Day 5 - Crackle Glaze Medium

Crackle Glaze Detail

I had a painting all finished, but hadn't tried anything new from the list. So, I have used a bit of crackle glaze medium in the bottom right corner.  It is hard to see (I am having to photograph in poor light) and it didn't work very well, here is a close-up.

I think part of the problem was that I did it on an already heavily textured area and perhaps blasting it with the hair-dryer to speed up drying wasn't helpful.

I will be trying this again in a future painting.

How This Painting Was Made

On stretched 300gsm watercolour paper, I applied some scrim, some modeling paste through a stencil as before, as well as some stitched canvas.  The stitched canvas, unfortunately, has not shown up well in the photograph, the relief is a lot more pronounced in the flesh.

Then many layers of paint, some stamped tissue over the stitched area to soften it, some text, some charcoal drawing, yet more paint and then the crackle glaze.

How to Use Crackle Glaze Medium

I used Marabu Crackle Medium, but there are several different ones on the market.

From what I understand, the method to use is to apply a thick layer of paint in a darker colour (or the colour you want to show through the cracks.  Allow it to dry, then apply a layer of the crackle medium, brushing in one direction.  Once that has dried (I left it an hour or so), apply a thin layer of the top coat of paint in a lighter colour, brushing in a different direction.  Allow it to dry and the cracks will form.  

Day 4 - Mixed Media Explorations

Today's painting is on 300gsm watercolour paper and I have built up the texture, as in previous paintings, with scrim, tape and modelling paste through a stencil.  The shapes of the stencils I choose are reflecting my theme of "boundaries" and remind me of fences.
After applying gesso to the entire sheet, I then built up the subtle washes of colours, using brushes, sponges and a brayer.
Today's technique from the list is a stamped image.  I don't have many stamps as I want to make my own (I have lino and my cutters at the ready), but I do have a set of numbers and on the upper left, you can see some zeros, quite subtle, but that is how I like it!
Thank you everyone who has popped by to look at my mixed media experiments.

Day 3

Today's painting has been very difficult to photograph as it is so high key, but I believe I have got very close to the actual colours.

The execution has been very similar to the two previous paintings with fabric and modeling paste applied, followed by a coat of acrylic gesso before applying several layers of paint, building up the colours.

Today's mixed media technique that I wanted to focus on is the drawing/writing on top of the paint, not something that I am used to doing at all, it feels rather alien to me.  I set the charcoal with fixative and can seal the entire painting with varnish if desired.

Apparently, there are mediums available that facilitate applying dry media on top of acrylic paints, so I will get some and try it out as I would like to be able to draw on top with pastels as well as charcoal.

Day 2 - Mixed Media Techniques

Today's technique is hand-sewing onto canvas. 

Size: 6" x 6"
Support: Canvas
Theme: Boundaries

Method

Using PVA Glue, I adhered some scrim (cheesecloth) onto the canvas and when it was dry, I did some freestyle stitching directly through the canvas and then applied acrylic gesso all over the entire piece. After many layers of scumbled acrylic paint (crimson, cerulean, raw umber, ultramarine, cadmium yellow), switching to paint brushes, I began to bring some areas forward and knocked some back so the spiral is more evident.  The straight lines to the right of the spiral were made by cutting out  shapes in masking tape and painting over them before removing the tape.

Sewing on to canvas wasn't too difficult and I am very pleased with the result, it worked very well with my theme of "boundaries". I shall experiment with sewing onto 300gsm watercolour paper in the future.

Yesterday's Mixed Media Technique - Modelling Paste

I have been asked to talk some more about yesterday's painting and how I used the modelling paste.  Most of the products I am using are manufactured by Golden, and I used Golden Molding Paste which is marble dust in an acrylic medium.  I used part of a stencil to apply the paste (using a plastic gift card) onto the canvas, then let it dry thoroughly (it takes several hours) before sanding it lightly and applying acrylic gesso.  I then applied lots of layers of paint and a bit of stenciling (the diamonds to the left), before concentrating on bringing some areas forward, reinstating lost areas (the circle) and knocking some parts back (to the right of the circle). 

Using the modelling paste in this way adds a little dimensionality to the painting and I like the results.  I will also explore using the paste directly to the canvas (or paper) without a stencil in further experiments.

Mixed Media Explorations

Mixed Media Techniques: Modelling Paste

I have been persuaded to take part in Leslie Saeta's Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days challenge and have decided to revisit mixed media techniques, while working in the theme of "boundaries".

So, during January I will be exploring these different mixed media techniques, focusing on one each day, although more than one may be used in each painting.  Working on 6x6" paper, I intend to bind them into a personal reference book.  Here are the 30+ techniques I am going to experiment with (I may add more as I think of them):

1. modelling paste
2. plaster
3. home-made texture paste
4. stencils
5. transfers
6. sgraffito/scraping
7. mark-making with tools
8. masking
9. spraying
10. sponging
11. collage
12. printmaking/handmade stamps
13. wax, cold wax and encaustic
14. metallic paints and interference medium
15. watercolour glazes
16. Tyvek (painted, applied then burnt)
17. hand sewing
18. machine sewing
19. working outside the boundaries
20. bright colour
21. neutral colour
22. monochromatic colour
23. blocks and lines
24. curves and circles
25. batik with PVA
26. wax resist
27. rubbings
28. applying paint with alternative tools: brayer, card, knives etc.
29. text
30. negative spaces
31. crackle glaze

2014 Review

2014 has been a busy year with the highlight being the Open Studios in May, where I had to say goodbye to some of my favourite paintings.  Of course, I am happy to see them go off to new homes and I hope they are being enjoyed as much as I enjoyed making them.



Being creative is very intense and early on in the year I was looking for something to exercise the analytical side of my brain.  I have been involved with textile work for many years and am particularly interested in the history of textiles. While researching ecclesiastical weaving, my interest was piqued by some tablet woven bands and I undertook to learn this fascinating and ancient art. 


My blogging has taken a back seat and take a step back from exhibiting while I spend some time building up a new body of work.  I am also experimenting with mixed media on the theme of "boundaries" and will post about that over the next month.

Pictish Creatures and New Work

It all started with just the one small painting, that is all I thought, what harm can one Pictish Cat do?  Before I knew it, I was doing another Pictish creature, a dragon this time.  It is OK, I told myself, one more won't hurt, I can give up any time I want!

Then there was the Pictish stag, everyone loves the Pictish stag and now I had to admit it, I seem to have some kind of addiction.  With slightly unsteady hands, I reach for more paint and yet another Pictish creature has, unbidden, formed under my brush, a goose and then a wolf and now the curious Pictish "beast".  Why can't I stop?  What is wrong with me?

So, here is something completely different, some strange woman on top of a hill, facing another hill, wonder who that is and where she is - and isn't she cold?