Learning To Paint Art: May 2018

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Composition Source:

Exercise 2: Applying coloured paint: Simple Sunset

"Learn to Paint in Acrylics with 50 Small Paintings" by Mark Daniel Nelson;

5 step-by-step directions with photos to guide you.

Finished artwork:
Size: ~ 6" x 6"

Finished artwork:

Paints:

acrylics:
Grumbacher Academy in Cadmium Red Medium hue
Liquitex basics level: Titanium White, Cadmium yellow light hue, Cadmium orange hue,
the dark grey-violet mix of leftover paint for the land of the foreground silhouetted

Brushes:

#8 round: used to add a few small bumps on the horizon to give the indication of buildings and trees; also used to add small strokes of Titanium White on the horizon to indicate the setting sun.
Princeton Select "Filbert Grainer" 3/4": used it to make feathery lines of lighter coverage where the colours transition; but it was not actually needed.

Surface or Support:

Michaels Store brand, Artist's Loft, canvas panel for oil or acrylics, 6" x 6", gesso primed. Nice solid surface to paint on.
under-painted the whole sky area with Cadmium yellow light hue, with a second coat on the bottom section that stays yellow.

Composition Source:

Composition Source:

Exercise 1: Basic paint application: Moonrise

"Learn to Paint in Acrylics with 50 Small Paintings" by Mark Daniel Nelson;

5 step-by-step directions with photos to guide you.

Finished artwork:
Size: ~ 6" x 6"

Finished artwork:

Paints:

acrylics.... I'm now using just a step up from the least expensive student grade:
Royal Talens Amsterdam, Standard Series, Titanium White (opaque).
Liquitex basics level, Mars Black (opaque)
the dark grey-violet sky & water was from a mix of leftover paint from the peonies piece just finished; the mix consisting of scraps of various magenta, violets, rose, white, darkened with Thio Violet and a touch of black

Brushes:

1 inch foam brush for underpainting background, although the instructions didn't call for it, I thought it would be easier than the #8 round

#8 round.
I used a "level 2" synthetic nylon and it worked well. I didn't have to use tweezers to constantly pick out brush hairs as you have to do with the student level 1 brushes.
I just found out that the "artist" and "professional" grade brushes are made to use with "heavy-body" acrylics (the best grade).

Surface or Support:

In the making of the book, all 50 original exercises were on 5 x 5 inch panels of 3/4" thick medium density fiberboard.

Since I am learning I chose to use 6" x6" canvas paper series 3 "better" grade, recommended for oil or acrylics

115# weight. I do not think this was heavy enough for the wetness of the acrylic paint.

Also, I should have taped it down before I painted the initial overall under painting or background layer; as it buckled or warped a bit and did not fully recover after taping down when this layer dried.

Composition Source:

5 step-by-step directions with photos to guide you (as do all 50 exercises in this book)

the book uses only 5 different brushes and between a minimum of 8 to a maximum of 15 different paint colours (depending on whether you want to try to mix or buy the extra). Most starter paint kits from Liquitex Basics or Amsterdam have 24 to 48 colours.

Painting #15: Peonies in turquoise jars

I'm finished playing and revising and revising....

in progress, checking out darker petals.... in progress....

a plan for colour options.

colours in the petals....