Showing posts with label Grumbacher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grumbacher. Show all posts

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Illustration Friday: "Craving"


A portrait of the artist as a multitude of cravings. As the saying goes: you are what you eat.


My effort with acrylic paints were slightly better this time. However, I was rather annoyed with the whole thing for a while into it. I have so much more of a grasp on drawing, but I'm still figuring out a lot of things with acrylics (and painting, in general). I had enough gumption to stick with it and I'm pretty happy with the outcome.


I think acrylics was a good medium to use on this subject, partly because of all the creamy frostings involved. By the end of it, I did have a better understanding of the medium and how I work with it:


1. I much prefer the heavy bodied Liquitex paints I have rather than the Grumbacher tubes which are more "runny." The Liquitex feel more like the thicker oils I was more used to in college.


2. The extender I have is pretty useless.


3. I'm beginning to like the quicker drying time - it serves my impatience well, allowing me to rework areas almost immediately and to utilize dry brush effects that I like.


4. I really need to invest in some better paint brushes.



I also fell back on the "easier for me" expressionistic color palette rather than taking the time to mix more natural colors. But the, sweets tend to be more colorful anyway. So, it works.


Anyway, my family arrived home from camping today. My oldest daughter made me a portrait of her own from nature as a present as today is my birthday.






Saturday, June 28, 2008

A change of pace...

I spent some time playing with the acrylics in the studio today. Like chalk pastel – it’s a love/hate relationship. This is just a little experimental work to try and figure out the medium. Being a detail person, I also wanted to try something a little looser and painterly. I’d welcome some constructive criticism. I don't consider it a "finished" piece - just exploratory.


Some of my problem with acrylics has to do with the fact that I’ve done very little painting since college (when I used oils). Acrylic is a different ballgame. I don’t like the consistency of the paint – compared to oils. I like the Liquitex heavy body paints a little better than the Grumbacher ones I have (which are more runny and thin).

I’m coming to terms with the quick drying time – like it on the painting itself, but hate it on the palette. I’ll have to invest in one of those stay-wet palette things and see how that goes (I hate buying things that require refill purchases all the time).