealed with colour. I need to sharpen this composition yet.

Greed

Greed

This guy looks scary to you?

My scanner died last night so I had to photograph this drawing. It takes about 6 hours for each drawing to be completed. I regard drawing as thinking time, not just about light and shade but what I want to say in the picture. Starting this one I was just thinking about the bling he was wearing but as it progress I found that this character was sucking the light and colour to himself. So he will join Wrath at the dark end of this series.

Sloth

Sloth

This one started in my drawing book but I moved it into Photoshop when I was overwhelmed with detail. When I am not sure putting in detail is my first recourse but after many re drawings the expression was right but the tatters coat was a distraction. Looking at the background now I think I may remove it in the painting. Click too enlarge and see his face ...

Pride

Pride

This guy was really strutting as part of  the dance. He was like a cock bird displaying for all to see. The tatters coat is difficult to interpret as I do not want to show each shape but do want to get the idea of it being plumage.

I got a tin of Derwent 12 soft graphic pencils awhile back. I am disappointed in them. They range from H to 9B. The leads from 7B to 9B are broken and the wood shafts started to split after the third sharpening. My favourite for drawing are the Conte graphite sticks. Even the HB makes a smooth line and is easy to sharpen.

Lust 2

Lust 2

I think this one is better. I had to develop the sketch further in Photoshop.

Lust 1

Lust-1

Having done this drawing I do not like this composition. Time for a rethink.

Wrath 1

Wrath 1

This will need redrawing to refine the composition and to get the lighting right as there is an awful lot of reflected light to sort.

Envy

Envy

Interesting that envy is the resentment that the 'other' has something that they lack as here the same man plays both parts by dancing for both sides.

The start of a new Morris dancer series of paintings

I am on the last few canvases for the "Out" series and hope to start blogging them in the new year. I am waiting for paint to dry so I can glaze.

The new series of paintings working title is "The Morris Angel and the Seven Deadly Sins" which is way too long a title so must come up with a snappier one. All suggestions gratefully accepted. The sins will be played by 'Armaleggan Morris' who with their decorated faces will allow scope for depicting the sins and the angel will be  from the 'Eynsham Morris'.


I am using shadow in this drawing to depict the idea of wings. The trouble was that it started of as a thumbnail on a page with another drawing and developed to the point that there was no more room.