Sunday, June 26, 2011

This Week's Daily Paintworks Challenge

Double the pleasure, double the fun, I did this week's challenge on the Daily Paintworks site [Daily Paintworks Weekly Challenge],The Old Mill, in watercolor batik, and a new [to me] medium.  After reading the most recent "Watercolor Artist" Magazine, with a how to article on watercolor batiking by Kathie George, I have been doing a handful of practice batiks, with a modicum of success.  I sketched the mill on tracing paper, then traced the mill onto rice paper, then heated some wax and started laying in some wax, followed by layers of watercolor on the pen and ink tracing.  The fun part is crumpling the whole thing in a ball at the end [before one last waxing], then covered the whole thing with one last watercolor wash, and the final wax job. 

Then, I used what has become almost a relic, an antique, my IRON, to press the wax out with my painting stuck between several layers of newspaper until there was no more wax coming through.

A while ago, I wrote on my blog about feeling like a sketcher-phrenic, not knowing who I was as an artist.  I still don't know, but am having a lot of fun trying to find my place in the world of art making!





Sunday, June 19, 2011

The Upside Down Challenge

Well, this is it
This week's Daily Paintworks Challenge [ DPW ] was to paint a Revere bowl and a couple slices of watermelons on a reflective surface, with the reference turned UPSIDE DOWN.  It's a good lesson for learning to really SEE what you are painting.  Good stuff, and a lesson in humility.  I had to turn it right side up toward the end of my painting it to tweek it.  Stretching, always stretching.

CAN'T UPLOAD PHOTOS AT THIS TIME.  BLOGGER SEEMS TO BE BROKEN.  

UPDATE:  Somehow, after pushing buttons clicking numerous help buttons that didn't really answer any of my questions, crashing my computer, installing, uninstalling and reinstalling FireFox, rebooting,etc, I got a few functions to work.  I have no idea how I did it, but at least, I was able to upload the above image.  I don't know if I am out of the woods yet, but I am pleased to at least have the painting show up.  If I didn't have this, what would be the point of the blog?  Am keeping my fingers crossed!!!  :-)

Monday, June 13, 2011

More Polo Players

From 2010 Governor's Cup in La Conner, Washington Acrylic 18 x 24 on black gessoed canvas
These were a little more fun than the little project below.  It still falls under the heading of "experiment," because of the black gesso.  I like the effects of the black peaking through, but I have concerns that I might have left it a little rough.  Although I really am trying to be looser, I am not sure what looks "loose," or unfinished.  For me today, I am calling this done.  It may not be finished, but it is done! 

Ambivalence Abounds

Since I went to a Carla O'Connor workshop at the end of April, I have been experimenting with gold gesso.  Not too much success ... not enough to post, in my estimation.  So, I did this little demo in an acrylics class today, and am not sure whether I like it or not.  I think I have overdone it on the one hand, but it feels as if I missed something on the other.  Just am not sure I like it.  But, I will keep on trying, because I like the gold!


On top of everything else, it doesn't appear to photograph well!