"Aspens (3)"

($40.00.....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)

"Up close and personal, aspen leaves are beautiful in form and color." Close up shots of anything in nature can create texture and in some cases look very abstract. I call them outdoor still life shots. It's almost December so enjoy some up close and personal observations of the remaining days of fall.

Yesterday I talked about the difference between writing on this type of surface covered with acrylic paint and medium as opposed to unprimed paper. If you do make a mistake you can get a stiff brush, dip it in water and remove the lettering. (It's almost like a "dry erase" board.) However, there are times when there may be a residue of the lettering still left. In that case, just dip the brush in alcohol and do what I call the "brush and blot" technique. You must blot immediately after wetting this surface with alcohol because it will get sticky and the kleenex will stick to the surface. The reason for this is because alcohol breaks up acrylic paint and mediums.

You can also use rubbing alcohol to break up the paint and then brayer over the surface, lifting some of the paint and creating a different texture. It really looks cool if there's a different color beneath the top coat.

You will notice how the haze of the Titan Buff Acrylic plus the Pouring Medium left an "old photograph" look in the upper corners. This particularly shows up well on dark backgrounds so if you like that look, you will want to keep that in mind when you do the photography. Refer to the November 22 posting for application of the paint / pouring medium followed by spritzing with water. Just a few things to try or think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.