Painting of a Siren of the Sea

Artistic Painting (acrylic on stretched linen 58"X26")

Artist: John Potter

This painting is part of an ongoing series that explores the use of custom linear halftones - the structured line systems that function as the darker tonal elements within the image.

The work originated as a proposal for a large-scale mural. Although the concept was ultimately not selected, I found the underlying idea compelling enough to revisit and expand upon it within the context of a studio painting. The limited color palette from the original proposal was retained, as was the general scale of the portrait, while most other elements were rethought and developed further. Freed from the practical constraints of painting on site and at architectural scale, I was able to elaborate on the original concept with greater precision and complexity.

A central aim of the piece was to create a transition between two distinct visual systems: a chromatic pattern that gradually transforms into a more linear structure capable of defining a figurative drawing. The tonal values within the blue hexagonal pattern were painted as though illuminated from the left, introducing a subtle sense of volume and dimensionality. The resulting image is intentionally multivalent, encouraging the viewer’s perception to shift among pattern, portrait, and implied three-dimensional form. The linear halftone pattern was scaled as large as possible without compromising the legibility of the portrait, allowing pattern and image to carry comparable visual weight. The end result is a mesmerizing, dream like, experience for the viewer.

Significant time was devoted to drawing, conceptual development, and digital refinement prior to painting. The execution phase itself took approximately two weeks, much of which involved drying time between stages. Work began in early March, and the overall process unfolded intermittently over the course of roughly six weeks. The painting is executed in acrylic.