Two Sunflowers paintings with their details. These were done as watercolors, using very thin layers of acrylic paint, on watercolor paper. The colors were actually paler and thinner than what I generally use for my watercolors, but to avoid shine, I kept the acrylic layers very watery. This is a new technique for me, so I kept some running notes, which I'm copying here for anyone interested in trying this technique. It's pretty fussy, for when you are in the mood to do details, not splashy.
- Have two pieces going to allow each to dry while working on the other.
- A butcher's tray works great for mixing and for cleanup.
- Just use an old bristle brush to scrub the old paint away and mop up with paper towels.
- Small amounts of paint, less waste, they will dry up, or crumble.
- Don't go "acrylic", keep glazes very thin, or it will shine.
- Spray paints often, keep brushes rinsed.
- Drying time between layers decreases as more "sealing" is added, more layers.
- Watch out for the little "curds" or flakes of dryed paint, they seal into the layer.
- Don't use watercolor pencil (see black detail) for original drawing, since it doesn't quite dilute.
- Use graphite pencil for the original detailed and careful drawing.
- For the opaque black, count on at least seven layers.
- Dry completely between layers, or it'll pick up.
- After several layers, the acrylics stop acting like watercolors (blending on the paper), then you switch to a poster paint or graphics mentality. The paper gets "sealed up" I think.
- Incised lines should be done early on, during the wet paper stage of the first layers.
- You can use blending and lifting techniques only during the first several layers. So paint carefully in the first stages, blotting and blending as you normally would.
And that's my notes for these two paintings. I like the technique, came across it used in an acrylics book, paintings done by Barbara Buer, just exquisite things. More about this process as I do more paintings with it.
I don't always do as I teach, but when it's a large painting, I do feel that thumbnail sketches for layout and composition are highly in order. It gives you a map anyway. The painting will be a large canvas of 24" x 36", with a gallery wrap, so it's a big piece. I start with some small marker sketches, to figure out just what looks good, for the placement of the blooms. I like the three and three look, even though it's an even number. There may be room for a seventh blossom, depending on how large I make each bloom. I also like the diagonal format, it just has a nice feel to it, and the negative space is big enough to be a relief, small enough to not look like wasted space. I like the three sides running into the wrap, off the edges. I do a second, larger sketch using the thumbnail I've chosen. Next I'll add some watercolor.
Today was a business day. The Daily Painters Gallery is doing a book, and I had to make up my page for that book (each painter gets his/her own page.) Being computer illiterate, it took me forever to decide on images, write up a blurb, figure out how to size the images, then go back and do it right. At one point, I lost everything I'd done (images were way too big) so had to start all over. I also did some samples on canvas paper for a revision of my poppy painting set, in which the colors were not quite right. Samples 1, 2, and 3 above. They are subtly different. I took notes on the color mixtures, and hopefully will get it right for the revisions. No time to sketch today.
Here's the painting done, two days later.
And behind the toilet, there was a tree from the original mural, which I adjusted:
Oops, forgot to remove the blue tape before I shot this one. The next several posts show more of the work. Thanks for looking.
There's not much blending in it, and for this kind of a painting, with all the tree limbs and branches, it's nice to have a dry surface to paint all those lines on. With the liquifying medium and a variety of colors, you can put some limbs further back, some deeper and darker, to bring them forward. You learn to use the advantages of acrylics after awhile I think.
It gives a very fine line, nice for hatching, but with a little pressure, you can also get a stronger line, and with pressure you can vary them in the same line. You can, of course, change the nib out any time. I know you can get these nibs in most fine art stores, or order various separtae nibs from Ackerman's. I tried writing with it, and that works just fine.
This has been a gorgeous and longish fall for me, starting in Massachusetts and then enjoying the peak all over again in Maryland. Our November colors are so rich with wonderful grays and purples, deep beautiful browns and reds. The plein air class I'm taking has me frantic to paint, all I want is more time, more time, more time. Here are a couple of the oils I've been working on. There are a dozen more, all unfinished of course.
What was meant to be a quick and easy oil painting took a bit longer than I had anticipated, with all it's details. But it was fun to do, trying to look, look again, study, squint, what color IS that shadow anyway, and see as many colors as i could. I did it in pencil on the canvas first, and spray fixed the drawing to avoid the graphite smudges, which worked well. I'm not sure about the bright background; I might still change that, maybe something duller? Any ideas? Thanks for stopping by.
