Primer, Pigment, and Saturation

I was in the M-A-C store (makeup, not computer, though I am an Apple gal to the “core”) the other day, and even though I had felt that morning I had put on “plenty” of makeup, the minute I walked into the store and saw how the salesgirls were madeup, I felt like I wasn’t wearing anything at all! It made me realize how many times they dip their brush into a pigment, into a color, and continue to apply. I have plenty of make-up at home, but I must continue to learn how to use it creatively! (And not look I walked out of “Jem and the Holograms.”). 

Granted, I think if I had their amount of makeup on, I’d feel like it was … time to apply for a “different” job (if you know what I mean …)

On a recent trip, my wonderful friend and traveling partner L.U. had introduced me to the magic of *primer.* I would have thought that it would make my face feel sticky, but if you buy the right kind, it’s such a luxurious feeling. 

I had forgotten that painters also need to “prime” the canvas before getting to work. It goes along with the idea that art making is not all about the actual brush “in the paint” or “on the canvas.” It’s also the set up, clean up, reflection, white space (in life), drafting, sketching, discarding, editing. And in this case, priming.

I captured this image while on a research project in Europe. There was a man “copying” a famous painting on the walls of the Louvre. Of course he was making his own art in the process.

Seeing any great works of art "in person” (this includes seeing a great live performance of any type - opera, theater, classical or jazz or anything, dance, etc.) is a profound encounter, one must prime ourselves for - like an Orthodox parishoner preparing for communion and worship. 

When “developing” photographs, saturation and hue are two important aspects. Because of my professional needs with Adobe Acrobat and InDesign for regular projects, I have no choice these days but to pay their monthly fee for the subscription. (It’s a business expense, and completely deductible off of a Schedule C). It’s been fun to get some pictures edited and chosen for projects, and also to play with the amount of color. Just a splash? Black-and-White? Self-selected editing of color? 

Or almost no editing at all - in “prime” form?