One Artist's Journey

Alley #1 - 16" x 20" - Acrylic and graphite on Masonite - $400

PAINTINGS COMPLETED TODAY: 1
PAINTINGS COMPLETED TO DATE: 43

I really like the painting I finished today. I think, however, that it is a little dark because of how I have started doing my paintings. I draw on the gessoed board with a woodless pencil. The I start to paint with gesso to cover up lines I dont’ want to show.

There is so much graphite on the board that it gets picked up with the gesso and paint and I think it makes the painting a little dingy.  What do you think? Is the painting clear enough to tell? I like the picture, I like the composition, I like the colors. I just don’t know if I should use fixative to lock the graphite down before I start painting.

Well, I started out using a 1″ brush and applying the gesso in one direction and then when that dried, I applied it in the perpendicular direction.

Now, after applying the gesso one way with the brush, I use an old credit card as a spatula and qind of squeegie the gesso all over the board. It applies it to the depth of the first brush strokes, but gives me a flatter surface to draw on.

The rough boards created by the first application method just ate up my pencils. Now, with the flatter board, I don’t go through the woodless pencils quite as fast. It grabs the paint well too.

I tried squeegeeing straight on the board. It went on well enough, but I haven’t used that board yet. It uses much less gesso and gives a good tooth. the board is browner because there is less coverage, but that shouldn’t  matter.

Sailboats - 16" x 12" - Acrylic and graphite on Masonite - $250

I painted three pictures today before I ran out of boards to paint. I tried painting the abstract landscapes I sketched yesterday and I think they look great. I am starting to develop my own visual vocabulary, which is fun. I will get the images posted this weekend. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to paint a few more pictures so I don’t get behind.

Bridge - 16" x 12" - Acrylic and graphite on Masonite - $250

After I painted the landscapes, I cut up more boards. This time, I am going a little larger. I am going to try 18 x 14 boards and see if I can fill them well. It seems to take time for me to work up o large sizes. I enjoy painting on large surfaces, but if I am not ready, I do a bunch of junk just to fill the space.

After using the 12 x 16 boards today, I feel I am ready to move up a size.

After I cut the boards, I prepared them with gesso. Last time, I applied the gesso in one direction. When that dried, I brushed another layer perpendicular to the first direction. That gave me a lot of tooth for the paints, but it absolutely ate my pencils up!

This time, I brushed in one direction, then used an old credit card like a putty spatula to make a smooth top layer, filling in the gaps. I will try this and see how it works with the woodless pencils as well as the acrylic paint.

Expressive #1" - 30" x 40" House paint and gesso on paper - NFS

I have been reading the Expressive Drawing book and have been anxious to start drawing. I bought a roll of white paper that I will use on my plywood easel. I taped a large 30″ x 40″ piece up on the board and went at it.

I scribbled with a 1″ house paint brush. I even used house paint because it is more liquid and flowing. Then I “obliterated” or “erased” with gesso. I think it turned out OK.

It was fun to do.

Abstract #4" - 12" x 12" Acrylic and colored pencil on Masonite - $150

These were really fun to do. I scribbled the lines and then filled in the color with paint that was still on my pallet.

I had a really fun way of painting with gesso while I was in school. I would paint color and then come in with gesso to make the color go farther. I remember when it started. Actually the first time I used it, I was painting over some pencil lines. It would grab a little graphite and shade the areas I wanted white. I like the effect and used it. Then before I knew it, I started adding a little color with the gesso and the rest is history.

Abstract #5" - 12" x 12" Acrylic and colored pencil on Masonite - $150

Abstract #3" - 12" x 12" Acrylic and colored pencil on Masonite - $150

After working on the “Dwellings” piece, I had primed boards and paint on my pallet, so I started working on a few abstract pieces. They went really quick and were very fun to do. The last one still needs to be reworked a bit, but I worked fast and got them done. If this week is going to be busy for me, that is great that I can get a little bit ahead.

Gessoed a few more boards tonight. I got a half gallon of Liquitex “Basics” gesso. I didn’t pay attention to the “Basics” and the gesso doesn’t really cover in one coat, so I am doing two coats of gesso on the panels and it gives it a kind of a linen texture which is nice when doing dry brush. It shows that texture.