Deeper Still
It is Cyber Monday, I am writing my blog. On the TV in my studio I have a Youtube video that is showing over 1500 works by Monet. As an Impressionist I find it fascinating. The video not only shows his work but it shows the series paintings grouped together. You see all the Cathedral paintings one after another and you see the mind of Monet at work. All the slight variations of light, color and atmosphere. The very essence of Impressionism. It is mind blowing to see each painting in its sequence but even more amazing is to see how each version is drawn to perfection only the colors, mood and atmosphere change, The skills and genius of Monet is incredible.
My Task
My painting style is Impressionism. The marks I make, the colors I deploy all try to echo the techniques that Monet started. In my experiment with House Paint however I ran into some unexpected problems. House paint upon application is designed NOT to leave brush marks. Try as I may my Impressionist techniques do not match the medium. No matter how many layers I apply the paint always flattens out. In todays painting I tried to deploy my paint and brushwork in a way that mimics Impressionistic techniques. I was able to attain some essence of Impressionism optically but the texture is not there. The physical brush marks are not there.
Leaving my Mark
While I do believe I achieved a sense of Impressionism optically. My paint surface does not. Years ago I was excessive in my application of paint. Sometimes I liked it most times I didn't. I found a happy medium and learned the where and when to apply that magical brush stroke. With a new medium comes new challenges.
Lessons Learned.
Over the next few weeks I will reveal the steps of my journey and how It has changed my output. The painting below was inspired by Monet's painting of Turkeys. I saw this scene driving home from my daughter's house one afternoon. This was a very effective lesson.
Next week: Solutions
Going Deeper
One of my favorite subjects is the sea. It never stops moving. Sometimes it is serene and beautiful. Other times it is wild and unpredictable. The sea can give life and it can take it. My paintings always try to display the opposing forces of the seacoast. The ageless and relentless water and waves against the unyielding rocks. The subject is always the same yet never the same.
Expanding my Palette
My first paintings involved limited colors. The three primaries and white could be successfully used in a landscape. I did use a little black when needed as my palette could not produce the darks I would need in some parts of the composition. It was time to expand my house paint palette. For oils I used Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Cad Orange and Pthalo Green. While not too obvious in the seascape example these colors gave me many more options.
A Matter of Touch
Now I had a fairly complete palette my next task was to work on my brushwork and techniques. Getting soft edges especially when dealing with water and spray was challenging. The paint dries quickly and blending on the canvas is not easy. The other thing about house paint is that it dries flat. The colors do dry a bit darker and less vibrant but the inability to lay in a good brushmark is difficult. The paint is self leveling and leaves no trace of your brush.
Solution
The brushwork issue was daunting and I took an extreme measure. I wrote an email to John Myatt the artist who opened the door to using house paint. After many weeks I received a reply. Unfortunately I had painted more work before hearing of the solution but I was grateful none the less. John Myatt recommended using gloss super heavy gel offered by Liquitex and Winsor Newton.
Next Week: The Adventure continues:
Beginnings.
Purchasing the Trade Emulsion paint was my first challenge. When you are at the paint department of a box store you have a difficult decision to make. There are literally thousands of potential colors to select from. my first colors would be the primaries and white. I searched very carefully for colors that matched those I have been using for over forty years, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, and white. As everyone knows; you can potentially create every color with these colors, or so I believed.
A New Learning Experience
It turns out that everything I knew about Oils, Acrylic and watercolor would be totally challenged by Trade Emulsion. In the usual basic color wheel, Yellow is your lightest value, Red is closer to a medium value, and Blue is your dark. However when I got the colors home and started to use them I discovered that these thoughts were not true. Trade Emulsion or house paint is all made from a white base. My darkest color was created using white. There was no way I was going to get a nice dark with colors saturated by white. The colors mixed well and were very fluid but still they were not the typical darks you could get from oils.
At the Easel
My first work pictured here, was wonderfully freeing. The paint I purchased was in 8 oz bottles. This abundance allowed me some freedom when applying with the brush. It could be thinned with water. Like acrylic it dried fast maybe too fast, it tended to dry quicker, and the colors darkened slightly when dried. The techniques were different. Brush marks were clumsy and tended to fade after application. It required much layering and glazing one color over another. The whole process required much more forethought than usual. Overall I was pleased with the immediate results. Drawing with the brush was a bit of a challenge compared to oils. As a project the experience helped me slow down and be more detail oriented. The Trade Emulsion paint is latex based and people with a latex allergy should not use it.
Next week: Part #3 Painting a Seascape in Trade Emulsion.
The Gift of Art
During holiday times and in fact all year long an artist faces the needs of the world. From unemployed neighbors to local food pantries to international orphan organizations an artist can be challenged to find a way to give something back to those in need. Financially it may not always be prudent to give monetary donations. On the other hand donation a piece of art while very generous may not serve the desired purpose and/or meet the specific need of the charity.
Options
Some artists have a plan about how to give something back to those who are in need. A percentage of sales or a single sale can be designated for a specific charity. One artist I know decided to donate a percentage of sales to a local need. This serves the need of the artist who wishes to give something back, and can offer good publicity and good will. It can also help out at tax time. There are many opportunities for artists if they look hard enough.
A Unique Gift
Some artists take their donations a step further. There is a ministry known as the Memory Project. This ministry serves international orphanages. The idea is that these orphaned children usually do not have any memories of their early childhood. No photographs of birthdays, and events and early growth. The Memory Project recruits artists to create portraits of the orphans and give them a unique and special keepsake. There is no contact between the artist and the child but the Memory Project people produce a video of the delivery to the children. It is a wonderful way for an artist to use their special skill to give something special to children in need around the world. Many high school students take part in this ministry but is is open to anyone who would like to give a very special gift. Click on the link to view a delivery video. Feel free to contact me for more information or contact the Memory Project at" [email protected]
https://vimeo.com/270269809/96da37cf12
The Situation
The Covid Pandemic has affected people of all walks and backgrounds and has created many challenges. While most artists work at home away from the hustle and bustle of society it has struck artists just as hard. Gallery exhibitions and art fairs have been cancelled leaving artists with limited opportunities for sales and resulting in diminished incomes. My artwork was scheduled to be exhibited in four places. All were cancelled. Without this potential income my prospects looked bleak. I was still painting and though I had a good quantity of supports I was running out of paint.
The Problem
My supply of oil paint wasrunning out. As an oil painter, my paint costs anywhere from $15.79 or higher per tube. I found myself painting less and watching tv more, One show on Youtube however was not only very interesting but revealed a possible solution to my situation. The show was a British show, Forger's Masterclass. The host, John Myatt, was an artist, teacher...and an art forger. He was caught after creating over 200 forgeries of great master paintings. The show is based on how students can learn by copying the great masters and in each episode three students try to create a painting in the styles of a different master artist. It was very educational.
The Solution
During Episode 4 about Claude Monet Mr. Myatt revealed his method. The paint he used is what they refer to in England as Trade Emulsion. Trade Emulsion is for the most part house paint. He created forgeries that fooled many so called art experts using house paints. He served time in prison and upon release returned to the art world in England legitimately and is doing very well.
Trade Emulsion
When my oil paint supply got very low I remembered what John Myatt said about trade emulsion. I went to my local box hardware store and purchased samples of trade emulsion. Each sample cost $3.98. For $16.00 I now had four colors, white, and the three primary colors. I matched as best possible each color to its oil counterpart. Next I went to the local art box store and bought containers to use in process. A plastic food storage container would serve as my palette. I was ready to go.
Next Week: #2 My first trade emulsion painting.
