Skip to main content

New Practice - Exploration

This piece is inspired by the imitation of an original painting of Auguste von Harrach by Heinrich Abel Seijffert circa 1828.  An interesting note about the piece from the Royal Collection Trust is that the original painting was done in watercolor on ivory--such an uncommon combination based on what I can find in a Duck Duck Go search. 

This work was done on Strathmore Visual Journal watercolor paper (140lb.)  It has one coat of Liquitex Matte Medium on it. Applying Sharpies over the coated paper didn't work (results were too transparent).  So the painting has been completed with Folk Art matte acrylics.  The black lines were made with a Pentel PointLiner (0.3mm) and gold embellishments made with a Sakura PenTouch.  In this one, I also had to go over the black lines after painting it...difficult to do.

I like using this paper but have yet to test Sharpies applied directly to it.  That said, what I like about this piece is, again, the gradation of color families to create the lighter and darker wavy line-shaped areas.  I also like the yellows in the background because they complement the face and draw the eye to it.  I also like the sleeves/bodice of her gown, and the gradation of the neck color from orangish chin to light pink chest.  

This will be my last piece using the Folk Art matte acrylics.  I've learned they are not my cup of tea. Now it's on to experimenting with tempera paints, tube watercolors, my new Nova Color paints, acrylic gouache, and Golden fluid acrylics.  

The exploration continues...

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Highjacked Blog Photo

My profile photo was highjacked ! For those of you who are blogging, be wary. There are some unscrupulous folks out there who may be using or about to use a photo(s) you've uploaded to an online photo-hosting site. At the time I created a blog, having a URL for a photo uploaded online was the only way to insert a photo in your profile or to create a custom header. There had been no problems for a long while. This morning, however, I did a Google image search for my name and found my photo linked to a totally different blog than my own! It is possible I didn't mark my file with the online photo-hosting site as private, but I didn't expect this to happen. I don't know whether marking it private would have actually averted the situation, but I'm not waiting to find out. I eliminated my membership to that online photo-hosting service today and caution anyone to be careful with uploading images to the internet . If you read the terms of agreement at many sites, you'...

Life Book 15 - Week 36 Project Completed (or nearly completed)

This project went in an entirely different direction than the Life Book 2015 lesson.  That's ok because we're also working on accepting those times when we move in our own direction using the lesson purely as a launching point. This piece involved experimenting with collage on a substrate (muslin covered with joint compound), followed with paint, more collage, and then the felt, fabric and beaded plant. This piece was created through a class offered by Tamara Laporte from Willing Arts Ltd. For more information, visit this link:  www.willowing.org .

Get to Work and Get Clear - Stop the Waffling

I haven't painted in some time. So it seemed like the perfect time to sign up for Louise Fletcher's 10-day free taster course titled 'The Creative Reset' that recently started.  She has re-engineered the taster since I took it last, and I'm liking how it is rolling out.  The images below are from our first lesson that were timed studies with additional constraints.  The purpose was not to have finished pieces.  Rather it was to help students identify their preferences and gain clarity about our likes.  This means not choosing to like what others want us to like or think we should, but what we honestly like.     From my six-block painted sheets, I chose one favorite from the first grouping and two favorites from the second grouping.  The step I'm choosing to do is to write down why I like those three in particular.  The reason is because being able to articulate my reasoning will help clarify, strengthen and hone my voice -- not just in art bu...