Merrymen of Mount Rushmore Update: Taking the Plunge

I actually showed up to art class AND worked on my Merrymen of Mount Rushmore painting.

A reminder of where the painting is going.

It was a highlight here, a shadow there, lower the hood of Teddy's eyelid, hollow Abraham's cheek just a tish more. Also, Abraham's nose was crooked, so that had to be straightened up as well.

Details, details, details.

I worked and worked a bit more and although I am not exactly satisfied with where they are now, they are certainly closer.

I have been trying to build up to adding a few tears just to see what it would look like. Sometimes after working so hard on a painting and getting the background "almost" right, I really have to push myself to take a leap when the "concept" can break the work done so far.

But after much wallowing, hand wringing and encouragement, I took that plunge and started to add the tears. I could easily see how this could go from the tears of Mount Rushmore to my own.

The tears are beginning to flow.

Again, a long way from being done, but getting oh so close.

The ugly roughed in stage of the Merry Men of Mount Rushmore.

As I took a picture to post in this update, I flipped back through a few older pictures and found one from almost a year ago. They have come so far, and it gives me hope that eventually they will "arrive."

Looking at it made me want to cringe and laugh at once. It is such a roughed in look at where they would go and the number of hours it took to get to that spot.

However, I remind myself that every painting has an "ugly" phase. This painting's ugly phase has just lasted longer than most.

Until then, it is details, details, details.

Thanks for reading The 3rd Flamingo, for art lovers, creative wanderers, and anyone who’s ever made a beautiful mess.