Mèdici’s Garden

[LewMoxinsghost]

I like the Liquitex products. Your hobby store is like a Joanne's or a Michael's not an art store? The Gloss Medium and Varnish, or the Gloss Varnish? I figured that would be a painting that looks good with a gloss.

Right. Hobby Lobby to be exact. It's just the varnish... they did carry some others that would have worked, but really I just wanted a good protective layer more than anything. And it promised to "brighten and deepen colors" so that bonus is ultimately what sold me.

[End of Time]

I can't paint, at all, I don't know how people actually manage to paint and use the paint to create a sense of depth. Bob Ross is like a demi-god to me. The way that guy used his brushes and his whatyamacallits is beyond me.

[snarkbunny]

I can't paint, at all, I don't know how people actually manage to paint and use the paint to create a sense of depth. Bob Ross is like a demi-god to me. The way that guy used his brushes and his whatyamacallits is beyond me.

If you decide you want to learn to paint, I think you would be off to good start from your webcomics, you already show a pretty good use of colour theory with it and that is what drives the sense of depth.

[LewMoxinsghost]

If you decide you want to learn to paint, I think you would be off to good start from your webcomics, you already show a pretty good use of colour theory with it and that is what drives the sense of depth.

Yeah, but it takes years to learn even a tenth the control that Bob Ross had. With these paintings I'm still playing it safe- using flat colors and staying in cartoon-land. I think if I do get more realistic I'm gonna bring the scale of it way back down.

[snarkbunny]

Yeah, but it takes years to learn even a tenth the control that Bob Ross had. With these paintings I'm still playing it safe- using flat colors and staying in cartoon-land. I think if I do get more realistic I'm gonna bring the scale of it way back down.

Ah the curse of skill development requiring practice, practice, practice. It applies to all skills from drawing to jewelry making to cooking to painting. Creativity would be so much easier if it didn't require hard work.

I've been taking a weekly painting class for years, and one of the things that I've observed from my fellow students is that one of the biggest learning curves is figuring out how to see. Not just the shapes within a shape, but the colour changes as well. It's like starting a jigsaw puzzle with a blank cover and then someone giving you the picture. All of a sudden you have a guide on how to put those pieces together. And the really awesome thing about acrylics? Wait five minutes and then you can try to paint it again, and again, and again.

Hmmmm - I don't know on the scale thing, Lew - some folks do better on the large scale and some do better on the small. 9x12 seems to be the upper limit of where I'm happiest painting at but again it varies so much. I've seen people struggle with small but switching up sizes suddenly made their painting click for them.

[pryde15]

For all that are interested the X-Boards are rejuvenating a tradition that mattbib started a while back! Since this is the off-topic art thread I thought it would be nice to invite all of you to take part.

Draw Me a X-Jam XIII: Redesign!

[johnbriner]

I can't paint, at all, I don't know how people actually manage to paint and use the paint to create a sense of depth. Bob Ross is like a demi-god to me. The way that guy used his brushes and his whatyamacallits is beyond me.

Hey! This looks very cool, I like the colors. The background is very simple but it turned out just right! I like the glowing red lining! Thanks for sharing!

[LewMoxinsghost]

I thought this was interesting: It's results from a survey of fine art grads:
http://snaap.indiana.edu/snaapshot/

[LewMoxinsghost]

Hey does anyone have experience stretching canvas? I have all the stuff and figured I'd give it a crack. I was thinking I should soak the canvas in hot water before stapling it onto the frame... but is there anything I should treat it with first or directly afterward?

[snarkbunny]

Hey does anyone have experience stretching canvas? I have all the stuff and figured I'd give it a crack. I was thinking I should soak the canvas in hot water before stapling it onto the frame... but is there anything I should treat it with first or directly afterward?

I don't think you need to soak the canvas first or at least it was never soaked in the demo on stretching canvases I saw. If you are using canvas from a non-art store like a fabric store, I would run it through the laundry (hot water/dryer) to get out any sizing and any shrinkage.

I assume you've been watching the how-to videos?

[LewMoxinsghost]

I don't think you need to soak the canvas first or at least it was never soaked in the demo on stretching canvases I saw. If you are using canvas from a non-art store like a fabric store, I would run it through the laundry (hot water/dryer) to get out any sizing and any shrinkage.

I assume you've been watching the how-to videos?

Laundering the fabric is a good idea. I actually didn't think about that... I just assumed that it had already been done. I'm re-purposing some outdoor canvas as an experiment. A how-to video would take all the fun out of it and then I couldn't pester you guys with questions!

Building the frame is no problem for me.. I'm an old hand at basic woodworking and I just acquired a table saw second hand. Wish me luck in not cutting any important appendages off.

[snarkbunny]

Laundering the fabric is a good idea. I actually didn't think about that... I just assumed that it had already been done. I'm re-purposing some outdoor canvas as an experiment. A how-to video would take all the fun out of it and then I couldn't pester you guys with questions!

Building the frame is no problem for me.. I'm an old hand at basic woodworking and I just acquired a table saw second hand. Wish me luck in not cutting any important appendages off.

Then definitely laundry, but you won't need fabric softener . I was taught to launder all material before sewing with it. Have you upholstered anything? The key to evenly stretched canvas is wrap,center and opposite. so the staples go on the back of the frame, not the side. Start in the center of a side and then to the direct opposite. so center top, center bottom, center left, center right then halfway between center and edge on left top, etc. That way you are pushing the loose fabric to the corners.

[LewMoxinsghost]

Then definitely laundry, but you won't need fabric softener . I was taught to launder all material before sewing with it. Have you upholstered anything? The key to evenly stretched canvas is wrap,center and opposite. so the staples go on the back of the frame, not the side. Start in the center of a side and then to the direct opposite. so center top, center bottom, center left, center right then halfway between center and edge on left top, etc. That way you are pushing the loose fabric to the corners.

Awesome.That is exactly what I needed to know. Thank you! It sounds a lot like changing lugnuts on a tire actually...

[snarkbunny]

Awesome.That is exactly what I needed to know. Thank you! It sounds a lot like changing lugnuts on a tire actually...

Same idea, I think - It's about about maintaining as even distribution as possible.

[mattbib]

This new server has sure speeded CBR up. Now everyone can post their artwork faster.