Schism

"Schism"

Image Size 15.5" x 15.5"

Encaustic

This painting was so much fun to paint.  I started out by using all of the colors that had been mixed on my palette for previous paintings, knowing that my first layer rarely showed much in the finished painting.  That gave me a jumping off point (and cleaned my palette).  I also knew that I wanted to used some shellac burning in this one as well.  Usually, I burn the shellac while it is still wet and then make some adjustments after it is dry if there are areas that I don't like.  This time, I let it dry and then used the heat gun to make it react.  It didn't react as strongly as when it is lit on fire but it did make some interesting ribbon-like shapes.  I'm not sure you can really see them in this photo.  Even in person they are hard to detect because I did some layering after the shellac was added, which I usually don't do.  

I also experimented with alcohol inks.  I added them and moved them around by blowing on them through a straw.  Then added more wax.  This is the most visually textural encaustic that I've done so far and I'm very happy with it.  I can't wait to try another one using this combination of techniques.  

Waxy Waterlilies

"Waxy Watercolor"

Image Size 15.5 x 15.5

Encaustic

I felt like painting a more representational encaustic this week.  I've painted waterlilies many times but never in wax.  Now that I see it in a photo, there are a few things that I'm going to change but that's easy with encaustics.

Breaking Out

"Breaking Out"

Image Size 6" x 5.75"

Encaustic

Flip flop.  I've switched back to encaustic.  This started out with totally different colors. There was a lot of yellow initially which I didn't like.  Now, a little bit is peeking through the other layers and I'm happy with this color palette.  

To me, this design looks as though the surface has broken and something is spilling out.  What do you see?  I really like how abstracts are seen differently by each viewer.  

Off The Grid

"Off The Grid"

Image size 7" x 7"

Collage/Watercolor

I'd like to see this abstract as a large painting.  In fact, I'd like to try to achieve all of this texture using only transparent watercolor.  I think that will be a future project.

This texture was achieved using collaged rice paper so it does have actual texture.  If I paint something similar in watercolor, it will look textured but be a smooth surface.  That sounds like a fun challenge.

I've used fresh, spring colors again.  I'm really enjoying this time of year and enjoy portraying it with such a happy color palette in paintings.

Turbulence

"Turbulence"

Image size 15.5" x 15.5"

Encaustic

I really enjoyed working on this painting.  The colors I started with completely changed as I continued to layer wax and it evolved into a totally different painting.  As much as I loved the colors as I was finishing the painting, I felt that it was lacking some pizazz so I added areas of shellac burning into the lower portion and am really happy with the result.

Kelp Forest

"Kelp Forest"

Image size 6" x 6"

Encaustic

I've been concentrating on my watercolor paintings for the last couple of months and have missed working with wax so I decided to paint an encaustic this week.  Watery subjects are such fun to paint and, of course, watercolors are a great medium to use to achieve that fluid look, but I've found that I can also get an interesting watery effect using encaustics.   

Painting the wax onto the surface is only half of the work when using this molten medium.  Using the heat gun or blow torch is equally important to the appearance of the finished painting.  Manipulating the wax once it is applied to the surface is what gives the finished look.  I like to get a lot of movement with the heat gun.  Some colors are transparent and some are opaque and the colors react differently to the heat which adds interest to the painting.

Time To Plant

"Time To Plant"

Image Size 15" x 11"

Watercolor

This neglected onion started sprouting to get my attention and I waited until the greenery looked interesting and decided to paint it.  I think onions are beautiful when they sprout and the onion begins to wither as the greenery grows stronger.  

I've heard that you can plant an onion in this stage and it will grow a new onion but that doesn't make sense to me so I'm not going to bother.  If any of you have done this successfully, let me know.

Watercolor Collage

Watercolor Collage

Image size 7" x 7"

watercolor and collage

Just a little playing around this week with some of my rice paper and watercolor.  I really love the textures that these different papers give when applied over and under watercolors.  This is a study for a larger abstract using these papers.  I don't plan to try to recreate this design - I was using this as an experiment to get ideas started.

Falling Colors

"Falling Colors"

Image Size 6" x 4"

Acrylic and watercolor

I was out of town for a week so I didn't have much time to paint.  I would like to see this as a large painting but that is for another time.  That wonderful texture comes from coating the surface with fiber paste.  It is an acrylic medium made by 'Golden Paint Company'.  I put it on mat board but it is flexible and can be used on paper, board, canvas or probably almost any surface you can imagine.  It is very absorbent and, as you can see, has a wonderful texture. 

These are my happy "I'm ready for spring" colors.  My deciduous trees are leafing out and my fruit trees have wonderful smelling blossoms on them.  I love this time of year!

The Red Hat #1

The Red Hat #1

Image Size 7.5" x 11"

Watercolor

I think I've found a new series.  I've had several photos of my friend Beverly in this red hat for many years and as with last week's painting of my daughter, I was too intimidated to try painting her.  This really doesn't look like her, but I'm still happy with this painting.  I'm really enjoying painting portraits much more than I thought I would.  Maybe I've found a new calling....

This was done on 200# Waterford paper which I really like.  It has a soft surface and that little bit of extra weight really makes a difference.  I didn't know I had any left so I was pleasantly surprised when I found this little piece.  I painted most of this on saturated paper and finished the details once it dried.