Bahu-#paint52
It was an overcast day like so many days in San Francisco, creating a melancholy backdrop for this scene. On one of the side streets of downtown Chinatown, I noticed a man playing an instrument I had never seen before. I wondered, how did he arrive in this country and did he at one time play this instrument, which I believe is called a Banhu, for his people in China? He seemed to be hiding from everyone in the corner, as if he wanted to be left alone to play his string instrument. He was wearing a tie, bringing some formality to the occasion, contrasted by his broken down cart containing a small box for change and an old umbrella. It was a somber setting and I hoped I captured the moment.
This is my eighth painting, measures 12” X 15”, Atelier Interactive Acrylic on velum, for my #paint52 Challenge. This also an addition for my San Francisco Series, that I plan on having an art show in the spring. The under-painting is red, which helped to liven the somber scene. I guess I can’t go totally grey, just isn’t my nature. I’m really enjoying painting with the acrylics loving the strokes, but I feel the next one I need to push myself further, more abstract, looser and full of texture. I sense I need to explore.
Thanks again, I really appreciate you sharing my journey to paint 52 paintings in one year.
Magical Mystery Tour #paint52
Hop on the bus for the "Magical Mystery Tour". This is my sixth painting for the #paint52 challenge and also another addition to my San Francisco series. The painting measures 18" X 24" and the medium is Atelier Interactive Acrylic. It’s great that I can accomplish two goals at the same time, one to paint 52 paintings for the year of 2012 and second to acquire a body of work for an art show on my San Francisco series. The painting is underpainted with red and I noticed the red seems to vibrate, showing a glow when photographed. This painting was a challenge, due to the size of the bus taking most of the background and also a bright blue. I didn’t want to overdo painting the bus; it is a focal point, yet I also wanted the person walking towards us to be the focal point, as well. I guess you can have the “push pull” effect with objects, as well as color. The people on the sides were laid in simply, almost framing the focal points. I may do more way later, but now I must put it aside and start on another painting.
This #paint52 journey is magical, as well as a mystery. It is a mystery, a leap of faith to paint so many paintings in one year, not knowing what the end of the year will bring as a result of this venture. It has been magical, because it has already been very healing to be painting regularly. The more I paint the more I want to paint. It is filling my soul and I feel alive again.
Thank you for following my journey.
Visitor From Machu Picchu #paint52
My fourth painting for my #paint52 Challenge, measures 24" X 24", acrylic on canvas, also a part of my San Francisco series. I love to people watch and could sit on a bench and watch people for hours. I find everyone so interesting. Everyone has their own story and can imagine what this lady's is, a beautiful big woman, wearing huaraches, with a scarf thrown over her shoulder and a purse that looks like she purchased it from a South American country. The great thing about San Francisco is that it brings people from all over the world.
I painted the canvas red and laid the darks in first, creating a silhouette of figures and buildings. I felt it gave it a mystery. This painting was not drawn first, but created again by shapes against shapes. For some reason that is my procedure of choice, when I paint with acrylics. I am going back and forth with each painting. One painting I use entirely Atelier Acrylics and then next one oil paint. I am learning the pros and cons of each one. What I love about the acrylics is the texture, gesture, looseness and spontaneity. My husband says he prefers my acrylic paintings, when I paint people and oil when I paint landscapes. It is always good to have someone's objective opinion. I still haven't tried painting oil over acrylics. I must try it.
I have changed my studio. I now have a huge glass pallet on one side of the room with oil paint and the other side a huge glass pallet of acrylic. I move my easel accordingly. Let me tell you when I enter the room it has powerful energy that I cannot resist. The block I once had no longer exists and I do believe this is one of the reasons and of course this challenge.
Ok, onward to the next painting. Thank you for visiting.
Turnabout
It's just a painting Janet, not WORLD PEACE! Well maybe it was war, between the canvas and me. This one took quite a bit of time. "Turnabout" measures 24" X 30", oil on canvas, third painting of my #paint52 Challenge, that you can follow on Twitter. It is also another addition to my San Francisco Series. If I keep moving at this rate, I should be able to have San Francisco series art show by May.
I haven't painted with oil for a while. I fell in love once again, as I opened the beautiful luscious tubes of paint. There is nothing like the hues of Daniel Smith Oil Paint. They make their own paint, highly saturated, highly permanent and with names you may have never heard before. My oils sung to me as I laid each one on my new large glass pallet. I love a large pallet and being glass makes it easy to clean. I promised myself I would always have it ready to go. Now even though I love the colors and brightness of oil paint, I'm not giving up on the Atelier Interactive Acrylics. I do believe there are a place for each acrylic and a place for oil and perhaps I will even combine the two.
My journey continues and I am feeling great. It feels good to be back full time at the easel.
Thank you for joining me.
It's not Kiki Market
This is my second painting for my Challenge #paint52. I used Atelier Interactive Acrylic Paint. It is supposed to be similar to oil, drying time is still faster than oil, but it does give you a grace period to work color into color. Spraying the unblocking formula directly on the pallet and the canvas brings the paint back to its liquid state, enabling you to blend and mix. This is only my third painting using Atelier Acrylic, and in fact any acrylic paint. I am still very fond of my oil. It is really difficult for me to duplicate the intricate colors that I can create with oil. I may go back into the painting with oil to soften the edges and bring the color to a different level. Right now though I am going to let it be, since I do believe that it is close to being done and perhaps I pushed it a little to far.
I want to continue painting with the Atelier Interactive Acrylics. But I do feel a need to go back to my oil and compare. I do love the drying time of Atelier Acrylics. It allows me to lay color on top of color. I don’t like the darks though they are a little dead looking to me.
There was no drawing done in this painting, just laying shapes next to shapes. I find that very enjoyable, for I want to give the painting a looser appearance. As I push through this challenge it is important for me to consider that I have always wanted to paint loosely. I want to have the shapes recognizable, but not stiff. It’s all about shape. I also want to make sure that I don’t overwork the painting.
This is the eighth painting of my San Francisco Series. Who knows, maybe this challenge is going to help me get this show out by spring. SOLD