This is my third gesso panel. The first two were smooth with lots of pinholes. This one had a rougher surface with fewer pinholes and a bit of sanding helped smooth it down.
Tempera is pure pleasure. Collecting, studying, and mixing pigments. Practicing brush technique. Reading books on practice and history. :-)
Pure transparent watercolor once ruled my artistic life (no white paint- ever!) But I too, have discovered the world of white- and it IS so much fun! Although I am playing (emphasis on 'playing') in acrylic these days (vs. tempera) it is so liberating to not have to pre-think every single move I make; and if i do put a splotch of paint down that just doesn't look right, I can CHOOSE to cover it over and go off on a different direction instead of ruining what sometimes has been hours and days of previous work. While I find all my painting "meditative", working in acrylic is proving even more so as I am freed from the stress and worry of screwing up. I can relax and even experiment a little, half way through a painting if i wish. Being able to "drop in those highlights" is just about the most exciting thing for me to see as my piece comes to life before my eyes- it is the artistic version of the icing on the cake - with a cherry on top!
ReplyDeleteYou have really captured that leathery look that only oak leaves get when they are dry; well done! So happy that tempera is proving to be such a pleasurable medium for you; I think it shows in your work.
~ gretchen
I sometimes find myself working away from the paint while trying to soften an edge. That is, trying to wet and then pull the pigment over rather than simply applying the white or whitened color directly over the edge to be softened. My watercolors ways are ingrained.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I've been back to watercolor yet, I suspect that I might have a wider perspective of the medium having explored another.
Koo Schadler mentions applying a thin veil of white over sections if not the entire painting in order to draw in the color.
That Titanium White has such incredible covering power. Exciting "icing", it is!