Wednesday, November 29, 2006

The Morning After, drying panels, and Mango


The Morning After
7 x 5", Oils on canvas covered hardboard
$100 unframed via PayPal, free shipping within US (email me for international rates)

Well, I confess.....This isn't leftover from last night; I set it up for the painting. Then hubby asked me where his aspirin went, and I had to tell him it was down in the studio, in my setup. That got some laughs. I still need to touch up the elipse on the top of the glass. I played lost and found edges and then it got.....lost! hehe

Meanwhile, a coat of gesso and modeling paste mix has been added to the two coats of sealer already on the new panels, and they are drying in the studio. Once they get dry to the touch, I put them in letter-holders (found at Staples for a couple of dollars each) to dry completely. This keeps them separated and prevents them from taking up every square inch of surface space in my studio! I'll apply the first coat of gesso/pumice this afternoon. They probably won't be ready for painting until the weekend.



My little birdie, Mango, came down to the studio for a visit. I have this open wire playset for him down here, like a cage without sides, so he can have something to climb around on while enjoying some millet and chattering. My daughter made that cute toy for him.


5 Comments:

Blogger RenĂ© PleinAir said...

What now?! cherry with aspirin, is that nice?

do you cover the board only with Gesso, or is it canvas board? If not, maybe you could try to roll it over with a mosquito mesh before it's completely dry. It give the board a structure of canvas (more or less)

2:46 PM  
Blogger Jamie Williams Grossman said...

Rene, first I seal the board with two coats of GAC100 on back, front and sides. In this case, I used a masonite that is already coated on one side with a marker-board like, melamine surface. That way I have one less side I have to seal. ;)

To give texture, I then apply a coat of modeling paste and gesso mixed in a 1:1 ratio. I prefer the brushy texture to a canvas texture. I like to use canvas boards too, so when I make my own, I prefer the change of the brushy texture. The modeling paste makes the gesso hold the peaks. This will be followed by two or three coats of gesso with added pumice, to hold plenty of paint layers.

Marc Hanson explains this process in wonderful detail, with pictures, in the Plein Air Hall of Fame forum on Wetcanvas. The thread is titled something like "Eeeek....more panels!"

Jamie

3:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jamie, I'd be interested in learning your technique for making canvas boards as well. Do you use linen or cotton canvas? If the instructions are elsewhere on the web, a pointer woul dbe much appreciated. I'll check Marc's instructions for the other. Many thanks ...

Karen

11:15 PM  
Blogger Jamie Williams Grossman said...

Hi Karen. I don't make my own canvas boards; I buy the canvas ones and add a couple of extra coats of acrylic gesso with some pumice. I think Larry Seiler and a few others have done demos/articles on Wetcanvas.com for making canvas boards. I really like Marc Hanson's panel recipe, so I use that a lot instead, but with less texture than Marc puts on his panels. I use a foam brush to get the smoother texture.

7:18 AM  
Blogger peg said...

i love your work! i am a fellow artist struggling to start on a new venture using acrylics with a sort of watercolor effect...building up layers, and i am frustrated over the canvas texture showing through. i am working on a 4'x8' canvas for a client, and have never painted like this before. i have found some information online on using either 50/50 gesso and modeling paste or 70/30 gesso and modeling paste. do you have experience with this, and or advice? i have only seen your opening piece, as it is late......but so far your style is really intriguingly yummy! I love the martini and the aspirin.....the two sometimes do go together hand in hand! =)

3:06 AM  

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