Matti Paints - Subject Ari

I think Ari was one my more pleasant surprises.
We met briefly at one of Libby and Cassie's wild parties. He was an interesting guy, and shortly thereafter he asked to be painted.

I really enjoyed everything about the experience. He was one of those quiet, cool guys you see and instantly know there's more to this guy than you thought.

Pictured: Dark and Mysterious

Turns out I was right!

Ari and I talked about many things during his session from school, to his life growing up in Bulgaria, to his schooling and the girls he was dating. He was a wealth of interesting information, and even though I could tell he was nervous at the beginning, as the painting continued he began to relax more and more. Before long it felt more like I was talking to a friend. Or more likely a bro. I now understand bromance.

 Musically he chose excellent songs. And a good and interesting variety of indie, rock and even a Reggae tribute to Radiohead. Lots of Killers too. We had some good talks about them.

His colour choices of orange and black ended creating an almost tiger like pattern on his face, and especially on his left shoulder which I really liked. It fit really well with his character which was a nice, fun element. I enjoyed contrasting a bit of the blue which I thought contrasted nicely with the orange.
Overall I was extremely pleased with how the picture came out and am really glad to have got the chance to work with him.

My Style

As I pass the halfway mark of this project, there are a few things I really wanted to reflect on.
First off, I never thought that I was a good painter. This was the last thing I would have expected to be doing had you asked me back in high school.
I never had much of a handle on craft, or detail. My pictures were always rough and unfinished. They were cartoony. They weren't good. I never saw myself as being able to do this because I wasn't a good drawer.

"butterfly" 2003, watercolour

This was my work in high school. Rough, unfinished. Certainly not what I would consider the early work of an artist.

"Planetoid" 2004, acrylic on canvas board

I remember back to when me and Nathan were little. We used to gather around his families table and draw. And when we did this, he was always so much better than me. He had a natural artistic talent that I lacked. His pictures were always so clean and precise. His cartoons were good. Mine were not.
Out of this came some sort of inferiority complex that settled in me until I hit high school and took an art class with my friends Susan and Bailey.

Soon, I began to improve. I look back at my sketch books from those times and I realize how much I improved just by sticking to my craft.

But in my eyes, even with all my improvements I still wasn't good enough.

It wasn't until I went back to university that I finally realized that I had a talent. I see things in ways others don't. My unique vision is actually my own and through influences, I've realized that I have strengths as an artist that others don't.

This was my work in first year. A silly piece called "Breakfast of Venus" based around the "Birth of Venus" picture by Boticelli. It's silly. It's fun... but it was also a bit of a turning point for me. I started to realize that I could do things for myself.

As my other friends in the program got better, I began to get more experimental.

I played with colours.

"Duality" 2009, oil on canvas

I realized that even though my work was stylized, it brought with it a new set of delightful challenged specifically for me. While my friends were trapped within the confines of realism, I shot for absurdity.

The Vitruvian "Man", 2011 - acrylic on canvas

"By The Gods" 2011- acrylic on canvas

I began to get compliments from the people who I admired telling me what a unique and creative vision I had. Teachers who once came down hard on me began to get excited about my work.

"Drag Queens Last Supper", 2011 - acrylic on board

I've become something I never expected to be. An artist. And it's only now that I dive deeper and deeper into the Human Canvas Project that I'm realizing the incredible impact it is having on my life.

I'm seeing people differently. You know how some people claim they can see people's auras? Like that one is gold, or green? I'm secretly wondering what colour these people are on the inside? Am I truly capturing their essence in a photograph?

And the only way I really know that is if they or their friends respond with an enthusiastic yes.

It's a strange process, but one that I'm growing into slowly.

Now I find that I'm working with a completely new medium, but it makes sense in a weird way. I've always painted my people as every colour in the rainbow. Now I'm turning my friends into the people I would normally paint them as.  Bright colourful beacons to show off to the world.

It's a neat thought that what started as a form of self expression has turned into a form of celebration. A way for me to communicate how I have seen the world for all these years.

As the project moves forward, I'm excited to discover what will happen next.

Matti Paints - Subject Erin

So Erin's portrait is a bit of a happy coincidence. She was in the neighbourhood as I was painting ANGELA and JORDAN, strangely enough over with LIBBY and CASSIE since we all live in the same area,  and just decided to hit me up to see what I was doing. When I offered her the chance to be a part of the project she jumped at the opportunity. Literally. Look how enthused she looks in her before picture.

Look Matti. Look how enthused I am.

Erin, if you haven't guess already, is another friend from North Bay. She is the SOLE reason I passed history of drama my second year at Nipissing. She is also one of the smartest people I know.
Seriously. Her mind is so sharp it could cut someone. In fact it has cut me several times. She is someone I owe much to, and I don't even think she realizes the incredible impact she has had on my life.
Seriously. This girl is the reason I passed my second year of university.
This is not the first time I've got to artistically work with Erin. A couple years ago she was involved in my production of Love*Fool where she played the ever frantic and unnerved Peter Quince. Strange enough I have a hunch her character choices might have been based on me a bit...
(Me? Frantic? Never! Anyway...)
I was super happy with her colour choices EVEN THOUGH they were WAY outside my comfort zone. Red, purple, tan, brown and silver. After about three lines with Erin she told me she expected me to have difficulty with them.
Thanks Erin. Thanks a lot for that.
but in the end I really liked the direction it ended up. I find lately I've been getting a lot of earthy colours. Perhaps it is the season but it really is turning into a theme lately.
The painting session was relaxing and enjoyable, despite the fact that Angela and Jordan were hanging around when we were painting. There was a bit of a time constraint but I really didn't feel any pressure while we were painting. We were just hanging out. And I just happened to be painting her.
That's normal right?
In the end, I found a picture that I felt truly captured the spirited, amazing person that Erin is. I love it.
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Matti Paints - Subject Alan

 

I know what you're thinking and yes. It's true. I've now officially painted an Irish man. In many ways, he's the first major expansion of my project. Sure I've painted lots of people of Irish descent, but everyone so far has been Canadian. (or American, but that's pretty much Canadian)

Me and Alan met when the power was out in my building and I had no idea what to eat for dinner. As a result I found Alan and he invited me over to a) get out of my building, and b) to eat. It was much appreciated and a beautiful friendship has emerged because of this.

We have a great deal in common which made his song choices a surprise. To him. Not to me. He was constantly asking me how I had so many UK songs on my playlist. As a result we ended up with a lot of songs that we both loved. ESPECIALLY Loreen who I am currently obsessed with. But that's besides the point. The point is we both love pop music. It's fun.
Plus Irish guy picks Sinead O'Connor and Cranberries. What a surprise.

One major surprise in his choices were his colour choices. Again, it's a case of the tertiary colours, but this time they were chosen with a very different motivation at hand. Namely, Alan chose colours that were distinctly "Irish". Green, orange and white (for the flag), and purple and pink because they're beautiful colours.

We started this project after a quick pint at the pub. As a result I didn't really realize how opposed his colours were. That, combined with the difficult nature of working with chest and arm hair I knew I had to do something very different from what I normally did. As a result I painted him entirely with a stippled effect. Instead of using the brush in strokes I would fill the paint brush with paint and then dab at him instead of dragging it across him. As a result I ended up with a very distinct pattern that was very much like flowers or a smoky field on his shoulders. I was disappointed that this didn't come out as strongly in the final photograph. There were many bands of colours that simply blended together just based on the nature of the paint. For instance his face is actually layers of pink, orange and yellow that unfortunately blended together. The fact that a lot of the paint was dabbed on also didn't help matters.

That being said, Alan is a lovely and enjoyable person, and I hope he enjoys his final shot. It's quite intense, but I think he looks good.

On a side note, my official Kickstarter has been launched. Please help to support the Human Canvas Project by visiting it : http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thebigshibam/the-human-canvas-project

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Matti Paints - Chris and Alex

Some of you might recognize Alex. And as a result I imagine you will probably recognize his brother Chris. 
Yes, I got a pair of twins to do this project.

I was quite excited at this prospect. Not just because of the fact that I love Alex and Chris to bits, but also because I was so fascinated to paint them. I wondered how different they would end up looking. Would it effect the outcome? Would I even be able to tell them apart at the end?
The task was simple and exciting so when Alex suggested it, I jumped at the chance and began to formulate a plan.
I was also curious to see how Alex would turn out again. He's the first person other than myself who I've now got to paint more than once. I was curious to see what would change about the painting. Would the painting be the same? Would there be emerging patterns? Exactly how much of the art is driven by the circumstances and how much is situational? How much of the person am I really capturing?
It was a daunting but exciting challenge and I couldn't wait to start.
About an hour before we started, I got a call from Alex telling me that him and Chris had got in a fight and he wasn't sure he could go through with it.
Excellent, I thought. An added level of tension. I was getting really excited to paint at this point.
For a million different reasons I could've taken any part of this and turned it into a painting. Anger. Brothers. Twins. It was an exciting prospect and just getting better.

In the end, I liked the palate they chose. I felt the music and colours really reflected who they were. Alex, the slightly more uptempo one, and Chris the one who is slightly more serious and natural one.
Around song 8, I was running out of paint and so I ended up thinning the paint I had left considerably and working with them in much sheerer coats. As a result they both look a lot more natural than some of my other ones and a part of me really likes that about the image.
They both look like brothers still. They share the same dark eyes and cheeky smirk, but each is reflected with their own character. Chris slightly more sophisticated, Alex, a bit more structured. Or maybe they're reflecting each other's characters just a little bit too well.
In the end I was thrilled at the experience and would gladly paint them again if given the opportunity.

Matti Paints - Subject Jeff

I had tried to get Jeff to do this for about a month before we could finally settle down a time to do the painting.

I've been noticing some patterns in my work lately and when Jeff sat down for me to do the painting, I had made a conscious choice to not bring certain elements into Jeff's painting.
Regardless many of the patterns repeated regardless but hey.
Number one was I was very pleased with Jeff's colour palate. Many people lately have been working with the tertiary colours. Lots of purples and greens and oranges. Beautiful colours to be sure but they can be a hassle for someone who is so used to working with blues and reds. That's my comfort zone. So when Jeff chose red, yellow, blue, black and silver I was ecstatic. At last! Someone who gravitates towards primaries! It's a little bit exciting when things like that happen.
Secondly I've been doing a ton of line work. Like a lot. Like too much. I think everyone from Caity onwards has been painted primarily in my line style. I really wanted to break away from that and work with some solids again. Lately the one who has caught my eye as being perhaps one of the strongest has been CHAD whose paint job looks smooth and three dimensional.
While in the end I don't think Jeff ended up being as solid as some of the other ones, I really enjoy the conglomeration between his line work and the solid paint. Also reincorporating spirals into my work I think it going to be my new goal. I do love how they look and they hold a lot of significance for me.

Overall, I really love how Jeff worked out. His skin took to the paint beautifully and he was so relaxed and at ease from the moment the painting started that everything went so smooth. I like to think this was the result of his relaxation and not simply because of my experience. I didn't really know Jeff other than the occaisional friendly gesture but after painting him, I have to say that I really enjoyed him as a person.
One of the biggest joys of this project is getting to meet and see people in a whole new light. It's rather delightful.
So here he is folks! Jeff! 

Matti Paints - Subject Brea and Mandy

I'm pairing up the next two for one very good reason. They were awesome.
That's not the total reason but I swear they go together.
When I went to North Bay, once I finished on Caity, I walked over to visit my friend Cayla at the Kennedy gallery, which is one of the main galleries in North Bay. While there I met Alex who suggested that I do a live showing of the art for people to walk by and see.
So like any other insane artist I said of course.
BIG THANK YOU to Brea and Mandy for doing this for me. It's scary for people, especially beautiful girls, to take their clothes off in public. But they seemed ok with it, so that's the important thing. In a weird way this experience was my first time showing off my art to the entire public. Mind you it was a busy time of day in North Bay so "the public" ended up being about three or four very confused elderly people, but they seemed to enjoy it.
That being said, I've managed to create some of my best art so far!
To start with, we had Brea as our lovely voluntold. She almost willingly let me paint her, which is great progress!
I kid. She was awesome.
We'd never met before but she seemed to enjoy my paintings right off the bat so that was great news! 
Some interesting things happened with Brea. First off she was right at home in top 40 which we all know I tend to listen to. But when I started painting I began with a dark base, literally begining the painting by painting her black. Not my typical standard thing to do but it paid off! I don't think I'd do it again because the black ended up fading everything slightly, but in the end the paintings did great things!

Brea

 Mandy and I have a long history so I was super happy to paint her as my second canvas. While Brea ended up taking on a cat-like theme Mandy ended up with more of a bird-like theme. Her colouring lended more towards bird-dom so I went with it.
In the end we had a great time. Mandy is hilarious and I love her dearly. We had a great time catching up on old times and talking about old teachers. We used to be neighbours... and come to think of it she still has my Firefly and my copy of Dark Cloud 2...
Mandy! I thought we were friends!

I'm very happy with both of these canvases. I think it's a bit funny how my line work tended to dominate my canvases in North Bay which is something I found in Caity, as well as my future canvases you haven't seen yet. I'm not sure if that's a subconscious geographical thing or just my mind being crazy, but either way it's nice to see how they're coming out.
Both of my canvases were gorgeous volunteers and I greatly enjoyed the experience of painting you! 

Matti Paints - Subjects Libby and Cassie

Libby and Cassie are a pair of friends from North Bay that I had the privilege of growing up with.

Cassie is and always will be the most ridiculously photogenic person I know, and Libby and I hung out almost every day through our high school experience. (Banner! What? it's a newspaper thing... anyway)
The process this time was fairly simple.
Painting two people proves to be a challenge in the most obvious way because of time. There is SO MUCH work to do in such a small amount of time that duets almost always end up being less refined than full body counter parts.
That being said, I was able to do some very interesting things on Libby and Cass. I really love how Libby ended up almost Picasso-esque, especially with the black outline around what looks like fingers along the neck. Cass on the other hand looks much more impish, and the green blotch on her chest reminded me of a quill so I tried to paint her as a creator.

Can you guess who chose what song?

It has to be said that Cass is the first person who had some difficultly finding a selection of songs. I just don't have that much heavy stuff. Always fun. 
So this is my interpretation of my friends  - enjoy!  

Matti Paints- Subject Lacey

So today started out with a dear friend of mine, Lacey.

Like Kevin, Vera, Chris and Nathan, I also met Lacey at Statlers where we would drink and do songs at the musical theatre open mike night they do every Monday. We met when I sat down with her and Vera and complimented her singing. As time went on we became quite close and after much peer pressure from everyone else who'd done it, she finally agreed to become my canvas.

I'm noticing a theme with colour choices lately. Everyone wants green, purple and orange. I mean really people? What is it with these colour combos that everyone wants to be a part of it? It's crazy!
*end of vent*

That being said, Lacey ended up very interesting. Up until song seven the painting was going one way, and then in the last three it took a wild, radical turn and went somewhere completely different. It was a neat turn that I didn't see coming.

Her song choices were very much "A". Lots of Adele- interesting to note that she was the only person who picked more than one song by the same artist. I found that interesting.
Overall, Lacey was a very easy canvas to work with.