ACRYLICS ... my new Challenge
I'm taking time Off from Watercolor as I have been painting in this medium of over 20 years. I believe I need to re-adjust my right brain and start to learn another Medium - ACRYLICS ..
I have been having some interesting feelings about changing my medium as I have been so dedicated to Watercolor for so many years - feeling that I am betraying a love for so long and having no fear of approaching a new painting ... a comfort level.
I've had to purchase a whole new set of supplies (but I have been frugal in my purchasing)
.... new Paints - Canvases - Brushes - palette knives - paint mixing surface - sta-wet Palette to keep my acrylics moist - Tracing Paper - Transfer Paper
..... not to mention having to gain a whole lot of confidence that "I can do this" ..
I am very fortunate to be taking weekly painting classes with a teacher who is proficient in all mediums so I haven't had to change classes or times or location .. Lucky me!
I started with very small 4x5 acrylic boards just to see and feel how the paint reacts and how I react to them ..
I will say one thing ... I LOVE the fact that I can 'ADD' White to hi-light parts of my painting .. something I could NEVER do with Watercolor.
Painting in watercolor doesn't have 'white paint' .. the WHITE of a watercolor painting is the PAPER! and once you cover the white there is NO GOING BACK! .. so you really have to PLAN AHEAD.
Acrylics allow me the flexibility of changing any color on my canvas at any time so I can paint with NO FEAR! .. Wow - what a difference that has made to my psyche! ..
My process has been somewhat the same as I did with Watercolor ... dipping my brush in water and then the paint - BUT you can't paint over the new paint until it is dry or the paint you just put on will lift off. I am painting in layers as I have done with watercolor.
So far I am having fun and enjoying the change so I will be sharing my progress. Showing finished paintings and those that are a work in progress.
I hope you enjoy this part of my website and I hope I will inspire anyone who is thinking of either starting a new medium, changing their medium or just taking a leap of faith and just PAINTING!
I have been having some interesting feelings about changing my medium as I have been so dedicated to Watercolor for so many years - feeling that I am betraying a love for so long and having no fear of approaching a new painting ... a comfort level.
I've had to purchase a whole new set of supplies (but I have been frugal in my purchasing)
.... new Paints - Canvases - Brushes - palette knives - paint mixing surface - sta-wet Palette to keep my acrylics moist - Tracing Paper - Transfer Paper
..... not to mention having to gain a whole lot of confidence that "I can do this" ..
I am very fortunate to be taking weekly painting classes with a teacher who is proficient in all mediums so I haven't had to change classes or times or location .. Lucky me!
I started with very small 4x5 acrylic boards just to see and feel how the paint reacts and how I react to them ..
I will say one thing ... I LOVE the fact that I can 'ADD' White to hi-light parts of my painting .. something I could NEVER do with Watercolor.
Painting in watercolor doesn't have 'white paint' .. the WHITE of a watercolor painting is the PAPER! and once you cover the white there is NO GOING BACK! .. so you really have to PLAN AHEAD.
Acrylics allow me the flexibility of changing any color on my canvas at any time so I can paint with NO FEAR! .. Wow - what a difference that has made to my psyche! ..
My process has been somewhat the same as I did with Watercolor ... dipping my brush in water and then the paint - BUT you can't paint over the new paint until it is dry or the paint you just put on will lift off. I am painting in layers as I have done with watercolor.
So far I am having fun and enjoying the change so I will be sharing my progress. Showing finished paintings and those that are a work in progress.
I hope you enjoy this part of my website and I hope I will inspire anyone who is thinking of either starting a new medium, changing their medium or just taking a leap of faith and just PAINTING!
Here are 4 small boards that I first painted on, just to see how the paint felt, how it sat in the board and how I could manipulate the paint - 4x5
CACTUS FLOWERS - This is my First larger painting .. it is 9x12 and I only used the 3 basic primary colors .. Blue, Yellow and Red.
White isn't considered a 'color' but I did use white to soften the starkness of the pure paint.
Combining yellow, red and white to create the peachy cactus flower and using yellow, white and a bit of my peach mixture for the yellow cactus flower.
The actual 'cactus' was created with blue and yellow to make greens and a hit of purple which is a combination of red and blue.
White isn't considered a 'color' but I did use white to soften the starkness of the pure paint.
Combining yellow, red and white to create the peachy cactus flower and using yellow, white and a bit of my peach mixture for the yellow cactus flower.
The actual 'cactus' was created with blue and yellow to make greens and a hit of purple which is a combination of red and blue.
PIANO ROSE - My next venture lead me to this painting ... I was fascinated with the piano keys and the delicate rose and I just had to paint it .. I didn't want pure white piano keys so I mottled them with mauves and blues - which you may or may not see - drawing the keys straight was a challenge but I think I mastered it.
Because I also love to paint flowers I thought this Rose was gorgeous and loved the way the petals seemed to glow! ... The Photo doesn't do this painting justice as the Rose is a beautiful Coral Color - 9 x 12 and I will be framing it with a floating Burgundy Frame. Hope you like it!
Because I also love to paint flowers I thought this Rose was gorgeous and loved the way the petals seemed to glow! ... The Photo doesn't do this painting justice as the Rose is a beautiful Coral Color - 9 x 12 and I will be framing it with a floating Burgundy Frame. Hope you like it!
PANSIES! ... my reference photo - pansies from my garden ..
2nd picture is me creating a background using a stencil of different sized circles to create something unique
3rd picture I'm still trying to work the background with the flowers .. I will need the help of my instructor on these as it isn't turning out as I would like .. I can still persevere working one section at a time - unlike watercolor where I would probably have to give up and get a new piece of watercolor paper