I didn't set any major goals, I just left it simply to continue on my color journey. I struggled at first as I couldn't think of what I wanted to paint, did I want to start another large piece (more on that in a future different post), so I pulled out my sketch journal. This is a small tear out coil journal that I have several on the go. Most pages are filled with sketches inspired by some of my favorite artists on Instagram.
Hope you enjoy following along with this weeks art journey...
Monday:
I decide to try and use the September palette from the Experience True Colors program since I really hadn't used it aside from when I did my initial color mixing earlier in the month. When I do my lesson each month, I find that I have been simply using the mixes in my color journal and then don't go back. I plan on changing that. This is where I start the change!
I challenged myself to not necessarily follow the programs color recommendation mixings, but used paints straight from the tube as my primaries then mixed and blended as needed. It is important to note that I also used White Gesso, Titan Buff and Acrylic Glazing Liquid to reach the colors used in the journal.
I used Golden Artist Colors paints in the following colors: English Red Oxide, Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide and Prussian Blue Hue.
This sketch is what I call my funky flower. My sketch book is full of them (as you will soon see). They are most definitely inspired by the very talented and (obviously) inspiring Carolina Della Valle (@making.me on Instagram). I discovered her about a year ago and quickly fell in love with her process and style. She calls her flowers Wonky, either way, they are very inspiring....as is she.
Mixing these colors with the titan buff and or white gives such richness and vibrancy not to mention opacity. The visual textures and colors are wonderful. I did very little blending on the background, but did focus on the blending on the flower pedals. I am also working hard on my values and they are getting better with practice.
Tuesday:
As it was a new month, a new palette was introduced in the Experience True Colors program, I thought I would focus the rest of the week on the new palette, but with a different twist. You can see that each month not only comes with a new palette, but each palette has a name. It is quite fitting for what I had decided to do.
The Great Unknown - what would happen if....
I pulled from my vast collection of paints, this time - Amsterdam Acrylics. I did not pull the primaries, but thinking back to my study on the harmonious colors. Using the triad scheme, I pulled a green, teal, pink and yellow (okay, I cheated by pulling the yellow) to make a limited palette for my funky floral #2.
I mixed the paints right on my page, then of course mapped it out in my color journal. Not sure when I decided that I prefer this format, but I know I have done it before and really like the values I can achieve.
A close up of the line work - done with a good ol' jumbo #1 HB primary pencil. Love it! I also used a Stabilio Woody in yellow to do a bit of shading around the petals. No need for it to be perfect, just funky!
Wednesday:
Continuing on my color path, I once again pulled out yet another paint line from my collection - DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics, but quickly figured I needed more. So pulled out some more Amsterdam and Golden. Hey, if I got them, I might as well use them!
I am sticking with my same format, painting over a sketch in my journal, mixing directly on the page. You can see that I put the paint on a palette mat first, where I pick it up with my brush and then apply to the journal page. Doing this like mentioned before, gives me some fantastic hues. The use of mixing colors with white and gray allows me to manipulate the hue tints and tones. Then along with layering, the effect is almost leather like.
This time, I did the brunt of my line work with a script liner brush, then topped it off with some scribbles using the primary pencil again. Funky, right?!
NOTABLE: You will have noticed by now, that I am not using the entire palette on these funky florals - that was my intention. There are six colors each month, but understand that even though it is a teaching tool, it is also meant as a jumping point and of course inspiration. I am purposely only showing what looks like three colors per floral. But in essence, there are usually a minimum of six. Layers of color create visual texture as well as value.
Thursday:
Yup, you guessed it, on the same path with the straight from the tube/bottle. Today while looking at the palette it got me to thinking about some colors from the Dina Wakley Media paint line. Dina's colors are so rich to begin with, I was pretty sure I could use them straight out of the bottles if I wanted to. I didn't of course, but I could have (wink wink)!
You can see above by my color journal, I did very little mixing, but the colors I achieved were awesome. The Dina Wakley paint colors I used were:
Ocean & Marine (for the blue/cyan), Blushing & Magenta (for red/magenta), Olive (for yellow) and of course White, Buff (for titan buff) and glazing liquid for blending.
Simply love paint these funky florals from my sketch book, they are really coming to life...in color!
Friday:
I continued to challenge myself with the use of paints directly from the bottle. Today I used Martha Stewart Crafts acrylic paints. I do not have a lot of them, I used them mainly for gelli printing...which I haven't done in ages. I thought I would make the main focus of the page pink today. Which if you knew me, is WAY out of my comfort zone. I may be a girl, but I am in no way a pink kinda girl (ick), especially pastel!
The above photo you can see just how many paints I used to get to the hues I was happy with - seven plus white gesso - to paint 'three' hues on a page. Not bad in the grand scheme of things, considering some artists will use triple or more.
One thing to note on the above photo, is I didn't have the light on it hence why it is considerably darker than the two below. The next two are more true to the actual page.
Once again, my line drawings were done with my primary #1 HB pencil.
Sunday:
Today was time to pull out the ol' Liquitex Basics line. This is the smallest selection of paints I have from any one line. I first started using Liquitex Basics when I first started my art journaling journey simply because they were inexpensive. I quickly moved to Golden and then to Heavy Body paints as my level of painting improved. To this day, if I had a choice, it would be all heavy body paints and a toss up between Golden and Liquitex. All the paints I have used this past week were fluid or soft body acrylics.
It is important to note that there is nothing wrong with these paints, they work great for this and lots of other applications.
Today's colors I picked were Cerulean Blue Hue, Quinacridone Magenta & Yellow Oxide. I used White Gesso again to tint and Glazing Liquid for blending. So what is it this month with me using so many pinks?!? For someone who is not a fan, I sure am using it a lot aren't I?? One thing I will say it that it really does look a lot more pink in photos than in person (no doubt to due to my lighting).
For additional color values, I used a variety of Stabilio Woody 3in1 Crayons in the following colors: White (880/100), Orange (880/220), Pink (880/334), Flesh Pink (880/355) and Cyan (880/450). These provided some wonderful visual texture along with aiding in value. These are watersoluble so blend nicely with either a damp finger or brush.
Line drawings were done using my favorite Pilot MultiBall Medium/Black (LM-10M-B).
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There is always talk about brushes. For me, what size brush I use is usually determined by the size of the substrate as well as what the subject I am painting. In this weeks study, I have used nothing larger than an 1/2" (20) Bright for the larger areas and otherwise work with a #16 ad #8 Bright. For blending and detailing, I use #6 flats. Line work, a #0 Script Liner. One thing you will find with me though, is that Bright brushes are my usual go to brush, not matter what the size. I have them all the way up to 1.5". You can scrub and man handle them and they just keep giving me the best results for my style of painting.
My sketch journal is a Strathmore Vision Mixed Media (98lb/70 sheets) 5.5 x 8.5". I sketch and paint on one side only in case I decide to tear out and use. I have in the past, written notes on the back of each piece, but then found I could not then use the original due to me having a tendency to push to hard on my writing tool and it showing through on the front (ugh).
The other fun thing you can do with these pieces in your journals....scan them! Then you can print, edit, manipulate them in all kinds of ways to reuse your art. You can look back on this post when I guest posted on StencilGirl Talk.
I managed to commit to painting almost every day this week. I have found over the last few weeks that if I get all my daily errands &/or chores done in the morning, I can head to the studio in the afternoon with zero guilt. I often stay in there for 3-4 hours and just paint, just play and just practice! I would love to hear what and how you make time for art, feel free to share!
Thanks for sticking around...see you again soon! Perhaps over on Instagram or Facebook....simply follow me there by searching @w2studioarts.
#JUSTPAINTJUSTPLAYJUSTPRACTICE
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