My Painting Process
My Painting Process presents insights, techniques, materials and behind-the-scenes looks of how my artwork develops and comes to life.
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Call of the Raven
I admit that from the moment I started planning this raven painting that I was unsure what to title it. While I was uploading photos of the work in progress it occurred to me to name it “Call of the Raven”. This makes sense as it is certainly cawing about something. I did quite a bit of research with my good friend Google to find out “what do you call a group of ravens?” The search came back with a few possibilities such as “unkindness, constable, conspiracy and parliament”. I played with “Call to Parliament” but when I tested it with a few friends they really didn’t understand it…
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Yesterdays Blooms Finally Finished
The name Yesterday’s Blooms came from a few different ideas I had white working on this watercolour of white roses that grow in the back corner of my yard. Early in the season the blooms are so white, almost a transparent white. As the season progresses, the blooms take on a hint of pink. Only to become quite pinkish and coral nearer to the fall as the bloom matures. I stepped back from this painting for a period (far too long) once I deepened the background. I had to get my head around how deep the values really are on the “white” roses. The value of a grey scale value…
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Hat Trick
I am loving this technique I love that even with the layers of paint you can still see the impasto underpainting- in this cast the texture I created by painting through burlap. The process is mess and I admit I am quite nervous with as I usually know almost exactly what I am doing. Not quite the case with complex underpainting processes and also with poured watercolour paintings. The element of surprise and then the reality of what in the heck am I going to do with this? I admit I am a planner. I will decide on a element whether it be the subject or the texture and think…
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The Do Over
Have you ever started a painting and just went for it? And then you step back and look at it and feel compelled to say holy crud! In the early stages a lot of work will look positively awful well, not right. You have a vision and stick with it only to create a miracle of sorts as you pull it together and it becomes the painting you were going for! Then there is the painting that builds and it does nothing for you. You stand back to admire and scrutinize your work. You get nothing. It is not talking to you at all. There is no choice but to…
