Scraping It On.

I’ve started applying the paint to one of my new paintings. On top of the orange ground, I’ve scraped on a few areas of Titanium White, with a palette knife, which will be the highlights. It’s going to be another nocturne.

Laying A Ground.

I did a bit more to the canvasses I’ve been recycling. I have a couple of ideas for paintings so I used Liquitex Heavy Body opaque Cadmium Orange to lay down a background colour. I don’t like working on top of white, I find it intimidating. I’ve used the orange a few times now andContinue reading “Laying A Ground.”

Recycling Canvas

I recycled a couple of canvasses I didn’t like a while back, ready for some new painting projects. I scraped a load of acrylic gesso over the surfaces, deliberately leaving them textured. Then I daubed one of them with some leftover pinks and purples from another painting I’m working on – waste not want not.Continue reading “Recycling Canvas”

Cat Among The Tulips: 7.

I carried on with my portrait of Sparta Puss today, but concentrated on the still-life bits – the chocolate tin and toiletries. I think all the components are now in place, I just have to refine them with several layers of thin washes and I need to knock back most of the light bits. I’mContinue reading “Cat Among The Tulips: 7.”

An Unusual Pose.

I went to a raku firing yesterday and as well as decorating and glazing some small pieces I also had a scribble. The potter spent some time on the ground, looking under the kiln. I don’t know why she was doing it, but it was a great pose to draw.

Raku Alchemy.

I spent a great afternoon decorating some little ceramic figures for a raku firing today. Local ceramicist Esther Ley opened her garden and studio and provided some tiny bisque-fired houses and small birds to be decorated with oxides and glazes. Once we’d finished decorating, the little clay objects were fired in a spectacular outdoor kiln,Continue reading “Raku Alchemy.”

Cat Among The Tulips: 6

I think I’m not too far away from the finish line with Sparta Puss’ portrait with tulips. Today I blended the highlight colours in her fur with Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber and Raw Umber, all transparent. I used Dioxadine Purple and Titanium White to do more work on the chocolate tin and tulips, and UnbleachedContinue reading “Cat Among The Tulips: 6”

Cat Among The Tulips: 5.

Still painting Sparta Puss, it’s taking a while but it’s not something to be rushed. Using Liquitex Heavy Body acrylics and a fan brush I highlighted the areas of lighter tones on her fur in Titanium White (left); with a flat brush I painted details on the tulip leaves and added colour to the curtainsContinue reading “Cat Among The Tulips: 5.”

Cat Among The Tulips: 3

A bit more work on my painting of Sparta Puss with tulips today, doing the white areas and starting on the facial features, which I did freehand with a small brush and white paint. It’s not a bad likeness, her eyes are a bit close together but that’s easily corrected. I began the details onContinue reading “Cat Among The Tulips: 3”