Elektra (1991)

"She's out in the open. Were they can see her."

Absolutly. Another comic. The whole image was simple enough, but this time the idea was to get three colours done. So I needed three templates, and I had to think the whole thing through to keep the necessary positive/negative bits of the various templates to be able to shade the different layers when I needed to. I was very pleased with myself at the time and I still think the image has a great expression, but I was also beginning to feel that the whole idea of recreating a small image as perfectly as possible in a larger size was getting boring. Yes, I had proven the point, but nothing else. I started to try things out, like "injuring" the perfect surface directly after spraying, or spraying dots and shadows around the image. I could feel that there was more to this, but I did not know yet how to get to it.

Elektra: Template (one of three)

Elektra: 70 x 100 cm

This work was where I discoved modelmaking paint. There was this little shop which was frequented mostly by middleaged men who had nothing better to do with their spare time then to build little models of WWII  tanks and planes, and me, who only bought the little spray paint cans. Hmmmm.

I knew that I had found something good when I saw the contrasts between the red and black parts of the image. Somehow the borders played tricks on the eye. The colour was thick and heavy (and expensive) and had a crazy, intense quality to it. The only other colour that came close to it was hull paint. O boy. You could almost feel the heavy metal particles settle in your lungs while using it.