Techniques

I prepped a couple of small canvases using techniques from Diane Culhane's online workshop, "Paint Your Garden", the goal being flowers in a garden.  But following where the painting activity led, this particular canvas yielded flowers and trees in a small meadow:

A different look.

Here's a look at the other canvas (in process) with the beginning base layers:

At this point I have no idea of the outcome...

This painting process is exciting because many decisions are made in the moment and in response to something that has just happened.  The outcome may be undesirable and even unsalvageable, because unpredictability is rife; but then again, the results can be surprisingly wonderful and perhaps that is what appeals to me :-)

Dialogue with paint

"Paint Your Garden" had a final assignment which was to put to use the various techniques Diane Culhane taught over six lessons.

Here's what developed for me:

Birds and flowers...springtime.

I say "developed" because the ideas arise from the painting in a free-flowing manner - as the paint is brushed or otherwise applied.  Images appear from between layers or as a result of mark making from sgraffito, stippling, frottage and the other techniques.  I found it key for me to be aware of unfolding possibilities from one brush stoke to the next mark.

I guess it's pretty obvious that I thoroughly enjoyed this class :-)

BTW, Carla Sonheim is re-running her online class, "Imaginary Creatures" beginning next week (!).  I took this class when it first ran and I highly recommend it. 

Class is out...

Diane Culhane's online workshop, “Paint Your Garden” that is.  Currently I am working on some assignments that I made up for myself and I will share them upon completion :-)

However, to catch up on what has been going on… I have been working toward my goal of freer expression in this medium, and I have been having fun taking chances, letting go and enjoying the characteristics of the paint. 

One of last week’s assignments was a continuation of creating mostly visual texture by way of frottage, blown blots and splattering - fun and messy.  The different techniques Diane has been teaching build on themselves; the layering, the techniques of masking and sgraffito (love sgraffito) combine with the newer ones and, voilà, a menu of texturing options.

Here are the vignettes:

Masking is key.

The triangles at the bottom appeal to me...

 

A fav -  because of the semi-opaque layers and the dots (!)

This one is different.  I sort of followed the paint.

I love it when I can hardly wait to get into my studio and begin :-)

Further adventures and accountability

in the land of "Paint Your Garden", Diane Culhane's online workshop.

The assignment was to create a painting using masking techniques.  I began my painting that way, but, well, over time I covered them up...mostly.  So here is the result:

 

This is a different kind of composition for me...

Hmm, I think this one is okay because I learned a lot in the painting of it.  I have a better feeling for what I should do in the next one that will allow me to achieve the results I am seeking.

I like taking online classes where I post my work along with other members of the workshop. It's a very different animal from displaying art in a show.  I am under pressure to post in a timely manner which means that even if I don't really love what I have created and/or it falls short of my goal, I have to tame my ego, let go of any thoughts of perfectionism, and put the work out there. 

Art is so intimate that the vulnerability I felt at first was terrifying.  But, after the first time or two I was surprised to find that, whoa, I survived.

Accountability in the very personal arena of my own art work is helping me to grow every day.

Brushing paint

I am having so much fun applying acrylic paints with an abandon that I usually reserve for abstract painting.  Diane Culhane's techniques from her online class, "Paint Your Garden"  really encourage me to use a lot of dry brushing, leaving underpainting and other layers only partially obscured.

The assignments are great exercises and I am getting the hang of using a rigger ("liner" brush) to define little characters.

Some vignettes from a couple of days ago:

Very green sort of flower...

Is there a flower like this one?

This is also a flower...with fireworks :-)

Some "brush"-ier birds:

Brushing, layering, masking and some sgraffito.

I added line work. (I really like to add definition.)

Well, time for an iced Americano and more studio time. 

Year of the Fairy Tale break or... scratch and stipple :-)

Year of the Fairy Tale is on a short break.  Perfect timing because Diane Culhane's online workshop, "Paint Your Garden" started on Monday.  Last year I took a class from her called "Between Speech and Silence" that I enjoyed immensely.  Understandably I was eagerly anticipating this latest offering and I have not been disappointed :-)

Monday - some quick, small studies:

Scratching an imaginary plant.

And then another one...

Next, some fun tree shapes:

A gold one....dab, dab, dab.

A red tree (my favorite)

And finally, more stippling to create the purple one :-)

Studio time is best when the work is all consuming and I lose track of time. But on the other hand, regaining a foot hold in the unfolding day is necessary.  Fortunately I have this guy -

Good dog, Remy.

who reminds me that it's time to take a break and get outdoors for walkies :-)

Bird in blues

I had one last piece of watercolor paper that had been prepped with acrylic paint.  Not wanting to do another wolf I decided to create an imaginary bird.  I watched a short video on Carla's blog where she demonstrates a "creative starter" technique that is brilliantly simple (here's the link to Carla's post).

I drew my circle and flower on some scrap paper then cut it into quarters; I didn't glue the two pieces to my w/c paper but taped the pieces onto some copy paper:

Hmmm...

With tracing paper over top, I "found" the bird:

He was there all along.

I transferred my drawing onto the prepped paper and masked the bird with painter's tape.  Then I brought out the oil pastels and began applying color.  I also used pastels, colored pencil and graphite.

Bird in blue and I think he's found something:

 

"I spy..."

It was a beautiful spring day and outside my studio all kinds of birds were singing.  I enjoyed working along to their beautiful calls.