Yin-Yang

[Mike McCarty]

It's obvious that this group enjoys a challenge.

I think yours is a reasonable approach. The key would be the tone subtlty of the background image.

Personally I don't like the way the sculpture has taken liberties with the symbol. It looks fine in the restaurant setting, but I think if I were to include it I would keep it as simple as possible.

[Ant Carlos]

I agree about the sculpture. A simpler way to represent the symbol would be better, especially for the background.
With your idea, I played a bit more with the image. I am not good at these digital editing, so my edges are really rough.
I am enjoying this anyway. I think I am sometimes too lonely of an artist, inside these four walls in the middle of something called Brazil.

Cheers,

Ant

[Richard Monro]

Mike,
I think Ant is on to something here. I would tone down the light value of the YY symbol a little more to push it more subtly into the backround. By the way if you haven't visited Ant's web site you should do so. Ant is doing some incredible work.

Ant
Where in the interior are you? I traveled 400 miles up the Amazon and was stunned by the beauty of the country.

[Ant Carlos]

Hi Richard,
Thank you. Well I'm in the the South-East of Brazil, Minas Gerais State. Fairly away from the Amazon (and the coast too).
Brazil is large, you know, beauty everywhere. We have rain forests around, that if you went there you'd feel like if you were in the Amazon, I think.

Best regards from this sunny, green Country

Ant

[Anthony Emmolo]

Hello Mike,

I'm sure you're aware of the Rembrandt Self-Portrait in which he portrays himself with a white hat, and a heavy fur coat with a red sweater of some kind. In his hands is a palette and mahl stick. In the background are two semi circles. Sorry I don't have a digital camera, so I cannot send the image over the email. However, in the book I am looking at, it states that the painting is in Kenwood House. Maybe that will help clarify the painting in your mind, if my description was too vague.

Anyway, I believe the semi circles in the background may give you some ideas. Good luck.

Anthony

[Mike McCarty]

Thanks Anthony,

I found a small image but wasn't able to make out the background sufficiently.

There are certainly a lot of good ideas posted here. I hope to get back to this task soon.

Thanks to all.

[Ant Carlos]

They say Rebrandt painted that self-portrait when he was in the best of his form, or on the top of his achievement as an artist (total control of the art of painting). Somehow he tried to express that self confidence in his painting, and used the circles (the circle - the most perfect form).

Ant

[Anthony Emmolo]

There are moments in ones life when the mind, emotions, and body don't get in the way of the creative flow. All can freely come out of the artist. For a great master like Rembrandt, those moments will be frequent. For the majority of us, they may come from time to time. But when they come, they appear with the sense of confidence, and ability. There are not thoughts blocking our way to express the moment. Our emotions are not judging ourselves or anything ourtside of ourselves, muscle tension is not stopping creativity. That is where I strive to be. That is the state of mind that I felt you were describing in Rembrandt at his best as well.

How do we arrive there? Read quality literature before painting to put our relationship to the outside world at rest, at least for the time being. Use intentional movements, whether with the brush in hand, or even while washing the coffee cup between brush strokes. These are some of the thoughts I have while painting at my best. Sadly, that doesn't happen as much as I wish.

While living in Kyoto, Japan (The true pearl of the pearl of the Orient,) I visited a Japanese tea room in Toji Temple. There was a sign on the entrance to the tea garden. The sign was translated to me as follows:

"Use the walk through this garden as a cleansing off of the outside world. This will prepare you for the tea ceremony." An interesting note, in past centuries, Japanese warriors would have the tea ceremony to put them in the right frame of mind before a sword battle.

Good luck to all in our quest for the highest in our moments painting.

Anthony

[SB Wang]

Mike & Karin:

This is for you:

Li Bai
THROUGH THE YANGZI GORGES

From the walls of Baidi high in the coloured dawn
To Jiangling by night-fall is three hundred miles,
Yet monkeys are still calling on both banks behind me
To my boat these ten thousand mountains away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhlVn...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6WyG...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu99G...eature=related