A la Prima

Another coat of paint.  This week I worked on tone and color.  The cooler colors in the background and the warmer colors in front.  I also changed the surface on which the apples rest so it will fit better with the other paintings of this series.  I am applying the Acrylic paint a la prima to allow me to really establish to colours I want to have and the strong contrasts I desire.

The progression so far is coming along...  I think.

Original Photo Source

First Layers texture and Paint

By next week, I'm hoping to show you the finished painting next to the other 3 paintings of this series.  See you then.

 

(Please view the previous postings to see the progression of this artistic approach.

New Beginning for the group

I began with the background texture that I created from a mixture of Gesso, Plaster, CGC, Black Acrylic paint and some Medium, that I applied on a canvas and with spatulas. I then redrew my subject with a small spatula and a wood stick, within the surface, and I let it dry for 3 days. I recently proceeded in applying the first coat of paint loosely to define highlight and tone.

This is where I'm at for now.

 

I will apply another coat of paint this week. let me know what you think...

New Month, New Year, New Apples

I'm Back!  And i wish all of you a very Happy New Years.  Good Health and Happiness.

We're up to Photo # 4.  Wow has time flown by.

Back to basics of course.  the study this time, I did in Conte on Newsprint, in Black, Grey and White as follows:

A) I first began to study the perspective and spacial relations between the objects. 
B) I outlined the objects to review the forms themselves.
C) I focused on negative spaces
D) I turned my attention to light and shaddows
E) Blending and highlighting, as well as darkening the background.

It took approximately 1 hour to come up with the following results:

 

I know that as I continue to work this month, on this image and composition, I'll be able to correct to define the shapes and volumes even more.

Hope you will continue to follow me this year...  Again, Happy New Year.

Well, Well,

As promised (to myself), I produced the first 2 apple representations in this new mixed medium technique, (plaster,  acrylic medium and gel, paint and I like the results.  Here is the "trio" represented next to one another.  (sorry about the photo tone. Was in a hurry)

 

 
The next thing I tried this week is découpage and weaving.  I first cut up Newsprint in long 16" strips, that I weaved together.

Then I painted the subject with black and brown ink.  In the end, I removed some of the strips and returned them to the weave randomly to see what would come up. 

Here are the results.  (Interesting...)

To All I wish a Happy Holidays. 

 

Mix it - Mix it Good

Talk about Mixed Medium!

My recipe this week was mixing up some CGC Compound (plaster) with some Gesso and some Black Acrylic Paint and Acrylic Medium, and I drew or if you wish, sculpted the composition onto a canvas with some paint spatulas.  When the whole thing was dry after a few days, I then applied another coat of Gesso for protection.  Finally, I  applied "A la Prima" the Acrylic paint, adjusting for the under texture (Sculpture) beneath.  I still have to add some varnish but, so far, I love it...

Obviously, I would not have been able to do this unless the subject and composition had been studied beforehand.  That's where drawing and sketching really helps.

For Tone and composition, I had to deviated the composition from the original photo a little.  I'm so happy with the results, that I've already prepared canvases to produce the first 2 apple photos in this same technique, therefore creating a series...

As for the previous Mixed Medium project.  I'm really happy to have done it because it is by this collage that I came up with this new technique.  I also was able to use Oil paint and inks and other "stuff" that I would not normally use.

 

 

I'm really happy with this week's progress.   See you next week. 

 

Third of Five

New Month - New Photo source - New Composition - New Mediums

This month my study began with the Apple photo #3 and the study of the triangular composition, and subject contour and balance.

Focusing on contour first enabled me to focus my first project of the month on mixed media.  My first step was to compose using collage.

Since I had allot of fashion magazines and I was always interested in fabrics and motifs, I chose parts of photos with the most interesting textures  to recreate this composition. 

I also wanted to include text that reflected the idea behind this piece, such as combining different textures and motifs to compose an outfit - in this case - a piece of art.

From Plaids, lace to chiffon, I was able to find a variety of motifs that would keep the eye moving around in the piece.

Once the collage composition was settled upon, I am now in the process of working on tone, blending and refining the piece by applying glazes. paint, pastels and other mediums.  Here are the results so far:

The pieces are joined !

Done.

I've finalised the details of my painting by reducing the quantity of medium mixed in with my acrylic. 70/30.  Also, an artist friend made me glaze over the entire piece with a very diluted warm yellow to meld the composition that seemed too disjointed. 

This was a great exercise in the discovery of mediums and their applications, as well as the practice of really looking and studying the subject.

 



 BUT (and there is always a but), for one, I must have been influenced with the upcoming Christmas season to keep my colors so prominently red and green. But, I think, since I'm not that really that interested in super/hyper realistic paintings unless there is more to the mere representation of the subject, I wanted some elements of the final piece to suggest more.  I put great effort in working the background to lightly suggest the form of the original apple (October) as well as keep the background color plastic and graphic. I find this piece has become surrealistic and it's always been an Art movement that has intrigued me...  Need more reflection on this...

Since this month November is coming to a close, I decided to complete the drawing portion of the study with ink in different techniques I had recently been taught.  Dry Brush, wet in wet, Pen nibs and brushes.  Ink always surprises me.  The results of working with it are often unexpected because the medium is fluid, but not always to my satisfaction.  Still,  I learn allot about my own patience when working with ink. 

On to the next month, the next photo, the next composition.  On to the next adventure in discovery.  Hope you will join me...