Our local art centre recently acquired two printing presses - and last night a small group gathered to explore the possibilities. We started with Gelli prints - no press involved - and next week we get a chance to 'print'. This is an exciting medium - the moment of truth when you lift the cover sheet and see what you have created. Here are the 3 best of my prints. I think the one on the left is 'done' and the other two need more work - drawing on top of the background or perhaps over-printing with another image. Who knows? That's this week's homework.
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I sorted through the dried paintings this morning and much to my surprise there were some 'gems' amongst the garbage. What did I learn from that experiment?
1. Use better paper - HP 140 lb would have been nicer to work on and the 'gems' might have been usable. I used very lightweight HP paper and it didn't like any scrubbing and curled like crazy as soon as applied paint and water. 2. Layer the colours - use transparent paint. 3. Stay in the lighter value range at the beginning. I tend to get too dark too soon. Keep it light longer. 4. Simplify, simplify, simplify. 5. Stop thinking so much about what it will look like - let it unfold. Some will be trash and some won't. What was I thinking - 100 paintings in one day!! That's a lot. OMG - I'vve been painting for the past 4.5 hours and I've only done 50 paintings. Clearly, I need to pick up the pace. More later.
...It's later. I didn't make it to 100. Decided to go to the movies tonight instead. Got about 65 or 70 paintings.
Exercise - done! Went for my first run in 3 months (off running due to knee injury) and then painted this afternoon. One of yesterday's efforts was painted on an experiment from a Golden workshop - and I did not like how it turned out. Today I took it to the sink and scrubbed as much off as I could. After it was dry, I took it to my studio and voilà - I could see a vase of flowers. Check it out!!
I worked on another rejected canvas (also from the Golden workshop). Although I had tried many times in the past to create something, nothing - until today. I'm pleased at what came forth - surprised more than anything. The Vernon Community Art Centre newsletter came out the other day announcing the next lobby show, starting February. It's for mixed media - so, that's what I painted today. Here's what I've done so far, not sure if all of these are finished, but getting there. Some are old paintings from a Golden workshop last year, some are practice sheets that collaged.
Wow - after I posted the images, I could see all the things I didn't like! Back to the drawing board (literally) for some modifications. I can't believe it - almost three months since my last post. Well, here we go - again. On New Year's Day I made a commitment to myself to make this year an art and exercise year. For me, both involve a similar discipline - just do it!!
By New Year's Day 2018, I will have spent more time in both exercise and making art!!!! Last week I started a series - Pears. I created 10 paintings, 6x9, acrylic on watercolour paper - similar colour scheme. It was challenging. I leaned about making brush strokes, transparent vs opaque paint, values, creating the illusion of roundness and 'grounding' objects - and soon much more! Here they are: |
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