A New Artist to Love.

While looking for pictures of storms on google (don't ask), I came across artist Toni Grote. I'm not normally a fan of such simplistic landscapes, but I love how she combines modern and folk art to create images that are equally haunting and whimsical. I kept thinking about how much her art reminded me of Iowa. Is it any surprise that I later learned she is actually from the great state of Iowa? I think you are doing something right if your artwork instantly evokes a place to someone.

All artwork owned by Toni Grote. 

Painting #73: Mount Eden. (Finished.)

Painting #73: Mount Eden. (Unfinished.) + First Oil Painting.

For Christmas this year I was given a set of oil paints, and last night I finally got the chance to sit down and try them out. Not only am I trying oils for the first time, I'm also painting on a circular canvas! Exciting stuff. I want to say: I'm in love with oils. Everything I hate about acrylics is fixed by using oils. Oils dry slowly, allowing for better blend-ability. (Although you can buy mediums for acrylics that will cause them to dry slowly but I'm too big of a cheap ass for that.)  The colors are incredibly more vibrant. Layering is a breeze given the thickness of the oil. Mistakes are easier to fix. The list is endless. Although I will say that oil paint smells a bit funky versus the odorless acrylics. I think this will begin my slow transition to oil painting - you can actually use acrylics with oil (especially using acrylics as your first layer since they dry quickly). I'm going to slowly use all my acrylics up while buying new oils! I'm glad I got the chance to try this out!

If you are interested in painting with oils I found a few tidbits that are crucial to know about painting with oils, that make them a bit more complicated than acrylics.

• Tip 1: Always lay your oil paints out on your palette in the same order so that, with time, you'll be able to pick up a bit of a colour instinctively.
• Tip 2: The proportion of oil medium (not turps thinner) should be increased for each subsequent layer in an oil painting – known as painting 'fat over lean' – because the lower layers absorb oil from the layers on top of them. If the upper layers dry faster than the lower ones, they can crack.
• Tip 3:  Avoid using Ivory Black for an underpainting or sketching as it dries much slower than other oil paints.
• Tip 4: Pigments containing lead, cobalt, and manganese accelerate drying. They can be mixed with other colours to speed up drying and are ideal for under layers. (Student-quality paints usually contain cheaper alternatives to these pigments, generally labelled hues.)
• Tip 5: Use linseed oil for an underpainting or in the bottom layers of any oil painting done wet-on-dry as it dries the most thoroughly of all the oils used as mediums.
• Tip 6: Avoid using linseed oil as a medium in whites and blues as it has a marked tendency to yellow, which is most notable with light colours. Poppy oil is recommended for light colours as it has the least tendency to yellow (although it does dry slower).
• Tip 7: Don't dry your oil paintings in the dark. This may cause a thin film of oil to rise to the surface, yellowing it. (This can be removed by exposure to bright daylight.)
• Tip 8: If, as the paint on your palette dries it forms a lot of wrinkles, too much oil (medium) has been added.
• Tip 9: If you're not sure whether a bottle of mineral or white spirits is suitable for oil painting, put a tiny quantity on a piece of paper and let it evaporate. If it evaporates without leaving any residue, stain, or smell, it should be fine.
• Tip 10: If you want to clean away a layer of oil paint or oil varnish, use alcohol, which is a powerful solvent.
• Tip 11: Remember that you can paint with oils without using solvents, using brush pressure to spread the paint out thinly, only oil as a medium and to rinse your brush.

Painting #72: Have You Ever Seen the Rain. (Finished.)

Something simple, trying different colors.I realized with this painting I've always done my leaves the same way, maybe it's time to try something different!

Painting #72: Have You Ever Seen the Rain. (Preview.)

One of my resolutions this year is to approach painting differently. Most of the time my main objection is to paint something interesting, pretty, proficient, well - I want to capture the image that I'm seeing. This year I want to know how to actually paint well - loosen up, and not worry so much about the final product or trying to get every detail. I know this means I'm going to have a lot of paintings that aren't very good while I explore different techniques and styles - but hopefully I learn something new as time goes on. Most of my paintings are going to be 8x10's and lower now. Although here is what I'm currently working on, which is an 11x14, and I'm trying to paint almost abstract which is incredibly hard for a perfectionist, control freak like me.

This is my outline, so now I'll be adding detail!