Monday, April 18, 2011

Clouds are Forming

In an earlier post, I gave you a sneak peek of my painting. I had been struggling with this part of my reinvention, mostly due to that pesky voice in my head telling me I would never be good enough to paint anything (other than a wall or four). Through daily affirmations - yes, I go through the 'You are good enough' and 'You can do it' ritual. Don't knock it until you've tried it. If you don't need it, I'm jealous, but it helps me.

[Psychology session over]

Here's what I was starting with:

The canvas had been painted weeks ago...and then it sat. This is a theme with me - when I'm uncertain, I do nothing. I do a lot of nothing ;)

There are all kinds of techniques out there for painting, and since there is no formal art training here, I knew a Van Gogh was out of my league. I really just want to create something with color, and love the paintings in the impasto style. Basically impasto is a heavy-textured and almost 3-D painting.

I saw an artist actually paint this way while on vacation on Mackinac Island a few years ago. She took a painting of a red tulip and made it a yellow sunflower on my request, while I watched - fascinating! Her name is Noel Skiba - check her out. I spoke with her on the phone recently and she is very encouraging of me in my artist infancy. She paints all over the world and is currently in Key West, but comes back to Michigan for the summer art season. She paints commissioned paintings and has the most beautiful art...I just can't say enough about what an impression she's made on me. Here are the paintings I bought her while on Mackinac Island:




GORGEOUS.
Ok, back to me ;)

I was hooked and researched the technique a bit and wonder of wonders...it's a great technique for beginners. And guess what? Van Gogh painted in this style - can we all say serendipity?

So after looking at this little green canvas in my project to-do pile for awhile, it was time. I added a heavy gel medium to the paint to get the chunky effect, and then took a palette knife and spread it on my canvas

and duh. I didn't take any in-progress pics. Too excited and kept going and completely forgot about photos. But basically I put the same type of blobs (artists everywhere are cringing...good thing they don't read my blog) in purple, yellow and aqua in the penciled-in circle.

I took the palette knife and drew the tip back and forth through the paint, creating a striated effect.




See how the peaks in the paint hold? That's the medium. Love that stuff and I actually love the look of the colors all mixed in, but still standing out. Now for the second thoughts...

Should I do more around my 'cloud'? The rest of the canvas looks bare, but I'm afraid to mess with it. Honest opinions please, even if you hate it. It's not everyone's style, but for me, the impasto technique is the coolest look. My hubs likes it, but he says he likes everything I create :)

One last look at it outside in the sun


What do you think? Leave it alone, or continue the paint around the cloud? Or paint another and another and another and stop worrying about it? ;)

Thanks for looking!

Linking up with:





11 comments:

  1. That is a very cool technique! I would love to try it! hmmm that is a toughie on whether or not to leave as is.. If your like me whenever I feel something is "not done" I go overboard and then it is too much! So... my vote is to leave as is and keep on keepin on! *unless you change your mind along the way :)*

    p.s. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I "revised" my post so you will know where to get the crates!

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  2. Stop worrying about it!! I think it looks great...but, then again - if it was my own painting I would be obsessing too! :)

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  3. Ok, what you call 'bare' is for me the frame for this incredible wonderful movement in the middle!
    If I may quote Paul Valere here: one may abandon a painting but never anyone will finish a painting.

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  4. I love it! I think it looks wonderful: what a lovely riot of color. Noel Skiba's work is really cool too!

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  5. How do you like the basic paints? I bought some to try, but haven't yet? Nice painting-I have the canvas and the paint, now I need the time!

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  6. Wonderful job! Keep plugging away and believe in yourself.

    Thank you for visiting us at The Old Block House.

    Following

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  7. I say keep painting! (As in moving on to a new piece, that is.) The best way to foster creativity is just to keep creating. Over time your style will emerge and you will just "know" when you are finished with a piece or when you aren't. :) I love that you're pursuing painting and writing now. Love to see women chasing after their dreams!! By the way, love your first canvas. It's really, really special. And how awesome to have such a supportive husband!

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  8. When I don't know what to do with a piece, I just live with it for a while. You can always go back to it later. I too have struggled with feelings of inadequacy in the artworld. Now, I just draw what I love and create work that I would hang in my own home... instead of trying to live up to other people's idea of "art". This is a recent revelation of mine and because of it, I have started to discover (and finally appreciate) my own style. I really like the striated effect in your painting... and I look forward to seeing more!
    - Andrea

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  9. Thank you everyone for your supportive input! It really does make me feel wonderful :) The verdict is the cloud is done, and I'm happy with it, and am happily painting another canvas at the moment.

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  10. I love texture in art. I say leave it and try a new one. If Monet would
    ve messed with the first haystacks, we wouldn't have gotten so many beautiful day parts...

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  11. Great painting and I love this style! Can't wait to see what's next.

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Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts! I appreciate each and every one of you!

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