Layers and Representation by JTony Loves Brains
February 7th, 2008 5:48 PM
So the rule was that the current layer HAS to be on top of some part of the previous layer. Layers have to cover as much of the canvas as possible, and each layer can be broken up into pieces. All pieces of a single layer must be of the same color so that you can see them as a single entity.
The wording of the task states "Put 100 layers of paint on a canvas." Since it does not designate how much of the canvas must be covered to constitute a "layer" I am considering this fully within the bounds of the direction. Each layer rests on some part of the one before, making this a single tower, or stack, of paint. Some parts of a layer might not rest on the layer before, but as long as each layer is considered a single entity, even if separated by a gap, then it fits the directions.
Pictures of the process are below, and there are notes with most of the pictures. As with most my proofs, I chose not to go about this scientifically, but with an artistic bent instead. I hope you enjoy.
Oh, and for those interested in this task, this took me from January 15, 2008 until February 5, 2008 to complete, with at least a couple of layers put on each day (some days as many as 10). It could have been completed faster, but not without altering some other part of my life significantly.
It is Reeve's acrylic paint on Fredrix 9" X 12" canvas board.
APRIL 2014
I have completed a second 100 layer painting. I'm not as fond of it as I am the first one, but I learned a whole lot from it.
45 vote(s)
- The Vixen
- Darkaardvark
- Burn Unit
- .thatskarobot
- Chance Hale
- Lank
- Shea Wolfe
- susy derkins
- Ted Logan
- Augustus deCorbeau
- a dodecahedron
- Not Here No More
- Spidere
- Herbie Hatman
- Quirk of Nature
- Jackie H
- Lincøln
- Magpie
- Flitworth
- Tøm
- Loki
- Secret Agent
- bunny dragon
- rongo rongo
- Optical Dave
- Blue
- Jellybean of Thark
- avidd opolis
- Tricia Tanaka
- GYØ Ben
- Sean Mahan
- Ben Yamiin
- Warren Vengeance
- Thain Stormbringer
- Riotous Dreamer
- Morrighan
- Metsuki
- Insert Witty Name
- Bex.
- kara boyer
- Panopoly
- help im a bear
- done
- Shades of Gray
- Philippe
Favorite of:
Terms
paint27 comment(s)
That's very beautiful. Do it again!
I know it's not going to be that noticable, but can we see a side view? Just for depth fun?
Beautiful! I think it has a powerful sense of depth, in addition to the literal 100-layer depth.
i've been working on this since about when you started (still nowhere near done!), and it's really interesting to see how you did it. i like how mathematical-looking it came out. i confess i feel a small pang of regret that you finished before me, but the loveliness of it makes up for it, and speed has not been my priority. nice job.
I would so love to see another.
wow, this is really beautiful. i was expecting a take on this task to be one that emphasized the depth of paint more, but this was (as you noted) something that wound up being aesthetically pleasing as a flat object instead. cool.
Great way to spend those rainy days we have been having. I reckon that it must have been hard to push past layers that could have stood on their own, and finish the task. However I am glad that you did.
PS. Sooo much fun dodging firecrackers, which involved me squealing and hiding behind people!!
Looks brilliant, love the way it turned out.
How many photos did you end up taking? I totally get how the doing sometimes takes priority over the documenting, but couldn't help thinking as I went through the stills how cool it would be to turn them into a video, almost like a painting flipbook.
But what am I talking about. What's there kicks ass as it stands.
Awesome. Did you have it all planned out ahead of time? It reminds me of weaving.
you should change your image address from
http://sf0.org/media/JTony/main_pict225641450.jpg
to
http://sf0.org/media/JTony/pict225641450.jpg
to get rid of that nasty artifacting. See much more flattering.
Wonderful. I love the detail photos.
I had dreams like that painting as a little kid.
@BLUE: Thanks! That's much better!
@Magpie: It was increadibly hard to keep going when I'd gotten to certain points that I knew would be obliterated by the next phase, but the end product is way better than any of those were.
@Secret Agent: Those are all of the photos I have. To be honest, I stopped taking photos so often mostly because I kept forgetting. Next time I'll have a special camera set up so I can just plop it down and have it not get in the way, and have me not forget. I thought the video Idea was good, too, but I just didn't have enough to work with when I was done.
@Rongo rongo: I had the basic plan of concentric shapes, but I really didn't have a total plan for how the next set of shapes would be until I got there. I just looked at the earliest layers that had to be shown in each shape and masked off everything but a portion thereof. The last set was the hardest. All of the points aiming at the center gave it an almost militarily aggressive feel, and I didn't like that much. I knew I had to introduce some curves, but at first I couldn't figure out how to do it... painting in the curve shapes covered too much and layers would be lost. Then I thought to paint outside the curves, and it all snapped into place.
This is so beautiful... Reminds me of a mandala.
Wow, JT. I think i need to see this in real life. How about you host a gallery opening?
You mean hang it up alongside the squirrel?
Unfortunately, I think you have some craft issues you need to work out. Try tape!!!!! And Liquitex paint. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that counts as 100 layers considering that by "layer 100" you only painted less than 10% of the canvas. The idea of showing all layers was good, but maybe if you painted all 100 layers and then scratched through or documented all of them, I would vote for this.
You wound me, ge{off]. Especially with your foe-ing me, right after I vote for your tasks.
First, I didn't want the straight lines of tape. I wanted it to be rough. It was intentional. I think that in my praxis I make that pre
tty clear. If you don't like it, fine, don't vote, but I don't think your complaint is valid as far as the task goes. Different artists have different sensibilities, and mine, in particular with this piece, is not about straight lines and tape.
Second, regarding the liquitex paint, personally I prefer Golden, as the 10 jars of it laying around my floor can show. However, Golden paint is rather expensive and my wallet has been on a bit of a diet pending my first paycheck from my new job (which I didn't have when this task was being completed). I happened to know where I could get a good, cheap supply of Reeves in a multitude of colors for a very small price. Since large amounts of the paint would not be visible, and I didn't know how it would turn out, I felt a cheaper route for the experiment was a proper and practical one. If you don't like it, commission me to paint a new one for you and I'll do it with gold made with real gold if that's what you want. Until you pay for it, I don't see how you have the right to complain about what paint I use.
Lastly, I explained very carefully my reasoning behind the layers. it doesn't say anywhere on the task that a layer has to cover any percentage of the canvas. As long as each layer covers part of the previous layer it is one continuous stack of paint. The top floor of the TransAmerica Pyramid here in San Francisco doesn't cover the same area as the bottom floor, and yet it is still a complete floor, or layer, of the building. You can disagree if you like, and I invite you to feel free to not vote or even push the flag button. But foe-ing, I just don't get that. It is mean and unjustified. I'd like to request that you unfoe me, as I have no beef with you (in fact, I've got great admiration for your egg-in-a-book). There may just be a duel in our future.
um...yeah, I don't mean to sound so angry or anything. I think you have very excellent concepts, but sometimes I wish you would carry through with them stronger. don't hate
oh and I took back that be-foe thing. sorry it's 2 in the morning over here and my friend and I are both insomniac artists and we critique late at night. We had a stickler 2D design teacher that brainwashed us and sometimes we might get angry at art. Nothing personal.
Yay for un-foeing!!! Actually I really appreciate that you took that back. It means a lot as I try to keep my communication as friendly as possible, and I only have one foe (from a great war previously where all Aesthematics were foe'd).
And I really appreciate the comment, "I wish you would carry through with them stronger." I agree and I can better accept and appreciate your previous comment in that light. I enjoy strong criticism as long as a positive spin (i.e. to strengthen this and future work) is prefixed or suffixed to it. Please feel absolutely free to continue with strong comments and critiques... just put a bit of friendliness in there, too, so I know you aren't a toeztr skwerrle.
I was just looking for a new task to do and then I found this! That is great JTony, I love it!
Is this canvas heavy now?
(damn it, I wanted to do this task and now I will have a really hard time to make something that doesn't look lame next to this!)
I know it has been a couple of years, but I recently completed a second 100 layer painting and thought I'd share.
I'm not as fond of it as the first one, but I learned an awful lot from it. I probably won't do a third one for quite some time.
JTony, this is way more than I expected! A job well done!