Musings and Quips of an Artist

Original Post and this image is from Marc Dalessio
http://www.marcdalessio.com/self-portraits-over-the-years-2/

When I lose my way or things don't progress as I like I look at this chart and it is encouraging and motivating. Forgot when I found it. But I have posted it on my studio wall. Hopefully it will inspire you to draw. :)

This is ! Post 101.
Its not a huge celebration like I planned. I had a cold this week and didn't do as much as I wanted to do. I have some new sketches, paintings and figure drawings to show off next month or one can say next week.

Till then -K

Shawn Barber is a Painter who primarily used oils. The work he likes to do is Portraiture but specifically chronicles Tattoos. As he has stated his work entails document contemporary tattoo culture. His work has bold dynamic colors with intricate lifelike details. Barber paints on large canvases that he stretches himself. I learned a lot from purchasing his oil painting demo from Massive Black. Which there I learned of Recycling Solvents. Currently he runs a tattoo parlor with his girlfriend. His studio is at Tattoo Memoir. He gains inspiration painting and seeing people get tattoos all day.

Take a look at more of Shawn Barber's Artwork here.

Preparing for a quick study with canvas paper and oil paint.

Every time I open my paint box it feels like this.

It is hilarious the times I do bring it with me to certain places people offer to help me carry it and many are surprised how heavy it is! One relative said that box is more than half your size!

I like to line up all the colors I am going to use for the day before placing

them on the palette. In a spectrum-like fashion.

I like to use wooden palettes they take time and TLC to prepare before using a brand new one fresh from the store. The process is meticulous. To get everything to flow smoothly and glide on the palette to the canvas apply a thin layer of oil on the palette before use. I like to use Walnut oil it doesn't get me sick and slows your drying time. A lot of people like to use linseed oil and I get terribly sick when I'm around it.

Walnut in a glass jar. I cherish and look for glass jars like in Legend of Zelda.

Buy things in bulk if it is a medium you like and use a lot of. Art school taught me that. It can get pricey buying everything at once but you are saving a lot in the long run.

This is my favorite Alizarin Crimson comes in a tiny canister.

-Ivory Black

Cobalt Blue

Ultramarine Blue

Alizarin Crimson

Permanent Alizarin Crimson

Lemon Yellow Hue

Naples Yellow

-Burnt Umber

-Yellow Orchre

-Titanium White

-Zinc White (Careful this one can be toxic can have traces of lead)

Packing all the materials for on the go.

Canvas paper. It has a nice tooth to it. And great if you just want to practice.

Extra drawing board I use only for paints.

Tape up the canvas paper with masking tape.

It comes off easy when using a hair dryer to melt the adhesive off.

Gesture sketch with prismacolor col-erase

Fixative time/Eat breakfast outside

Prepared palette on french easel.

Oily base wash. Ir is difficult to paint on a stark white canvas.

I did a terrible painting. ( wont show the end result) I don't feel discouraged just motivation to get better. I have a terrible habit of losing my drawing when I paint. Its either a great drawing or if I start out with color I am fine.

Wet on dry Wet on Wet or Alla Prima are techniques you can use on painting.

Layers are not just a thing in Photoshop, Corel Painter, Art Rage, and Paint tool Sai.
One can work with on a dry surface with wet paint and build up from there.
Or you can start with a layer of wet paint before you start painting to be able to push paint around easier or for more softer edges.

I've been working a lot on Wet on Dry. With this method I used a combination of graphite from a lead holder and a draughting pencil to sketch out my initial image.

Go outside and spray it with fixative. (I like Lascaux)

Apply a thin wash of Oil Paint with a mix of walnut oil and turpenoid natural.

See how the underlying drawing is still visible after a layer of paint. If I did not spray fixative the graphite would be runny and leave stains on the brush.

Fixative a type of varnish that tends to come in an aerosol can that seals your medium to the paper or material you are painting. Most are permanent so once you spray it you are done it seals the medium. There is workable fixative if you are not ready to commit it does not completely seal your drawing so if you want to if you are using charcoal or something you can add on to the drawing without smearing as much. I like to use Lascaux, it is expensive but you don't need as much and have to only spray usually one layer. It also doses not dull the color as much as other brands.

Alla Prima example. My friend Elizabeth Jose did this one.

Alla Prima means in Italian first attempt. Usually with this technique one of the unwritten rules is the painting must be completed in one sitting while the paint is still wet. With minimal layers because of the time restriction. Normally I don't do too well in timed conditions like this unless it is a still life painting.

I learned a lot from watching El Coro's demo video and looking at his work.