🎨 "Libra II" - How to paint, when you are not a painter
Just because I work with brush and paint, I might not really be a painter after all. Let me illustrate what I mean, with my newest... ahm... painting.
The piece I'm currently working on is a commission. The man's Zodiac sign is "Libra" and he loves this one I did back in 2014.
So we agreed, I was going to do a new version for him.
Of course, I never even try to do the same painting twice. But I do like to work on variations of a concept. In this case, my goal was to fine tune the pose and use different colors. Although it is said, Libras (and I am one of them) like soft pastel tones and therefore violet, light blue and pinkish colors are associated, I do like bold red. Big secret, right? Like another one "hidden" in the picture ;-)
After a digital sketch in Photoshop, bringing in the "machinery" I designed in Illustrator, the first step to bring the whole thing into this world, is priming the empty canvas. Much like @leoplaw shows it here or @gric does in his tutorial
In my next step I added a layer of a light English red tone I mixed in acrylics with a little bit of gesso. I try to not get it on evenly, to achieve a more lively base...
Then I transferred my "blueprint" to the canvas...
As you can see, I also have my palette set up for the next step already there. Anything not white on it is from a previous job. For the new painting, there really is only white being used at first.
And this is where the fun part begins for me. With the use of white acrylics only, I build up all the elements in their form only. The ground color is the base for the mid tones. The darker colors and shadows will later be added with thin oil glazes.
I really like this step very much, because I can actually draw more than paint my painting. I build my shapes and formes much like you'd do in a drawing, very much based on the use of lines, hatching and even cross hatching.
Once this part is done, I will add a layer of gold ocre, so thin, that one can still see everything. On top of that I will highlight the lightest parts with white even more. From there I will finish the painting in oil, with thin glazes and mostly transparent pigments.
So, this is where I'm at now, happily painting... ahm ...drawing away. Off to the studio, yay!
I enjoy reading your comments!
❤
If you like my work, of course I appreciate your upvotes and resteems
All photos/scans by me of my own artwork
See more of my work on sola
I always love to see these behind the scenes, or paintings, artists do. I'm so uneducated about painting that it's super interesting to see what happens along the way. Please do more. And sorry I haven't been in touch more! <3
Been thinking of you all day :-) I still want to do your little challenge, but I spent most of last week painting.. and a bit on the Rocket to "air out" my head..
I like it, when a friendship remains, even when one doesn't sit on each others lap all the time. I know you have to keep a lot of fans happy... just see, that I have a lot to catch up with on your blog too!
❤️🤗 awwww youuu. What part of me has been occupying your mind today? 😏
It warms my cold and selective heart to know that you consider me as your friend, as I do you.
Makes me happy to see, that you feel about that the same way 🤗
What part of you has been occupying my mind? Mostly the real you... somehow funny, that I found exactly that, when I looked at your Sunday's post... telepathy?
A wonderful visual story of the build up of your wonderful artwork.
It is interesting how many artists love to prime their canvas in the orange tones. When I was young and first out of university I worked with a local artist who, at the time, was a pretty well recieved local impressionist/cezannist painting of beautiful Cape Cod/East Coast scenery in large oil paintings. He always primed his canvas with an almost flourescent orange saying out it make the colours hang on that shade which he would leave here and there to come forward to the viewer.
That was a fun job, besides doing fun art world things and going to shows as a job, I got to go on many adventures with this artist and he loved to paint anything he could get his hands on. He made these funny and joyful coloured statues out of giant driftwood we would collect on the beach. He lived in a beautiful house on the sea but his wife would not let him bring in these funny stick sculptures (They were huge!) So they littered his studio and he'd always try to push them off on people when they'd come for a private viewing to the studio.
I'm not really sure why I am sharing this story with you, only that seeing your primed canvas brought back a flood of fun and funny times in my early youth. :) That's a good sign, I think. Your work, even it's its beginning stage, makes me smile and remember fond days.
I always really enjoy your stories, no matter if they are painted or written. Thank you for sharing this one :-)
Sounds like you had a really good time there. Must be a great feeling for this artist too, that he could create such wonderful feelings and memories with you!
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As somebody with minimal visual art chops and appreciable audio art chops, it's always incredibly interesting to watch a virtuoso of his craft walk through the process and see all the correlations. Super rad ... and I know how much time documenting the work adds to the overall project, so thanks for taking the time to do so.
Thanks a lot! Listening to one of your tracks as I am typing this. Extraordinary!
Very kind of you friend...and glad you enjoyed!
WOW. I was excited to see these steps and hear their ideas. I got inspiration. I can never be such a good artist. but I can always appreciate your work. A perfect and creative drawing!
congratulations dear friend
Many thanks for your kind words. I have been drawing professionally for 30 years... eventually there should be some decent results. Like with all things you do often enough with a certain passion and dedication. I'm sure you know things, where you are much better than I am!
It's really nice to see the stages. Does this have anything to do with women's obsessions about weight and scales?
Haha.. I've been asked the question before. But no, not really. I just wanted to have a different approach for "Libra" than the usual young woman holding up the scales, that's all ;-)
a variation of the Mische technique - I am currently working on one, also in acrylics with glazes. It is a long process, so it may take me a while to finish.
I will take progress shots - and if I screw up, you never will hear about it, lol
upvoted, resteemed and shared
https://twitter.com/visionaryartcom/status/988427027689672708
Haha.. just don't screw up then Otto, I want to see it!
Thanks a lot for the extra exposure! :-)
Always astonishing subject ideas :) Marvelous 👍
Thanks a lot :-)
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Thank you :-)
Keren
😁