oil begins

After much reading, I discovered that solvents and stink when oil painting is a myth.  Solvent is 100% optional and all we really need is the paint.  The paint is just pigment and oil - flaxseed oil like the stuff we eat, only with more filtering and fewer additives.  

One can even use oil for most of the brush cleaning.  Although soap and water help for long term storage.

 

So I thought why not spend a summer (because it was summer when this happened) morning in the garden playing with pretty colours.  

Well... not bad for a first unguided painting.  There is a lot more work to do on it once this layer dries.  Also, I need to learn more about composition.  But still, it turned out kind of cute.  

Because my last chicken painting turned out so... um...

 I decided to do some more practice with Beam Paints watercolours because the colour is just so intense.  I know I showed this in the review a little while back, but it's worth revisiting.

I'm starting to get the hang of it, but still, I'm constantly intrigued by how the paint wants to participate with the process.  Each colour has a different personality.  Some like to granulate, others scream and chase away anyone who gets too near.  Getting the hang of how to combine not just the colours but the personalities is a big part of what I love about these paints.  

shoe thoughts

 Van Gogh did about a dozen shoe paintings in his 10 years of um, painting.  And I think that's kind of neat.

When Van Gogh was alive, peasant shoes would often have wooden soles and a whole different style of making them.  But they were still recognizably shoes.  And as the shoes are worn, they take on the characteristics of the wearer.

I usually mange to make a shoe last about 5 years of hard work on the farm.  This pair failed to protect me from a rusty nail that was hidden in the mud, so it's on the way to the trash.  But first, I took some photos and I wondered how hard it would be to paint it.  So I start with a drawing.  

And yes, the chicken is necessary.  

gonna try and paint cathy (it didn't go well)

 

I like Beam Paints a lot so I'm going to try these.  I begin by applying masking fluid for the parts I want to remain white.

Washy backgrounds are looking good.  Now, can I paint the chicken.

First layer, wet in wet to get the foundations down.  

A bit darker - remembering that watercolour values are more to do with saturation than blackness or whiteness.

Although this is getting away from me a bit.  

Let's add some details.

Um... yeh.  That didn't turn out how I expected.  Interesting and it is chicken shaped, but not Cathy.  I need to practice with the Beam Paints more because they are quite a bit more vibrant than I am used to.