I feel as though I'm missing in action at the moment. I've fallen back into a terrible fatigue state and am either asleep or in a fog again. I'm not sure if it's a result of four weekends of open studios taking their toll on my body or if that's just a coincidence. I haven't even been into the studio this week but I did go to art today. It felt good to go even if I had to leave early because it was a bit much for me.
Sick and tired of being sick and tired and doing nothing, I dragged out my crochet hook and some wool yesterday and made myself a wrist cuff. I quite like it even though it's a bit girly for me. I made up the cuff pattern using simple UK dc and then used Lucy's rose pattern for the floral adornment. A rifle through my odds and ends found a pinkish bead, saved from a broken Christmas decoration - I KNEW it would come in handy, was perfect for the centre.
It was a very easy and quick project, requiring no brain power which was just perfect. I think I'll make a smaller one for my niece.
Today in art we continued our study of cityscapes. This time our reference included the use of one point perspective. We began by creating a tonal study of the image. I used a slurry of burnt umber as my underpainting colour which I think was a mistake as it was too warm. I should have used paynes gray or prussian blue as my base.
I then started to add colour while remaining focussed on tone and major shapes rather than detail.
As I brought in the blue I distorted the tonal balance making the road darker than the buildings (see photo reference in picture). So I needed to fix that up by reestablishing the lighter tones.
This is where I left it. I was too sore to concentrate anymore so instead of battling it I decided to pack up early and come home for a sleep. :) I confess to being less than enthusiastic when Don told us we would be studying Cityscapes and am pleased to find that I am actually really enjoying myself and appreciating the subject. Thank you Don. :)
Thinking of you all, even if I am a bit quiet at the moment. xxx
Inspired by the process of a few different artists I set myself up to try something new this week. During our Open Studio this weekend I prepped a canvas by covering it with impasto gel and then pressing tissue paper into it. As I applied the tissue paper, I let it form lines and scrunched it up in places. I then let this dry for a couple of days (it's raining again) then covered it with a light coat of gesso. In terrible blogging form I forgot to photograph any of this process! Sorry. Today, I got out the paints and set to having a play. I laid in a background first with a large brush and LOVED painting on the texture of the tissue paper. It was so different to painting on canvas. Remember if you click on the images they will enlarge and you'll be able to see the texture clearly.
Next I built up layers using all sorts of tools and techniques that I don't usually use and some I've never used before when I think about it. I used sponges, brushes, palette knife and also applied very fluid paint by flicking and dribbling paint onto the canvas. It was fun but oops, so very messy (cue image of me on hands and knees scrubbing floor).
I have no idea of the original source of the image that I was inspired by. The original interpretation done by another unknown artist has been on my inspiration board for a very long time. I'm going to use these techniques again now that I've had a play. This time I think I will try an image of one of our mountains. Can't wait to get started.
Working with another artist in my space is really enjoyable and it seems to be influencing my work in unexpected ways. While we waited for people to brave the poor weather and visit Aannsha and I used our time to be productive. I find that I can't concentrate on any pieces in realistic style when Aannsha is there so I worked on some small bird images that I had prepared so I could just 'colour' with paint once she had arrived. Once these were done I experimented with another intuitive painting.
This is the first intuitive painting I did some weeks ago in the presence of my sister. It was a totally new style for me and I felt quite lost when painting it. The colours represent some of my favourites that feature frequently in my work, the teals, pthalos blue and green, purple, red and yellow. I find it to be quite harmonious and I ended up quite liking the finished piece.
My second intuitive painting I did in the company of Aannsha during our first open studio. I have used the same colour palette as the painting above, however I've altered the proportions. Warm colours are predominant instead of being used as accents and my beloved blues and purples have taken a back seat. This was hard work as I suspect an intuitive painting shouldn't be. I have received some favourable comments about this piece but I don't feel comfortable with it or like it very much overall.
This is my most recent intuitive painting. Once again I have used the same colour palette as the previous two. I mean that quite literally. I have paint in two ice cube trays containing a limited range of colours and I've used the same ones in all three paintings. Intuitive paintings are built up in layers and I've allowed more of the bottom layers to show through on this one. It's unusual (to me as I'm not really into abstract art) but I like it more than my second attempt. It reminds me of the landscape of Kakadu where I lived years ago. The red rocks, the yellow vegetation, the billabongs and waterlillies.
Here are the three side by side for comparative purposes. I can see growth in them even if I don't understand it!
Aannsha worked on a large felting project during the day and it made me realise that I would probably never be a felter. Realistically, it would exhaust me the way my body is. It proved to be a very prolonged and physical exercise for Aannsha to create the felt and then shape it. This is what she produced.....
a very Dr Seussish vase or container. It reminds me of the Grinch and the quirky art of Dr Seuss. I love the green.
We also watched this video on making a felt yurt that Aannsha had found on YouTube. It's pretty incredible. So much work. Enjoy!
I've been tired this week so have had a quite time which extended into today. Aannsha and I were here holding an open studio again today as part of the Arts Trail and finally at 3.30pm we had two visitors. My friends Viv and Tony (who I met through an art class) turned up to support us. Yay for friends! Part of the Open Studio idea is to be actually doing art when people visit. I set out to complete the calla lily I had been working on. I fiddled.......
and faffed.......
and wasn't feeling the love at all. I could not get my head into the
painting process this morning so I put it aside and decided I'd just
have to do something else. Sometimes the art just doesn't flow.
I started to play around with another intuitive painting and it seemed to take forever to settle into as well. I moved away from my usual colour palette by reversing it really. I usually use lots of teals and pthalo blues with highlights of red. Here I tried a warmer palette and I'm not sure I am fussed with it. Aannsha really liked it but I think I need to sit on it a bit more and maybe even make some changes before it will grow on me.
This is where I left it today. I think I'll play with it again tomorrow to improve the balance of the piece. My goal for tomorrow is to finish the calla lily and continue with the landscape seen below that I started on Thursday. Hopefully I won't be so tired and I'll produce better art.
Aannsha was far more productive than me, completing two lovely felted items. A cute vase and a new scarf.
Hopefully we'll have some more visitors tomorrow when we open the studio. If not we'll enjoy ourselves being creative and productive anyway.
The artists involved in the Glasshouse Country Arts Trail opened their studios for the first time this weekend. We had been away and returned home a few days earlier than expected so I managed to get the studio open to the public on Sunday. I am sharing my studio space (and the kids playroom) with Aannsha who is a textile artist. She also brought along some lovely paintings that she has done too so we certainly made the most of the space available to us. We had a few visitors, all who have seen me paint before so Aannsha gave us a felting demonstration which was just brilliant - my brain now has something else to focus on and want to do.....sigh.
Here is the lovely Aannsha doing her felt demonstration.
Here are some of our visitors joining in and having a shared go at felting. It was so quick and quite a lot of fun. The girls all enjoyed themselves and my sister Susan is at home today making felt in her kitchen.
I won't share all the photos of the day as the Glasshouse Country Arts Trail blog has photos (click on them to enlarge) and a short video thanks to Aannsha. Keep an eye on Susan's blog too as she mentioned that she will be doing a blog post on our day too and the girl took LOTS of photos!
I sold a necklace with my an image of my owl painting in the pendant and received an order for another necklace with a different image in it. I also had another project come out of the day but I can't share that with you until closer to Christmas as it's secret.....ssssh. I can say that it involves collage.
Very, very tired today after having the studio open yesterday and an 8 hour drive home the day before. I have still dragged myself into the studio though and this is what I've achieved in 50 minutes of painting - it's just the underpainting so don't freak out on me if it looks a bit ordinary! :) I'm don't think I'll get anymore done today as I think an afternoon nap is on the cards.
Our Arts trail is open for the next three weekends so if you are near the Glasshouse Mountains during this time come and visit us. Details can be found on the blog linked earlier or brochures and maps can be collected from the Information Centre in Glasshouse Mountains.
Thank you for supporting my art journey. Hope to see some of you soon.
When I started my art journey two years ago I didn't imagine that I would be doing commissions, exhibiting work or holding open studios. I most definitely would never have imagined that I would be painting a dog in an elvis costume as commissioned work. Frankly I would have thought you crazy if you suggested such a thing. Yet here I am sharing with you a dog in a glitzy elvis costume.... I love how life takes us on such unexpected and wonderful journeys.
My client came last night so we could make the final decision on the addition of glitter and gems to the painting. It was so much fun. We put on far more glitter than I would have added and we toned down the gemstones that she initially wanted and used clear gems in the shape of stars. It has turned out PERFECTLY FOR HER. Flelvis will bring joy in the home where he is going to live and that is, after all what counts.
It was hard to take photos to show the 'bling' to effect but you get the idea. Remember you can click on the images to enlarge them. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Flelvis.
All he needs now is a sensor that sends him off into a rounding rendition of Viva Las Vegas every time you walk past him.... Oh my.
I've made good progress with my Flelvis painting over only a couple of sessions. Overall the portrait has come together far more quickly than I had expected. I'm not sure whether I think things will be harder and take longer than the reality or if I'm becoming a faster painter... The head was an exception, every time I looked at it I seemed to find something else that needed touching up or refining. Here are some progress photos.
Further underpainting and starting to build up the final layers. The portrait is starting to take shape.
Concentrating on the folds in the costume fabric. I wanted to portray them realistically while making them more understated than they appear in real life. In the photograph the folds and shadows in the fabric are quite pronounced and there are embellishments of gold, gold ric rac and a large gem on the chest. My client wishes to include some 'bling' and I'm trying to work out how to do this without detracting from the face of the dog (the costume already commands most of the attention).
In an attempt to draw attention away from the costume and back to the dog's face I have played with the background. I've lightened the area near to his face while adding more blue to the purple to link it to the blue at the base of the painting. To lessen the contrast between the costume and the background and to make the whole background more cohesive, I have glazed the purple used at the top over the blue at the bottom. I think this has helped to increase the prominence of the face. I'm really thinking that the addition of gems and sequins will take too much focus from the face so am thinking that some subtle use of glitter may work to suit the clients needs and add to the painting without over powering it. I think some silver glitter on the fabric under the dog's chin. Some red on the highlighted parts of the red fabric and some sparkle on some parts of the white fabric like perhaps the collar. What do you think? I'd appreciate some feedback as I know you have some good ideas out there....
