I have started a painting on a 18"X24" wood panel that I had prepared some time ago for a varnished watercolor. However, as soon as I had sketched my painting on it, I remembered my findings the last time I worked on such a surface: this is great for small cells, but horrible for large washes - the surface dries too quickly and unevenly. As you will see below, my painting is of huge cherries on a black plate and there is a hint of lace: the lace was great fun, but the cherries were a nightmare to paint!
The next couple of weeks should be quite busy. I have two shows in March, one at the Foyer Gallery called "Inside Outside" and I thought that, by stretching it a bit, I could use the cherries for that theme ( inside a container, out of a container:-); the other show is a 3-day sale with a local art association where I will have a booth. I also have two large commissions...and commissions make me nervous and I tend to procrastinate.
On another note, Red Bubble continues to be a fun site that provides me with good feedback. My "Lake Fantasia" has just won 3rd place in a Challenge in the Canadian Artists group and my Garden Ballerinas, a painting I did last year, was featured today in the Decorative and Traditional Art Group.
Congratulations on the Red Bubble awards and good luck with the upcoming shows! You are one busy lady!
ReplyDeleteHi, Rhonda! I love shows: they force me to work steadily...I find it simply too pleasant to just sit around and read or surf on the net:-)
ReplyDeleteChristiane, I had a jar of latex white house paint and have been using that to touch up areas on my watercolor. It seems so simple and cheap. Love the cherries so far. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteMary, I would never have thought of doing that. What a great idea.
DeleteThank you!
The cherries are looking scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the upcoming shows xx
Thank you, Pat! I now have to mix a black for the plate and find a way to make it glow a bit.
DeleteTake care.
Christiane, the cherries look just luscious. Gerald Brommer, a very successful watercolor and collage artist now well into his 80s and still teaching, says he can use anything he wants on his painting. He loves to use gouche with watercolor. So bravo on the Chinese White!
ReplyDeleteYou are certainly busy with your art shows and congratulations on the recognition of your beautiful work.
Thank you, Mary, for stopping by in spite of your always super busy schedule! If Chinese White is good enough for Gerald Brommer it is certainly good enough for me:-)
DeleteAs always your cherries look beautiful. Can't wait to see the rest of the painting.
ReplyDeleteI recently added Chinese white to my paints, it has saved me a few times.
I wish you success with your upcoming shows!
Thank you for your very kind comment, Laura. I know that Jacqueline Gnott, one of the watercolor artists that I admire the most, uses a touch of Chinese White regularly in her paintings for small highlights...we are in good company:-)
DeleteCongratulations with those awards, you deserve them. The cherries are looking nice. And good luck on your coming shows.
ReplyDeleteI am very pleased that you like the cherries so far, Cora. Thank you very much for all your good wishes.
DeleteMy but you are a busy girl Christiane. I admire you for getting your work out there and doing the shows. I did an art show one year with a booth at a great huge hall. It was such fun to sit there all day with many people flowing by, visiting all the artists. Some even buying! :) :) Hope your shows are a great success. I am curious though about the painting on a wood panel. How does that work with watercolor? Your cherries look to be off to a good start Christiane. Can't wait to see the finished painting.
ReplyDeleteRoss, I love doing shows! I also like being busy...otherwise, I get very lazy:-)
DeleteThe painting is actually on paper mounted to a wood panel. However, I know that a local watercolor artist does paint directly on the wood panel: the wood grain is still visible under the transparency of the watercolor.
I find that I can't achieve as much transparency when I mount the paper on a panel: the paint does not move as much and the result is a bit more opaque than what I usually achieve. Nevertheless, it's fun to do something different.
Thanks so much Christiane. I might have to give this a try. The framing is such a task and any chance to avoid it is grand. I have been stretching watercolor paper on stretcher bars lately. It is pretty cool and when finished you can varnish and then hang on the wall like a canvas. One can either paint around the sides or paint the sides black. Guy Magallanes uses this technique for very large works with fabulous results. It is such fun to try new things isn't it? Thanks for sharing your journey Christiane and happy painting!
ReplyDeleteRoss, if you decide to try it, let me know: I seal the panel first, then use gesso on it before adhering the paper.
DeleteHow do you find painting on the paper that way: does the paint react differently?