Sister Friends show up on Catrina ATCs

Catrina ATCs

Do you recognize these girls in face paint?

Catrina face painting in progress
Much to say
and
I don't know where to begin.
So, first I guess I shall share that I am going to Mexico next month which should explain why all of a sudden I'm painting Catrina faces.
I need many for an ATC trade with other artist.

New paint palette
But mostly I wanted to share with you;
My new paint palette.
What led to it.
and
Although early for a full-on review...

I'm sharing some of what I know so far.

First, what led me to a new palette?

Well, if you have taken one of my online classes,

you know that I use a very tiny homemade palette.

Which is for the purpose of getting the view of the palette in the video instruction. I feel it is helpful for the student.

Second, while I haven't painted much this year, I started painting much larger canvases and on a humongo easel.
and
still using that tiny homemade palette.
It was time to get loose with paint.

I realized that I was still in the pre-retirement mode when I had only short time periods to paint and didn't want to lay out a palette and let the paint go to waste.
 I needed to make some changes and get out of the pre-retirement mode!

That's when I happen to see this post about her paint palette.

In her video, Gillian Lee Smith, told about using a Masterson Sta-wet palette.

I decided, it was time I should give it a try. 

After all, I was painting huge and needed huge quantities of paint out. 

Hahaha

Except for my big journal page (previous post) the "big" paintings I am doing are these 2.5 inch X 3.5 inch little ATCs.

Here's what I know so far about the palette:

• Trying to mix the three pools of dark, medium, and light values in the middle was very awkward for me. The palette sides seemed to be in the way and I kept getting my hand and arm into the paint already laid out around the edges. A different palette knife will fix that (I think).

• I may have left the sponge and acrylic film palette too wet. As you can see, the paint looks and is very runny.

• When I needed a color that wasn't out, I found myself reaching for my tiny homemade palette. Maybe I need two of these.

• I didn't do a good job of laying out the paint around the edges. I'm sure I will do better the next time. 

• Only once when unexpected company from Oklahoma showed up did I walk off and leave the top off. When discovered, several hours later I put the top on and it seems to be just fine and juicy.

• I'm sitting at my desk with the palette and little ATCs. However, I'm trying to think how I will situate me, my humongo easel and new filled palette when I start on a large canvas. 

• Yes, indeed I think my paint will last a long time and I won't be wasting dried up paint.

• And I think the bonus is, I am more inclined to sit down and paint knowing the paint is right there waiting for me. 

LOVE THAT!

♥

Catrina in my journal

Catrina Face
Big Moleskine

I'm showing up this morning with a bee in my bonet.
Playing with a new palette
and
new subject.
I'll save the details for a new post.
♥

Me Earthing

What you doin?

Art Journaling

I've been straightening, purging, and general piddling in my studio.

I'm sure I don't have to say that I have been disinterested in paints or painting this year.

So with a suggestion from a friend, I pulled out my giant Moleskin and tried to "get out of your own head".

It was great advise, but first I had to sit around and think about what that means.

I don't think I figured that out; however, I tried and I enjoyed the freedom of playing in my journal.

♥

A New Art Apron from an Old Blouse

New Apron Back

The blouse before destruction

Destruction

Art aprons make me so hot and yet, I must wear one; otherwise, all of my clothes would carry the evidence.

So this weeks creative venture is to make a new art apron with very lightweight 100% cotton.
Of course the making has to be fun.
And I think you can decipher what I have done so far.
My plan is to bind the raw edges by hand stitching and embellishing with cloth fragments.
Inspiration is from Jude Hill. I am enjoying an online class with her called What If Diaries I.
♥

The Gathering is finished

The Gathering
24 x 24 gallery wrapped canvas

Auditioning butterflies

The Gathering

There is so much that I want to share about this painting. You know, mostly my thoughts while painting. The thing is, at this finishing stage, I find myself without words. And I think you probably aren't interested anyway. 

Maybe another day.

♥

I hope you enjoyed the series of the last 4 post leading up to this one. 

♥

Sisters Tutorial 4th post

This is the fourth post in this tutorial series. You can scroll down to the beginning if you missed it. 

You may remember that when I get into the flow of the painting and it is just me and her, I forget to take photos.

So, I thought today I will share the painting of two hands showing how they progressed.

 My preliminary sketches showed more of the body and the hands were extended. I changed because I wanted the heads to be larger on the canvas. The challenge then became how to add hands in a way that would read believable (without painting the arms). 

So far so good, I think. 

I'm not yet sure if I will add a third hand. 

I'm thinking about it. 

I will confess that with each hand that I add to a painting, I feel a little trepidation.

Then when I go ahead and go-for-it, I am elated.

I'm headed to the easel now and hope to finish this one in today's session. 

♥

Sisters tutorial continued

You might like to go to this post, Do You Remember the Sisters? for the beginning of this tutorial series. Then, The Cello Sketch for the next installment. Or just scroll down.

I was very anxious to see how the technique with permanent marker and alcohol would work on canvas.

But first, I wanted texture or rather I didn't want much canvas texture. I used Golden's Light Molding Paste #03575 to prep the canvas, as well as, multiple coats of acrylic, and gesso. 

After I did my quick Sharpie permanent ink sketch (above), I heard that little voice that said, "this is not going to work" and "why did you need to try it anyway?"

I knew immediately (when the light bulb when on) that since I had prepped the canvas with acrylic products, the alcohol would start to dissolve those products instead of moving the ink around on top as it did on the cellophane. 

That is exactly what happened. 

As if that wasn't bad enough, I knew the Sharpie marker would bleed back to the top. However, I thought I was in control of where and how much would come through.
That was the part I was excited about. 

Anyway, fighting failure, I painted layers and layers of paint and gesso, I eventually painted black gesso over it and left it for several days before I once again painted a layer of grey acrylic just to see if the sharpie marks were coming back.

They didn't!
Why?

By this time, I knew I wanted to use the girls from the cello sketch because I loved their personality. 

And since this was inspired by the "sisters" from long ago, I decided to use the transfer technique just as I did the series long ago.

I scanned the cellophane sketch, printed and cut apart the faces. Above pic shows the beginning of another preliminary on paper. This was to get the placement and scale using only three of the girls.  

Once I decided which three girls, I had to flip the images horizontally and print a copy of the size I needed.

I used my laser printer but ink jet works just fine too. I brushed the print with Golden Regular Gel (Semi-Gloss) #3040 and placed the faces in position ink side down. Then I use a stiff edge like a credit card and squeegee over them to make good contact with the canvas.  After is sets for a little while, I use a slightly damp cloth and rub over the print. That is the stage above where the image begins to show through. 

Using my finger, I gently rub off the paper layers....slowly.....but surely until...

...all the paper is gone. If a little paper fuzzy remains, I lightly sand over it before sealing the transfer with Golden Matte Medium #3530. In the photo above I have started painting with white paint.

One more thing, before sealing, I like to work the edges of the transfer a bit with the damp cloth and my finger to blend the hump of medium with the canvas. This is not necessary. I just don't like seeing the edge. 

Work-In-Progress

.....to be continued.

♥

The Cello Sketch

 I don't usually perfect the preliminary sketch...

but

I was on a long phone call and this was sitting right in front of me...

Also, nearby was my little bottle of alcohol and a cotton swab.

My sketch was made with a Sharpie permanent marker on the cellophane wrapper.

 I was delighted with how the alcohol moved around the ink...

much like you would manipulate charcoal on canvas.

I kept playing ...

just because I could!

.....to be continued

I'm off to paint now. 

♥

Do You Remember the Sisters

 Do You remember the sisters and their reunions?

Well, again I am inspired with one of my "sister" paintings.

Meeting in the Moon Garden is a favorite and it hangs just above my big TV in the chair zone where I catch myself staring at it. A lot.

The painting is my result of a "Black and White" challenge by Somerset Studio. 

I love the sisters and their stories and once again I am inspired to paint a new version of an old painting.

It is well underway and I want to share with you a bit of the 

work-in-progress.

Starting with my preliminary sketch.

The original painting was a 12 x 12 and I was inspried to use the square format since I happen to have a 24 x 24 on hand. 

My sketch is on the cellophane wrapping of the canvas. 

This is a fun way to start.

And is probably my way of easing into the painting.

So that is enough for today.

I'll bring more for you tomorrow. 

If you haven't been inspired to paint another story from one of your paintings, I recommend it.