On February 22, 2013 I took a one-day workshop from the all talented Pat Bourque, a local teacher here. The majority of the day was concentrated on color studies and mixing, value and tone. It was a very good workshop!
She always preps her canvases by what she calls applying a ground which needs to be done days in advance. She applies 2 coats of Acrylic Gesso to her canvas (with linen you do not have to do this step). With a palette knife she applies a mix of oil burnt sienna + white + Liquin. Or if she applies a coat of acrylic for the ground instead of the oil, she always puts a coat of Liquin over the acrylic and lets that dry which gives it that oil feel.
We did do some painting in the workshop, but she tricked us. She had this vase with juniper branches sitting up at the front of the class. She had us put the outline of the vase then concentrated on the color of the foliage and the light source shining through. We scumbled in burnt sienna + Liquiglaze for the center light coming through the foilage. [Liquiglaze is made by Weber and is a fast drying translucent gel that dries very quick. When mixed with paint and applied with a palette knife, you get a sticky impasto effect.] Then we concentrated on laying in the darks, medium tones and lights of the foilage.
At the very end she had us turn the painting into a tree by applying the tree trunk with a palette knife and pulled moss down taking advantage of the light against dark wet paint. Of course this painting is in no way completed, but you get the idea. It's an exercise...
So interesting to hear this process Marie. And I sure do like the leaves of your tree.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post and I thank you for the time and effort you put into it Maria. I do like the effect of what you produced. That is the great thing about learning new techniques it stimulates and get our creative juices flowing.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if that Weber product has turpentine in it? Pretty lethal for me if it does. I do use their Res-n-gel all the time and love it. Completely non-toxic.
Hi Julie, Thanks for the comment and the tip on the Res-n-gel. The Liquiglaze has combustion and inhalation warnings but does not contain turpentine. LOL... It says it contains petroleum distillates...gasoline, diesel, etc. Sounds like the Res-n-gel is a lot safer to use, I think I will check it out when I place my next supply order. Thanks.
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