"Gratitude" (draft 3)

(draft 3)

Almost there. The lettering with the quote and final will be posted tomorrow. Layering takes time and it is good to have time to "mull" things over before continuing to the next step.

You may notice that some of the colors are brighter today. That is because I glazed over them one more time after cropping the piece. However, you can still see the luminosity and the sparkle created by masking out some of the erratic lines and lettering before applying any washes. (One...not more than twice over with the glazing.)

The feather took a great deal of time in order to achieve the opacity and different shadings within the feather itself. The spine of the feather is also the same as painting any bone or antler image. It may look white, but it is not. Neutral Tint, Quinacridone Gold (Sennelier) and Bleedproof White Gouache were the colors used to create this feather. It also helped to have a liner brush which helps to lay in the numerous layers required to achieve opacity and depth. So I went back and forth between these colors to create subtlety.

Today, I will study the feather and see if there is anything else that needs to be done. This is the part of the process where the tough questions need to be asked. Is the image convincing? Or does it look contrived? It takes time and space to ascertain these things. I am not yet convinced of the feather, so it will probably receive some additional work after I have been away from it for a few hours. This would be a good time to begin another piece and allow the preliminary washes to dry.

What I am satisfied with is the layered glass look which was my inspiration in the first place. The whites and softly diffused lines from the very first layers are still giving that glass look that I am also working with for another piece.

Even in very representational work, the imagery that is in the distance is not as well defined as the imagery that is in the foreground. So the "take away" from today is to stop working at intervals and take a break when the final details are being decided. The very free "stuff" can be done very intuitively and quickly, but then there is a time to go slow in order to decide the final steps and not to go beyond the finish line.

Going too far is just as bad as not going far enough. And frankly, I've done my fair share of going too far. It's time to slow down. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Shades of Violet"

(unavailable.....4" x 6".....on 300 lb. CP)

"Shades of violet color the reflections of my mind." Depending on how you feel when you see violet colors, they can symbolize sadness or elation. It's a matter of preference.

This is another 4" x 6" that began with watercolor. White bleedproof white gouache was added to key areas to create new shapes and add a sense of mystery. Working on pieces this small gives me an opportunity to practice watercolor techniques and how the pigment reacts to various degrees of wetness. I also played around with the ratio of pigment to water. The focal point has pigment applied right out of the tube with no water added accept for the edges after it was applied.

These are quite fun to do and allow for experimentation and practice without too much fuss. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Common Denominators" (final)

(unavailable.....4" x 6"......mounted on masonite)

"Common denominators create patterns." Common denominators in art are the same thing as repetitive elements. In this case, it is repetitive lines and color.

Since yesterday, I drew some erratic lines over the watercolor with pencil. I used several different values of graphite. The piece was then sprayed with water on both sides and extra water dabbed off with a sponge.   It is important not to wipe the excess water off since the watercolor has not been fixed with an acrylic spray.

A light glaze of sepia was brushed on with a flat watercolor brush and then I wrote into the wet paper with an empty pointed pen. You can clearly see that effect in the tiles.  The piece was dried with a hair dryer. Diluted white gesso was then applied with a sponge brush and pushed around with a credit card.  

The piece was then dried with a hair dryer and then bleedproof white gouache was applied with sponge brush on damp paper. The beauty of bleedproof white is the ease at which it can be blotted and removed or pushed around with a credit card. The piece was dried again and some of the white gesso removed with a stiff brush dipped into alcohol. After that was dried, I added a bit more yellow and blue watercolor.

Another technique I used througout these last layers was blotting with a kleenex lightly. All of these techniques combined create an "aged" and mysterious looking surface with a lot of depth. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Ninguna Condenacion" (Draft)

(draft only)

"There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) This is a draft of Part I of "Ninguna Condenacion" (means "no condemnation" in Spanish). I am giving you a sneak preview of the first of two companion pieces for an upcoming Easter Exhibit at Hill Country Bible Church NW.

Process is so important and most people enjoy "peeking" into someone's else's process and thought patterns. So you can see (if you look closely) that I have not completed the second word of Roman Versals...condenacion. The process here involved writing the same phrase in Spanish and English in the background with a Speedball C-5 nib and White Bleedproof Gouache (Winsor Newton). As I have said before, this brand does not crystallize like Dr. Martin's brand so it has become my favorite and is available at Jerry's or Asel's Art Supply here in Austin.

You might remember that I did this same combination of lettering styles in a smaller posting earlier last week in preparation for this larger piece. So after the background expressive lettering was completed, I sprayed the surface with Spray Acrylic Coating (3x)....drying in between. I then left it overnight to dry. (This same process could have been done with line work, gestural marks, or drawings rather than lettering.) 

This morning I prepared the surface for lettering again with (2) parts water to (1) part gel matte medium and then practiced versals. I wrote the final letters on tracing paper with a black pen and laid it over the background lettering to make sure I was getting the optimal overlay. I then placed another sheet of tracing paper with a scribbled area of a 3B graphite pencil underneath the tracing paper with the letters and rewrote the monoline romans to transfer it to the surface. You could also use Saral Transfer Paper or Graphite Paper, but it leaves a heavy line and smudges that then have to be removed. My experience has been that it is far better to make your own transfer paper than use the commercial kind. You can also use white or any color of watercolor pencil to create a different color transfer. Using a very sharp pencil will also ensure a thinner line and less chance of smudges. 

The techniques I have just explained can help you create several layers of lettering or other types of imagery simply by spraying the surface (3x) and then preparing the surface to receive more line work. You are essentially creating a new surface with the previous layer completely protected. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Poinsettias"

(unavailable....in the permanent collection of dee day)

"Poinsettias say Merry Christmas by their presence alone." This piece could have been dedicated to my mother if she were still alive. On second thought, I think I will go ahead and dedicate it to her anyway. She loved poinsettias at Christmas and they did extremely well in the tropical climate of South Texas. Enjoy looking at these beautiful flowers for a few more days. I am sure you will see some, even at the grocery store.

This piece is a classic example of the two most powerful complementary colors placed in a neutral colored pot. Notice that there is only a small bit of green. In fact, when using direct complements, it is best not to allow each color to take up equal percentages of space. It is much more powerful to let one of the two complements dominant.

Another point about using white lettering if there is no white in the image. In this case, I mixed titanium white (out of the tube) with Liquitex Pouring Medium. Some of the specks of white will stay suspended in the medium which gives you a random placement of white specks to tie in with the lettering. The flourish in the upper right hand corner also unifies the color scheme. The white lettering would not have been nearly as effective if these connections were not established.

Another point, also, about cropping. I originally wanted to include the entire container in my piece. It didn't have the "wow" factor and the insignia on the pot wasn't showcased so the entire problem was resolved by zooming in and cropping the image up close. The "rule of thumb" is to allow the focal point to take up the largest percentage of your design space. Just something to think about.

"The Coast"

(unavailable)


"Even in the snow, the palm tree offers up childhood memories of the coast." This photo was taken last year from my upstairs studio. However, as a child this is what I saw at Christmas minus the snow. Whatever your childhood memory is, it's fun to reflect and cherish particular people and places.

White is an interesting color that can be the main attraction in a piece. I have been using it a lot because of its carrying power even on top of a muted background. There is a tendency to only use white in this way when the background is extremely dark so that it will show up well. But if you want a more subtle look, try using it on muted or "grayed down" colors. The contrast is not as strong as it would be on black or other dark colors, but the viewer can then be surprised as they get closer to the piece. Everything in a piece does not need to be distinguished from across the room. It was also nice to use tube acrylic white with the pouring medium with specks of it still suspended in the medium that look like snow flurries.

Another thing to note is the placement of the flourishes in the trees as though they were an extension of the palm branches. My desire for the month of December is to practice different placements and flourishes where they might not be expected just to show that they can be part of a contemporary piece. We don't all need to do flourished birds and use typical settings reminiscent of the 1800's....although there is nothing wrong about doing that. I still enjoy studying and looking at historical references and even doing "stand alone" flourishes with no hint of contemporary techniques, but it is exciting to push it to the limit. Just something to think about.

"Unexpected" (sold)

(sold)

"Beauty is often found in unexpected and barren places." When I am looking at a rather bleak and brown pasture, I am not expecting to see something of beauty. However, when the red "tunas" start blooming on the cactus, it is unexpected beauty. There are many other beautiful things that are unexpected parts of our days. Notice and enjoy those moments whenever they come.


This photograph follows the same steps as many of the others I've been doing. But something unexpected happened on this one. After mounting the photograph on a clayboard panel, I did spray it with Spray Acrylic Coating, but of course it was too cold to go outside and spray anything last night so I slightly opened and propped open the door with my foot, but my spraying wasn't even. There were a couple of places that received hardly any spray, creating a different response to the Pouring Medium + White that I applied afterwards. I do like the effect and am now wondering how I can do this on purpose.

Many techniques emerge out of this kind of experience, but you need to be very observant to what is going on as you work. Often, small things like this can be missed.

You may also have noticed that I have been lettering with white gouache for several postings and will probably continue that trend through much of December. White lettering is very elegant and ethereal looking and something you might want to try if you haven't already.  I have found a better Bleedproof White than Dr. Martin's...at least for my purposes on the surfaces I've been writing on. I am now using Winsor Newton Bleedproof which I found at Jerry's Artarama. It does not crystallize like Dr. Martin's and seems to have a better binder.

These are just a few more things to try or think about.

"Informed Practice" ($40.00)

($40.00)

So often the things we want to learn elude us because we don't have enough understanding to correct ourselves when practicing a new skill. Just act as though you are teaching someone else what you are trying to learn. You will soon know if you have enough understanding or if you need to go back to the teacher and ask some more questions.

I believe the "gesso man" has taken up permanent residence in my studio! This piece involves three dilute layers of gesso with color and writing in between. The flower was painted with gouache. And if I haven't mentioned it before, I have found a bleedproof white that I like better than Dr. Martin's. In Austin, Jerry's Artarama carries it and it is produced by Winsor Newton. It doesn't crystalize over time but maintains it's consistency to the end.

Another advantage of using gouache with image and lettering is that it can be removed quite easily. The flower image and white ruling pen letters running vertically on the left were diminished from a solid coverage by blotting with a damp paper towel. It almost looks like a stamped image. Just something to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.