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Claybord experiment [No.1] FINISHED.
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Message
Posted
Hi dear friends.
I decided to begin an oil painting on Ampersand claybord.
Recently I got upset with harsh canvas texture, and probably this is me, not the canvas board...
For last few years I've been using smooth paper only, so it's not surprising, that canvas feels too coarse to my likeness?!
I've found leftover claybord 12"x16" with damaged corners.
I did cut out a bit at the top and bottom edge to get rid of mentioned issue, so the panel is around 1cm shorter in total.
So pretty good size to practice on.
Being aware of high absorption, I'm gently rubbing in thin layers of Walnut Alkyd oil, I'm planning two or three.
The final layer is meant to be stain colour, probably Raw Umber Alkyd.
I'll start experimental painting in few days, after I make sure underlayers are touch dry.
What the subject?
I didn't make my mind just yet...
Thank you for watching.
Art.
Edited
by PogArt MasSter
Posted
I've put three thin layers of Walnut Alkyd oil yesterday.
They were gently rubbed in, and left over throug the night to dry.
Tonight I decided to rub in the final layer of oil painting, to seal everything together.
I've chosen Burnt Sienna, Alkyd as well.
It's a very thin layer of undiluted paint, rubbed into the surface, the same way the Walnut oil was.
Left to dry.
So in summary - 3 layers of oil, 1 layer of paint.
I hope it'll prevend absorption of the Claybord enough.
Referring to the article, the only 1 oil layer was adviced, or 1 layer of oil paint.
I've put these extra layers, just to be safe rather than sorry.
If I begin the oil painting, it will be too late to mess it up again with underlayers...
Can't wait to start experimental painting !!!
Posted
Hi there, I hope you are very well, and enjoying the evening as much as I did.
I wasn't sure what to paint, but after digging into my old photos, I've found the one, that attracted me most.
It's a photo of myself, taken few years ago.
This is an experimental painting, so if I make funny caricature - better it's me, nobody else
Tonight I've done a free hand sketching to outline the subject (me ;) ).
Let it dry now ...
Edited
by PogArt AsS'er
Posted
The brush stroke on the had give it a really good textured look rather than flat smooth . I always think it easy to try and emulate the photo and then you painting doesn’t work so well brush strokes are a part of the artists lot and can look really good.I'm really appreciate what you've just said Paul. Some part of me is still keep thinking, that noticeable brush strokes may be an issue... At this point it's obvious, that my brain (I hope I've got one) hasn't switch off from graphite drawing just yet... I'm always aiming for a high realistic look, but after your comment, I'm convinced more, that this effect is rather positive, and might become a part of my style? Thank you, I really am.
Edited
by PogArt AsS'er
Posted
The blacks getting flatter as they dry, so to don't interrupt it, I moved on the background today.
At first I was concerned with all these brush strokes again, but *Paul (😉) has lifted me up recently regarding this matter, so I did carry on filling up the area.
Black clothes against light background may will improve value judgement...
Thank you.
Edited
by PogArt Ass'Er
Posted
I'm in a bit of a hurry, so forgive me if I've not read your post properly, but I noticed the layers of Walnut oil you lay on the board - I don't think I'd advise that as a general practice, but if it's done - don't wait for it to dry before painting on it: paint into it, rather than on it: so long as it's not bone dry, it shouldn't present any cracking problems. If it IS dry, though, even an alkyd oil takes time to dry throughout - and it would keep moving beneath the paint you lay on top of it, but at a different rate - pulling at the paint film. Adding the oil layer at this stage should mean you don't need to add much if any to the first layers painted over it, provided again that it's INTO, not over.
Posted
Your welcome Art it was a pleasure to be able to make the suggestion, personally I think the hat looks really good against the backdrop and the dark area at the back of it . When you have done the skin tones they will look good , looking forward to seeing it develop.Thanks for keen words again Paul. I'm always scared to start flesh tones because of lack of experience - so I'm making myself BUSY with everything else instead hahahaaa :)
Edited
by PogArt Ass'Er
Posted
Flesh tones - the human face is basically a pale orange for 'white' skin, and various degrees darker for those nationalities whose skin tones range from a creamy brown to deep 'black' - very few peoples have genuinely black skin, but some do: these can be represented very often by adding a blue to your basic flesh tone mix.
OR - try the Zorn palette for portraits: White, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion or Cadmium Red, plus Ivory Black: you can vary this mix very considerably, and the small number of colours helps you to concentrate on the basics. This palette works best with a) a lead white, and b) a Cad Red Light - Titanium White is a bit problematic in figure painting and portraiture, because it's so strong, so opaque, and frighteningly white: ideal for many things, not so much for flesh. Cad Red in the medium ranges is too strong, but unfortunately Vermilion can be almost anything these days - what you want, for Caucasian skin, is a light transparent scarlet - maybe scarlet lake, if you can't find a satisfactory Vermilion.
An obviously 'pink' skin tone in portraits resembles nothing so much as sunburn - keep your reds for the cheeks and fleshier areas, including ears, and add more yellow and white for the places where skin is stretched more thinly over bone (forehead, most obviously).
That's the colour more or less covered - now we come to the more difficult bits: e.g., the mouth - and the only tips I have there are: study them, draw them again and again, remember that mouths lie on a curve, they're not letterboxes pasted onto someone's face, and remember that they depend on the law of perspective too - they're not easy! I think it was John Singer Sargent who defined a portrait as 'a painting in which something has gone a little wrong in the mouth', or words to that effect: get the mouth wrong, and your likeness flies right out of the window.