Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Mixed Media Mini Demo

I've been playing around with some mixed media. (I LOVE to do that!) and discovered a method that works really well for me. After some scribbles, patterns and flowers, I thought I would attempt  a small bird picture.

These Bronze Mannikins are frequent visitors to our garden (like sparrows in other areas). I love seeing them and I particularly liked how these two were huddled together. My photograph wasn't a very good one, so I  was forced to simplify and be inventive, both of which, in art, are good things!


2 B Together
(Bronze Mannikins huddled together)
Mixed Media on Crescent Board
165 x 125mm


I then attempted a second bird picture and documented the steps to share with you:

Materials:
Piece of Crescent mounting board
Black fine liner
Oil pastels
Turps
Brushes: short, round taclon brush (no 5), flat bristle brush no 6, 3/4 inch bristle brush from hardware store.
Modpodge
Black water soluable ink
Acrylic colours
Laquer Spray  

  • Wipe edges of mountboard with wax, or paint with modpodge, so the layers don't separate when it gets wet.
  • I drew the subject quickly with a black fine liner, trying to be correct with the spacial relationships, but not being perfectionistic about detail.
  • Then I added colour using oil pastels, in a spontaneous way.

  • I used Turps and the fine round brush to blend the oil pastel in areas, especially on the bird, removing some of the texture. This needs to dry. A hair dryer can speed up the process! 



  • Then I painted on Modpodge as a resist over the bird and a few other areas, eg branches and "leaves".
  • I dried it again, using a hair dryer.
  • Then I brushed black ink over the entire picture liberally, using the 3/4 " brush.




  • The excess ink was then wiped off with a tissue, leaving dark areas which give a new depth to the picture:
  • Now it was time to accentuate detail and add a few hilights, especially on the bird, using acrylics paints.
  • Finally, when dry, I sprayed it with clear laquer to seal it.   

Lone Lookout
(Brown Hooded Kingfisher)
Mixed Media on Crescent Board
165 x 125mm




       

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Ngunis Squared!

My plan was to paint these two Nguni paintings quickly, within a week. However, things tend to work out slower in reality as what they do in your mind, during the planning stage! A couple of interruptions, some of them very pleasant, like a visit from a friend living far away, didn't speed up the process either! But here they finally are!!!


Nguni 43 - Oil on canvas
450 x 450 mm





Nguni 44 - Oil on canvas
450 x 450 mm
 
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