Earlier in the week, I had another realisation: while my first love is oil, one of the pieces really did not work in that medium. The acrylic paint I've been using with the triptych gave exactly the effect I wanted. *bangs head on wall*
Dave and I hit the DIY store for more MDF boards and yesterday I started on that piece of work. Of course it meant emergency buying of yet more art supplies and quite a lot of stressing about varnish to finish the pieces off. Everything I had was geared for oils. I've had to learn about acrylic paint from scratch. It was never a medium I liked. The paints I'd used just weren't up to much.
Ladies and Gentlemen, a piece of unsolicited advice, if I may? If you are thinking of trying out something new in the art and craft world and you're standing in front of a few racks of shelves of materials and you think "I'll get the starter stuff, there's no point in spending a lot of money, if I don't know if I'll like it." STOP. Step away from the cheap supplies. Find someone who uses them, ask them what the middle of the road version is, swallow your uncertainty and buy that stuff. Do. Not. Buy. Cheap. Art. Supplies.
Seriously, don't.
My experience with cheap-ass acrylic paints was so disappointing, I walked away and never looked back until I had to use a different brand entirely.
Also, just because you see 'that' brand in every other art shop and it gives good bullshit marketing in the blurb, don't believe it. Art materials are not made equally. There are some that are truly dire. Then there are some that are excellent value for the money. You've got to experiment.
Anyway, I'm currently multi-tasking like a boss. I've got a piece varnished and drying, two other pieces drying. All of them are quite large, 3ft x 2ft, cause I deal in old money, as they say here. And yes, before you start, size does matter. In this case bigger is better. No, it's not negotiable. In this case, I'm right. It's my work damn it.
Dry damn it.
While Dave was driving me towards the DIY shop so I could get more MDF, I realised he's my muse. All artist's go on about their muses, well he's mine. Dave did give me a funny look when I said that to him. Muses inspire, challenge and generally put up with a lot of shit from their artist. Tick, tick and tick.
Me and my muse!
Therefore, I roped him in to providing some assistance with the piece I was re-doing....
Every journey...
I've glanced across and I think one painting is ready for more.
Laters darlings.
Love that photo of you and your muse. Is that Dave's footprint on your board, ready to be painted?? Can't wait to see the finished triptych! Do you have time for more raspberry beer while you wait for the paint to dry?
ReplyDeleteThanks very much. It was a very busy weekend.
DeleteAll work is now done. I'm taking a deep breath before I start putting the pictures out into the wider world.
No, I didn't have any more of the raspberry beer. Dave picked up some bubbly so we could celebrate the completion of my work!
Love the pic of you and your muse! It would make a lovely subject for a triptych!
ReplyDeleteI am excited to see you follow your instincts and passion for creating a new piece! I can't wait to see your vision come to life!
Aww...thank you.
DeleteI've learned to trust the process and follow the gut instincts. It's a slow process and is time worth taking.
Very much looking forward to the big triptych reveal regardless of materials used!
ReplyDeleteAs a matter of personal OCD/pedantry, I always provide both US customary units and metric units.
Watch this space, I will be posting them soon.
DeleteI like your style, imperial and metric! Go you.
I like the fact imperial has less numbers...it's my quirk. xx
Arghhh! Acrylics and the muddle some fall into! I see far too many from artists who don't understand about under-painting, mixing, layering.Like a friend whose pink was ALWAYS red+white. If anyone tried to suggest otherwise her stock answer was:"I'm on a pension! I can't afford to buy more paint!"
ReplyDeleteAcrylics are a big muddle to fall into, it seems. While it takes far longer, I much prefer the process of layering a painting, rather than diving straight in.
DeleteI've seen artists mix pink from a wide variety of combinations, shame she couldn't be a little more flexible. My tutor said we should be able to mix every colour we need from five basic ones. Yeah...I'm not there yet.
Agreed! Always get the best supplies!
ReplyDeleteSx
A woman after my own heart.
Deletexx
A bit like cooking, when the ingredients are faulty even Bocuse can't make it taste like nectar.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you did it ! I thought from the start that it is an ambitious goal to have so many pictures in this time - and You did it ! Respect.
I find this footprint very nice, as a (visible) trace of DAve in your work, and as allusion to the traces we left on moon - a small step for a man etc.
Now good luck with hanging, equally important to present your work in a good light. I am patiently waiting for some pictures, of course only when the exhibition is formally & officially opened.
Just occurs to me - MsScarlet mentioned that her pictures are ripped and used somewhere else by totally strangers - perhaps we all should think about watermarks ? Not for my shots from a vacabcy, but for images showing one's artwork it may be soemthing to think about.
It is exactly as you describe: faulty ingredients - not so great dish.
ReplyDeleteMy ambition will be the death of me...or perhaps not. It's only when the pictures are on the wall that I'll really be able to tell. I'm too close to the work still to properly judge. It is a very odd time.
Ms Scarlet is not the only person I know of that happening to, it's yet another thing to add to my list... I will get on to it.