AGAVE

Here is my next try with Steve’s technique, again utilizing analogous colors, in this case thalo blue, ultramarine turquoise, sap green, rich green gold, bismuth, nickel titanate azo; quinacridone rose was added (all Daniel Smith colors).

Again, I began with the miskit pour, then poured analogous colors, then put in some darks.

Here are photos of the steps followed for this painting of an agave - some of the colors are a little "off" due to my photography skills!

Miskit pour.

First paint pour.

Second pour and miskit removed.

Completed painting above; once again, I’m happy with the result utilizing this technique.

Agave, 11x15, watercolor on Lanaquarelle 140 CP

SUNFLOWER - Part 2

After the pours (see previous post), I then traced my drawing onto the paper, trying to incorporate some areas of the white miskit area into the petals, etc.
Then I began to direct paint areas to separate petals, etc. Per Steve’s method, I used the paint left in my pouring cups, rinsing my brush each time I changed color. Steve says this is a “clean” way to paint – meaning that you (a) do not contaminate your colors and (b) you do not have to use your palette.
Steve has a very unique way of using his brush – it makes me think of watching a Chinese brush painter – he tends to hold it loosely at the tip and kind of wiggles it around and gets a very neat effect with it. His brushes are sable, or sable blend, while mine are synthetic nylon, so was not sure if that would work for me, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t try! (NOTE: nope, I sure don’t have the hang of that!!!)

Some areas have several layers on them to get them darker, but the entire painting was painted with hansa yellow, quinacridone gold, quinacridone burnt orange, permanent rose, hooker’s green and pthalo blue. Up close and personal the miskit lines are more obvious, but muted. I may feel the need to darken a bit on my petals on the left side, but I’ll wait on that. Overall, I’m happy with it. I’ll let it sit on the piano for a while, allowing it to be critiqued, and perhaps make some adjustments.

Steve, if you see this, I’ll take any comments and suggestions you care to make!

p.s. Well, failed mission, since it looks like I didn’t necessarily get any looser with my painting, did I!

Memorial Sunflower, 11x14, watercolor on Arches 140 CP

SUNFLOWER - Part 1

Here’s my attempt to use Steve Blackburn’s technique – and modify it to my way of painting. Instead of the board I’m using Arches 140# CP, ¼ sheet – (sorry Steve, just gotta do it my way!!!) I think that you should incorporate what you learn at a workshop into your own style and way of painting – I don’t believe in copy-catting the style of another painter - just incorporate what you learn into how you paint.

If you follow this blog at all, you know that I paint with a lot of hard edges and would like to learn to get a bit softer and looser. I’m not sure what those hard edges mean about my personality – I don’t think of myself as a hard edged kind of gal (I see the “gray areas” in life, not just the black and white decisions and I like to be surrounded by soft and fluffy items) but maybe deep down I am??? Anyway . . . . .

A lot of times when I begin a painting I wet the entire paper and drop paint here and there just to get something down – I call it a “modified pour”. Then I allow it to dry naturally and find that the paper will be flat the next day – in essence I have just “stretched” the paper and at the same time I have gotten the first layer of paint down. I do not normally use the hair dryer. I am convinced that the heat sets the paper into some “hills and valleys” since it won’t dry evenly overall, and I am also convinced that the heat changes the colors of some of the paints, in particular the browns. (This is probably all in my head, but I still think drying naturally is the better way to go).

However, since I wanted to stay with Steve’s technique on this painting, I started with the miskit pour. Steve marks his paper where he basically wants things to be, so I did that, too – but I sort of cheated by laying my drawing down over the paper and then just putting some light pencil lines where the sunflower head, the top leaf and the bottom stem would be in the finished piece. Then I poured the miskit. (This miskit pour creates lines running through the entire painting, creating a unity to the piece – however, in a more organic way than John Salminen’s white shape paintings). I then allowed the miskit to dry several hours.

You can see the drawing next to the miskit pour. I could see a couple places I didn’t like in the initial pour. In particular, you will see the open areas surrounding the center of interest (the sunflower center). Those areas had been full of miskit so I “opened up” those areas by removing miskit after it dried. There were a couple other spots where the miskit had made a short, straight line, so I also removed those, along with a “blop” of miskit!



First pour - I used hansa yellow, quin. Gold and a touch of permanent rose and was happy with the result. I allowed that to dry overnight, then had a decision to make – leave the miskit on and pour some darker paints, or remove the miskit and pour again, knowing that some of the lines would be lost early on. I opted to REMOVE THE MISKIT EARLY ON (this is an inside joke, since those of you who know me know that the miskit stays on until the bitter end on my paintings!).
Then I poured some of the green areas – using hansa and pthalo blue in some areas and hooker’s green in others. You will see a light spot on the upper left that I really didn’t like,
and decided to try to get rid of it now –
but can’t really notice a big change – it was a spot of pthalo blue that went around a dry spot on the paper, but later on I may like it. I also like that I was able to keep my spot of rose clean! While this pour covered up the white lines of miskit, they are still slightly visible. I also did a quick, light spray of water in the top left for texture – Steve does this in place of salt.

So far, by pouring judiciously, I think I’ve accomplished getting some of the greens that will be leaves and background and still have a good feel for the sunflower shape.
Right now, I’m in love with the colors in this painting and could call it quits! I very rarely use greens, but for some reason I’m loving these colors!

STEVE BLACKBURN WORKSHOP

The above is a photo of Kathy's painting! "By jove, she got it!!!!"

Thursday through Saturday was the Steve Blackburn workshop. I had taken my overhead mirror but, much to my horror, discovered that the ceiling was not high enough for it to be used. However, Steve, the “un”-temperamental artist, was just fine with it, and everything worked out since we were a small group.

Following the evening demo, two full days of information was packed into our tiny artist brains!!! Don’t know about everyone else, but I was EXHAUSTED by Saturday evening! It’s a lot to take in – pouring miskit and paint, composition, drawing, unity, new support, negative painting – but I think we “got it” judging from the paintings I saw completed. Just about everyone had one completed painting and one started which they can complete at home utilizing the skills just learned.

I heard favorable comments and think that everyone learned something, had a good time, and perhaps made a new friend!

My thanks to Steve and Anne! And a super special thanks to Sonya and Sharon!

Here are some photos from the workshop.

Above and below - Steve during the demo.

The next series of photos is Steve's tomato painting.

Here is the sunflower Steve painted.

Here is the class hard at work.

Here are some of the paintings either finished or in process - Day 2 of the workshop.

June's floral.

On the left - Gerri's floral and on the right Pat's tulips.

Sandy's iris - this one should be great when finished - (let me see it please!!!)

Teresa's sunflower - GO SLOW!!!

Cheryl's leaves!!!

Pat again - she and Gerri were prolific painters!

And Gerri's second floral: