Monthly Archives: June 2013

Weekend Work

Posted on by

It’s been all quiet on the artistic front for a few weeks.  One reason is that I’ve been reading and practicing some color theory techniques – more on that in a few days.  But mostly I’ve been away from painting because I was out of source material.

On Friday I went back to my childhood home and spent several hours biking around the fields and farms where I grew up taking tons of photos to work from.  It was an interesting experience that tugged at a few memories, which is exactly the reason why I’m painting this subject matter to start with.

Below is one sketch from the weekend – a mirror to Field in Winter (same location) and also the finished photo of A Path from earlier this year. It’s been finished for a while, I just hadn’t got around to photographing it.

Field in Summer : Oil on board, 9"x12" 2013

Field in Summer : Oil on board, 9″x12″ 2013

A Path : Oil on Board, 14"x18" 2013

A Path : Oil on Board, 14″x18″ 2013

Another Rainy Friday

Posted on by
Another Skull

Another Skull : Oil on board. 9″x12″ 2013

So I’m not crazy morbid.  I just happen to have a plastic anatomical skull laying around and it makes for an easy prop for paintings. (that’s also the reason the teeth look very fake…they are.)

It’s been another rainy Friday finishing up some pieces, including this little piece.  I’ve been playing with Liquin as a medium and trying to get a handle on transparent layers and building up a painting rather than the alla-prima style I’m used to.  It is definitely interesting, allowing for a lot more control, but a lot less expression.  I can’t say I love it just yet.

Liquin is an alkyd medium, similar to the walnut alkyd medium I normally use. While the walnut is non-toxic and shortens drying times it cannot be added in bulk to the paints or it will screw with the adhesion.  Liquin can be added and added and added, allowing for lots of transparencies and layers, but it also is a petroleum based product with a definite model-glue type smell.  Not my favorite.