#getyourpainton (part one)

I have been doing a somewhat of a deep dive on composition in art for well over a year now, but really sat down this past month and went through my notes, looked at past paintings (mine and on the net) to see if I could finally comprehend it all.  Good new...I did and I do!

I have a journal full of notes, a binder full of printed pages for reference. So I planned out a week long self study on seeing how I could get paint to paper using what I hoped would now be more natural habits that I have instilled in myself after all the 'studying' and practice.  

I decided on a practice used by many instructors over the years where you take a sheet of paper and divide it off in sections using masking tape. I chose to use a quality Watercolor Paper as I knew it would handle what I was about to do to it. I also wanted to use different color palettes each day, mix up my brushes and at the end, I even changed up my paints for Inks.

I stayed with Golden Acrylics for the most part, but one day I did use some of my craft paint stash (Martha Stewart Crafts - seriously, I need to use this stuff up) and the final day was Daler Rowney FW Artist Acrylic Inks.

Here we go....

Day 1:

Strathmore Series 400 Watercolor 12x18"

Gesso - Liquitex Professional (White)

Golden Fluid Acrylics - Titanium White, Carbon Black, Transparent Red Iron Oxide, Titan Buff, Iridescent Stainless Steel (Coarse) and Iridescent Bright Gold (Fine).

Brush - Princeton Catalyst Bright #12 & #8

Stabilo Woody - Black

This was a palette I was using on another piece and I had a good amount out so thought why not start here. I decided to start off just making 6 squares (approx 6x6") and simply used limited strokes and tried my best to only stroke one at a time. I either would go in a single swoop or short swipe.  The more I added, the longer and larger my strokes seemed to get.  I also found that I got over zealous and was getting too much paint on the piece. 

Pretty interesting how by simply taping off a sheet a paper, the drastic change it can make.  I find it allows you to see everything in a whole new light.  It is like using a random viewfinder on your piece and then when you cut them into their individual pieces - is when the fun can really start.  If you look at the first image, you can see how I covered almost the entire 6" section, the white spaces really are not really visible until I remove the tape. The strokes are thick and somewhat random, but look at their direction. Color placement is there to give each one a nice focal point, but really noticeable until they are cut and standing on their own.

Here are a couple interesting points I have discovered to help simplify wanting to evaluate and understand my work. These are simply my translations and work for me and my thought process.  You may not think the same way, that's okay.

Elements are visual, look for them in your art. You don't need to have them all, but odd numbers are best. Principles are feelings. It is often how the artist uses the elements to create an effect and then in turn aid with the visualization of their intent. Principles are your tools of arrangement of the various elements. Elements are your building blocks that will influence your process. Their end result is to achieve unity in the composition of your art.

A quick check of the elements - does it have Line, Shape, Space, Form, Color, Value or Texture?  It doesn't need to have them all, but should have at least three.

A quick check on the principles - does is feel Balanced, is there Contrast (in color, value & texture), is there emphasis (focal point), is there Unity/Variety (in the elements), is there Movement (think line), is there pattern (marks, shapes, etc that create a pattern), or Rhythm (implied by repetition of elements)?

A painting does not need to have all the principles, but a successful one will have Unity, Variety, Contrast & Emphasis.  It will also be visually Balanced and will Move(ment) the eye around. This is good composition.

So back to my #getyourpainton study...

Looking at the last photo, you can definitely see line, shape, (visual) texture, value & color. You can also see emphasis on most, contrast, variety and balance. The other principles could be included as well depending on your interpretations of course.

Let's move on to Day 2:

Strathmore Series 400 Watercolor 12x18"

Gesso - Liquitex Professional (White)

Amsterdam Standard Acrylics - Yellow Green, Permanent Violet Light, Primary Cyan & Primary Magenta

Liquitex Basics - Neutral Gray Value 5 and Mars Black

Brush - Princeton Catalyst Bright #12 

Catalyst Wedge No.6

Stabilo Woody - Black, White & Lime Green

I wanted to challenge myself with the colors as these are not ones I use often at all. I will happily use them in my journals, just not in something I would 'paint'.  But since this was a study, why not.  I also decided to change up the taping this time.  I much prefer to paint large, so this is a great way to push my boundaries and push me even more outside my comfort zone. The main application of paint was by use of the Catalyst Wedge.  I love this tool and use it often on my larger pieces.  So using it here really provides some bold movement and impact.

I had a lot of fun with this one.  I found myself being aware of the tape. But I do feel that many of my placements are habits due to my many years of simply playing to see what happens - thus becoming intuitive/instinctive....for me. You will also note that I did my cuts a little different as well.  There were a few that I thought could use the addition of some extra white.  It almost gives them a mock polaroid look, which I am really liking.

Now - let's look for the elements. I see line, shape, space, color & texture for sure. As for the principles - movement for sure, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance.

Day 3:

Strathmore Series 400 Watercolor 12x18"

Gesso - Liquitex Professional (White)

Golden Fluid Acrylics - Transparent Pyrrole Orange, Titan Buff, Naphthol Red Medium & Anthraquinone Blue

Brush - Royal SG700 3/4" & SG3010 #8

Stabilo Woody - Navy Blue, Orange & Pink

The one thing I haven't mentioned before is that I always gesso after I put the tape on.  I do this as I prefer the raw look of the paper after the tape has been peeled. The one other thing to note is the 'tearing' of paper when the tape is removed. It is dependant on a few things - the tape you use. Buy the good stuff, it is worth it. I prefer the Blue 3M Painters tape. Also, I have found in the past that if you tape on the smoother side of the paper (cold press), I never get tears/lifts.  Also, how hard you burnish makes a difference too.  I tend to simply rub my fingers along the inside edges and of course across the center intersections. I also do not load my brush up too much with paint.

I also neglected to take a photo of the sheet before I did the peel off, but I'm sure it doesn't make that much of difference to you aside from just not being able to see the comparison.

As I have done these for three days now, I am finding myself more and more aware of  the tape placement and look for the color variations within each section - after I have put the initial stroke(s) down. I was oddly excited about this one and did forget to do my woody scribbles before taking the tape off.  So I was more conscious of my marks and their placements as I did not want to go on my white borders. I am once again strategically cutting these to eye pleasing directions.

Let's check for the elements. I see line, shape, space, color & texture.  As for the principles - contrast, variety, emphasis, movement and balance. Always note, not every one will be a master piece, but the purpose it to just get your paint on the paper, practice your brush strokes, color combinations and compositions.

I will end it here today for part one of the series. Come back tomorrow for part two.

A Quick Study on Values...

Yes, I am still studying color.  I am pretty sure this will be a long time thing and I am more than prepared for it. This past week, I started a mini study on values.  This was brought to the for front through an ongoing class I am taking through Experience True Colors.  They were focusing on values through the use of black and white.  I just went a few steps further by adding colors to my black & white.

I started my first day using strictly Carbon Black and Titanium White paint. I mixed in together to create my value scale.  When I was happy with my mixing, I used the mixed colors to create a piece in my color journal.  As you know, I am really intrigued by abstract art, so thought I would try using this format for the entire week.  In order to have some sort of unity, I decided to create a modified template/stencil.  I free hand cut them out of a 9x12" sheet of Bristol paper.

Hard to see the values in the black in the photo, but the main focus is that there are good values on the entire spread.  I added the black singular line to connect the two solid shapes using a Charcoal pencil.  Quite happy with the results.

Day two brought me mixing with three primaries (Primary Cyan/Magenta/Yellow) to get black and then of course the addition of white to get my value scale.

I made sure to take a photo of the two value scales side by side so you can see just how close I got them.

The scale on the left is using only black and white paints and the the scale on the right is using the three primaries along with white. I was really impressed on how well I did.

Not wanting to waste the mixed paint, of course I added to my color journal once again using my template again but in a different layout.

I once again used my charcoal pencil to unite the two separate images. I just wish I was talented enough to get the black to show its' variation better in photos.

Day three I decided to try using a version of primaries....individually to create a value scale. So for this version, I used Hansa Yellow Medium and created my values using the addition of carbon black and titanium white. I love the fact that when yellow and black are mixed you get green! Not sure I totally understand why yet, maybe due to color bias? Warm vs cold?  You can be rest assured I am looking into why!

Not much else to say about this one, but I really love it!  

Day four brought red into the family. Pyrrole Red.  Everything the same as the day before, just a little different presentation.

I seriously love the red and black mixed to create value.  It is quite the dance to get it balanced. I'd say it was a great success.

The final day was all about blue. Phthalo Blue (Green Shade). This again was an interesting dance with the white & black.  I worked them a bit differently this day and it was a real struggle. I struggled with my brushes so often would blend and mix with my fingers.  Needless to say, by the end of it I had some pretty Smurf like hands!

Here they are all shown together in a collage pic.  It was a fun mini study and I know I still want to delve deeper into it using warm vs cool in the magenta/cyan/yellow families.

You can learn a lot about the values in your piece my taking a photo of it with your phone.  Simply by editing the photo to b&w, you can see right away how effective your values (contrasts) are. Even without editing to b&w, you can often see where your mistakes are. It really is a powerful tool to keep close by.

Aside from learning a lot about colors and how they react to others, 

I have discovered:

* I prefer a dry brush 

* I often use 12 or more brushes in a sitting

* I like using my fingers to apply the paints

 * I like using Glazing Medium to blend

*the more I paint, the more I want to learn about color.

I had an idea...

When I get an idea, it is not always complete, just something that needs to work its way out of my brain.  I do however jump right in and work my way through it - however long it takes or until I know it is just not possible.  More often than not, it works, but just takes a while and the process can be daunting.

This one was no different.  I wanted to work large, on a small surface.  What? It can be done, in my mind anyways.  I took six 5x7" Fredrix Artist Canvas Panels and taped them together using a good quality tape.  The large panel was now a 15x14".

I started the process using two Lyra Color Giants pencils in Black and Grey to doodle a rough sketch I thought might work.  Note I was trying to keep the connection of the panels by overlapping the circles to join the canvases.

Next was time to start added colors.  I belong to a color based art program called Experience True Colors (ETC) and this months theme was called The Great Unknown (kind of fitting wasn't it) and the palette was one I was really enjoying to work with.

Like anything I do, especially in regards to art, I don't follow rules well - I use them as inspiration.  Now don't get me wrong,  ETC doesn't have rules when it comes to your interpretation on the monthly palettes, which is perfect for me and I of course take full advantage of it.

I added a few drops of FW Acrylic Artist Inks in Process Magenta and Flesh Tint. Let them sit for about a minute then sprayed them liberally with water and again allowed them to sit for about 2 minutes.  Then I took a rag and started to blot them.

I then allowed them to fully dry at this point.  I pulled out my large range of Grey acrylic paints and began added them to the now dry surface.  I mixed the greys as I applied them. I got on a roll at this point and needless to say, taking photos were not even on my radar.

Hence why we are now at this point.  I used six or seven different grey hues from five different companies - Golden (fluid and high flow), Liquitex, DecoArt Media, Grumbacher and Martha Stewart. Knowing it needed a color now, I brought out my Shiva Artist's Paintstik (Oil).  I used White, Azo Orange and Yellow Ochre.

Blending the colors with my finger, the idea was there, but the color was not and I knew that this was not the result I wanted.  Time to walk away for a bit.

Came back a few hours later with fresh eyes to fix the colors. I once again pulled my Paintstiks and this time used the White, Napthol Red and Yellow Ochre.

It was getting there, but still not happy. Had a bit of a meltdown, and started applying Light Modeling Paste and Sand Paste for texture I guess, as like I said, I was having a hissy fit.  So needless to say, it was yet again time for a break (seeing a pattern here, right).

I came back with fresh eyes the next day, dry surface  to work on. Still suck on the greys, I began adding it is various hues/values thickly over the textured surface.

Now it was time to add some color - I thought I'd try some green....

Ya, no.  No mater what I did at this point, it just wasn't what I wanted.  I didn't know that yet, but I knew it was time to walk away again or it would end up in the garbage. Tomorrow is another day!

Tomorrow it is...

I came in with an idea to bring it all together...

Or so I thought.  This is the piece just before I had yet another hissy fit.  Underneath all this, I had added so many layers trying new colors.  I think I was really hung up on staying with the ETC color palette and it just wasn't working for me at this point.  I pulled out Turquios (Phthalo) and Titanium White with a mission to fix this hot mess. I really liked the left side, but still now happy with the right.  I did a wash over the base to push back the colors in hope that would help. Nope.

My next attempt was pulling out a stencil and trying to push the background back even further.

If you follow along on Instagram, you will have seen a few of these images along the way.  The one thing that I found so interesting was the feedback I got along the way.  Everyone was loving the images and couldn't understand why I wasn't liking it.  It took me that night to figure it out.  It was too much like an art journal page and not a painting.  I know I am by no means an accredited artist, but I am an educated one. Yes, self taught and continuing to educate my self on a daily basis. I know what I like and what I don't. I knew I didn't like this.  So day four was going to be my break through....

I started out day four with adding some torn pieces of Tim Holtz Tissue Paper (Postale) again overlapping the pieces so that there would be some on all of the six panels. Think I would be happy now? Nope. 

I took some Titanium White and Acrylic Glazing Liquid as I wanted the collage elements to be pushed back again (when will I learn)?!

I once again, wiped back the white so it was not so bright and got the grunge I thought I wanted.

I of course new with wasn't going to be the end, it needed more. I pulled out some deli paper and did a few rough paint doodles on them and just put them on the painting to dry to see if it was what I wanted, and of course walked away yet again.

Day five was now upon me and I was not going to lose to this panel. I had an idea and thought it through and boy, it may have took a while, but I love the results.

I started the day off with mixing up some Bone Black and Turquois (Phthalo) and some abstract shapes to create a focal point.  I knew I wanted that Turquois to peak through. I also added some sgraffito through a couple areas.

I wanted to see how the deli paper circles would work so I cut a couple out to see.

Sorry for the glare, but at this point I was just trying to see what would work here.  I knew pretty quick it was only going to be the one.

I also added some line drawings in grey to keep the panels joint once they were separated.

It was finally coming together.  Now was the time to cut them apart to see if it worked.

Now comes the fun part.  My idea on working large on small.  It can be done....see!? What if...once part, you frame separately or together and arrange how you want, when you want.  If I was to frame individually, I could change the layout whenever I wanted. I knew I wanted it in two frames. How I wanted to to be presented was to be determined.

Here is just a sampling of the ways these could be hung. Whether you choose vertically like above or horizontally...

The possibilities are endless. I have them currently mounted in two 12x18" frames.  Not sure yet if this is how they will end....time will tell.

Thanks for sticking it out with this long post.  I will see you again soon...in the mean time, be sure to check me out over on Instagram and Facebook by searching @w2studioarts.  Have a great day!