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Thursday, March 20, 2014

What Do You Do When You're Out of Flake White?

You put your Yellow Ochre color chart aside and work on another unfinished painting where yellow ochre is definitely a color on the palette--that and Cobalt Blue and TRO--plus tons of Titanium White, which was in stock.  The more I work on these charts, the more charts I can think to add to my collection like what's this basic palette look like mixed with black?


Self Portrait with Straw Fedora, 12 x 16, oil.  My brush strokes are getting looser. Yay!

 
Under The Blue Umbrella, pencil sketch.
All color charts and no sketching is too much work and not enough play.
 

25 comments:

  1. http://noapsblog.com/2013/12/31/what-white-would-you-use-in-2014-getting-the-white-right/...
    .Dear Linda, I wonder if you are on facebook ... This is an interesting topic for your search and I hope helpful ...
    at least to understand that the problem is strongly felt by all!
    Congratulations for the works submitted to the competition and accepted.
    They are all very original works that stand out among the others work,
    It would be nice to meet you on Fb daily as I meet other bloggers!

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  2. http://noapsblog.com/2013/12/31/what-white-would-you-use-in-2014-getting-the-white-right/

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    1. I do FB, but not in a big way. I check in once or twice a week to see what's up with family members. Then I have a separate page for interesting sketches or paintings I've done and one for photographs. That's about it. I will friend you though if you will friend me. What did you have in mind? Sharing my posts? I have on occasion.

      As for being accepted into that show, I have hope, but doubts. The association isn't all that friendly towards newcomers who are not regular, paying members.

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  3. Love your self -portrait , particularly they way you painted the clothing .......as you said 'with loose brushstrokes'. Very, very nice!!,

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    1. A step in the right direction-- towards gestural. My Guys was just too up tight! Paint. Paint. Paint. Thanks Helen

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  4. oooooooo love that self portrait. Really nice! And, of course, I recognize Mr.Ellis in the drawing. so good!

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    1. I WILL LOOSEN UP. Yesterday's session went very well. I do think it was due to all this mixing of paint practice I've been doing. Thanks Celeste. I'm just a few charts away from taking this palette and paint out into the fresh air--as soon as we hit the fifties and sixties.

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  5. Can't beat painting every day. The result is fabulous. The familiarity of the paint from doing the charts is showing in the more muted approach to color. You may enjoy using Liquin or similar. Toxic in closed area but you can take it outdoors for sure. It is a liquid type and if you like a smooth surface it may be just right - it dried oil in a day. The res-n-gel is slightly thicker and I mix it with my white and a few slow drying colors so everything dried at more or less the same rate.
    You can find the slow dryers by checking your palette over a day or two. It is important not to place a slow dryer under a fast dryer if you paint on a flexible support. Prevents future cracking. I only paint on canvas I glue to a board or solid supports. Hoping to be helpful.
    I did see Rita's white panel showing how opaque titanium white is compared to flake and zinc. Great example.

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    1. All the input you have is appreciated. I just put three Gamlin products in my cart at Dick Blick's--slow dry, fast dry and substitute for Linseed oil/mineral spirits. I'll look for them at the art supply store today, but if not there; they are a click away. The charts require fast drying. But I think I would also like to retard the drying time to keep the wet into wet advantage on some pieces--like Rain. Rita mentioned a few whites i've never heard of. I thought zinc was the most transparent?

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  6. A fantastic self portrait, Linda! I love the looseness of the clothing and the tighter painting on the face...making it look a bit more realistic! Wonderful piece!! Love it !!

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    1. Thanks. Not bad for an hours work--of course there was another hours work last Fall so... The lighting was harsh daylight and it cast harsh shapes with hard edges on the dark side of the nose into the eye socket. More than one brush was required. I have a bad habit with brushes. I tend to hold two different sizes in my left hand as I work with my right. Inevitably one of those brushes is pointed at my clothes instead of outward. Then I watched an interesting video by an Asian artist who held her brush like you hold chop sticks. That gave you the ability to maneuver complete turns. It works very well, but takes getting used to.

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  7. A gorgeous portrait of a classy lady , beautifully loose brush strokes !

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    1. Thanks Jane, loose strokes was what I was after. More confidence in my color mixes facilitated that approach thanks to my charting over the last couple of weeks.

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  8. Heel knap gedaan dit leuk om te zien de verandering in je werk lieve groetjes Danielle

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    1. Thanks Danielle. Ik geniet van het zien van een verandering in mijn werk ook!

      Thanks Danielle. I'm enjoying seeing an improvement in my work too!

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  9. Fabulous work, I am jealous of your loose strokes.

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    1. I owe that confidence to charting believe it or not. Out of meticulously painting color gradations, comes the confidence to swing the brush.

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  10. The turn of the head, the tilt of the chin, the soft color and vigorous brushwork - wonderful! Bravo, Linda!

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    1. Thanks Susan. I took that self portrait photo while still on the couch nursing my knee surgery--there must be something sick about that, but I needed to entertain myself beyond the iPad. I liked the cold light of day and the washed out look--I probably felt washed out the moment I clicked the camera. :-))

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  11. Oaky my art buddy Linda! First I am sorry I haven't been visiting your wonderful blog and commenting on your great art!
    That being said, this self portrait is so very good! SO VERY VERY GOOD! I have been reading your posts for some time and checking out all your wonderful paintings. This piece has just moved into first place of all my favorites of yours! Bravo! Bravo! A pleasure to look at over and over again. Maybe the fact that by reading your blog I got to know you a bit this self portrait speaks wonders to me. Love it! Take care Linda! Keep on making great art and sharing your story with us!
    Your L.W. Roth Self Portrait Loving Art Buddy!
    Michael

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    1. Thanks Michael. You too. What's a day without another spot of color on one's shoes? Dull.

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  12. Years ago I dabbled in oils - I had very little notion of what I was doing. (Pssst..I picked up some oils at a sidewalk sale and will be trying it again, as soon as I figure out and buy those pesky mediums!) I remember loving - no exaggeration - just loving, flake white. I loved the texture and the subtlety of it. I far preferred it to titanium. I heard though (and I don't know if it is still true) that it contained lead - I blame that for any failings I have now, lol. Great self-portrait - I marvel at how you always capture a likeness. With self-portraits, I have a hard time seeing the truth. And I think your pencil sketch is phenomenal!! I love the lighting.

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    1. Thanks Dan. I was using half linseed oil and half mineral spirits as my medium for the fatter layers. Today, I ordered Gamblin's trio of mediums--Slow dry, fast dry and their normal painting mix--to see what they are all about. I chose to stick with mineral oil due to a woman getting chastised in the gestural painting workshop I attended for using Turpinoid. It seems Turpinoid has an odor that was bothering the other people. In my closed painting space, I can afford no odors--that's why I gave up oils years ago; they made me sick. Another tip: half and half Murphy's oil soap (from the supermarket) and water is EXCELLENT for cleaning brushes and hands thoroughly. I love it. No standing at the sink shampooing.

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    2. Thanks! I've read about all those. Don't tell anyone - I used to use Turpenoid those many years ago, and decided after my research this time, that I won't touch the stuff. Thank goodness that you are saying the other stuff doesn't smell so bad. But the real reason I wasn't going to use it as that no painter in any discussion I found online used it. I am going to start with the linseed oil and mineral spirits too. But I am curious about the Gamblin - even grabbed their brochure. I'm curious to see how that goes.

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  13. hi, sweet Linda! wow, i luv your drawings that tell stories very well. keep on drawing & painting. sure, u'll create inteesting & powerful works. thank u so much for visiting my blog. u,2, enjoy drawing & plse take care.
    best wishes, sadami

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