The Day of Reckonning For Critical Mass

This is what Critical Mass Sans Polar Nuclei looked like back in 2010

I'll throw in a few preliminary sketches from the ole notebook to serve as a slight refresher as well.

Anyway, I reworked it once back in 2013 by adding several new stamps forms/figures and a little note from my Theater Appreciation class........

.....but I still wasn't really satisfied with it, so I'm gonna mess around with it some more.

Before I haze this layer over and added another level of imagery, I want to add some color into a few areas to liven the whole thing up a bit, because once a layer has been hazed over, it's kinda locked into place.

Much to my surprise, that little touch of color not only brought a little life back into the piece, but it helped unify the top and the bottom halves (which visually function almost like two separate pieces instead of a unified whole).

Perhaps I will try a little more color?

I'm still going to have to add a few more elements to unite/unify the top half and the bottom half, but it won't be nearly as drastic as I first thought (maybe).

With some luck this final go-around of color will do the trick.

I'm still not quite satisfied with the bottom half, perhaps something a little more drastic.

After staring at Critical Mass for three months, it occurs to me that something bad might happen to the piece.......

Uh-ooh.

I slight tussle ensues......

Ouch!

Don't worry kids! Critical Mass will get to live on in several pieces.  As my friend Gary once said to me, "It's the cycle of life, my friend.".  How can you argue with that?