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| There was a warm up painting here, now it's not. I passed by it again on my way to the freezer; it needed a few touches. Acrylics and a spray bottle are the best. Always ready. |
The hat and I were meant for one another. Sunday, I wore it too to lunch with Honey to rehash the week that was; he had stood me up on Friday, our ususal. When we got home, he went to nap to the Olympics. My hat and I went to the lake.
It was very windy. There were strong squalls. The trees were dancing. I very carefully tucked my precious find under the solid weight of my huge beach towel and jumped in. The ladies noodle club had already been called to order. I was noodling over to join the chat when the husbands on the dock started screaming Linda your hat, your hat!
I looked over and was appalled to see it sitting atop the water in turtle territory. Fuck the turtles! I immediately noodled frantically into nature infested waters where no condo owner goes to save my cocky friend. Seaweed brushed my legs. I didn't mind; the hat was oblivious to his peril. It jauntily bounced along on the waves hardly noticing it was slowly sinking. Turns out, my hat was a fair swimmer! It pulled out of the water the same way it went in. As I knew from first sight, we were meant for each other. I plopped it on my head. Then got the hell out of there. God knows what was living under all that plant life. Yuk.
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| My Watercolor station is now my oil workshop supply station. Not on the list was a smock. My one innovative idea was a toothbrush holder for the smaller detail brushes. Szabo like Masterson air tight palette boxes too and freezes paints that haven't been used up; Good tip. |
Next Monday is the first day of four; it's six and a half hours long. Sixteen portraits, 9 x 12, will be painted in that time. Charcoal is the warm up medium. That was relaxing news. Packing a lunch was not. I don't like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Today, I'm off shopping again.I need to get a roll around suitcase as Celeste Bergin suggested. So I can comfortably pull these supplies up the steep hill from the parking lot. I'm thinking of painting it to make it recognizably mine.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE SUPPLY LIST I WAS GIVEN IN CASE ANYONE IS JUST GETTING STARTED IN OILS GEARED TOWARDS PORTRAIT PAINTING:
DRAWING GEAR: 11 x 14 spiral bound sketch pad; sticks of vine charcoal, knead eraser; O’Brian’s napkins. OIL PAINTS: Alizarin crimson Titanium White [Flake white] Ultramarine Blue Cadmium Red light Cadmium Yellow medium Cerulean blue hue Lemon yellow Ivory black Viridian Terra Rosa Venetian red Transparent oxide red Burnt Umbra PALETTE: paper liner for Masterson Palette Seal box CANVASES: Pads or boards; 8 x 10 0r 9 x 12. (2 100% cotton duck canvas pad (10 sheets) Utrecht. com. Or 16 canvas board primed with three coats of Gesso If “scratchy.” Foam core & tape if using pads. Paint thinner; [Murphy’s oil soap solution for cleaning]. BRUSHES: Thin glass jar for small brushes. (Tooth brush case) Filbert and brights- size 4, 10, 14 Hog bristle filberts sizes 2, 6, and 0.8; 1 ½” house paint brush
The first part of the post, dedicated to the hat, is really funny!I love your verve!This hat now ,is an original painting ,full of life and color!
ReplyDeleteSince I love the mountains,my hats were taken away by the wind where it was impossible to catch them! Not were hats climbers!
Vianna Szabo(thanks for link) is a wonderful multi- talented artist! Should be a good time ,Linda ,follow the workshop of such fine artist!
I like precision how the artist requires the materials. It seems to promise a serious work
with a several paintings successful!
It's funny down, not funny then. But I did rush in where no one standing on that deck would go to save my adorable, frisky straw fedora. The painting you saw is no more. I felt like warming up this morning with acrylics wet into wet. The hat was a perfect subject being the subject of the weekend. After marketing, I was going past the studio and thought Yuk. This thing needs some roughing up. It probably needs some more. But that's it for today--or maybe forever?
DeleteDoesn't her work look like she knows what she's doing? Fantastic. Just from her supply list I picked up a very handy thing to know. I can store my unused up oils in the freezer, just around the corner from my easel. I was throwing the excess paint away thinking fresh is best while I watched dollars go into the trash.
To go into the mountains you need one of those Aussie walking hats that tie under the chin. I think they're smashing. They too have character. Plus: they keep the sun off your neck, something my fedora doesn't.
I think I am looking forward to your workshop as much as you are, Linda! I can't wait to see how it goes, what exciting discoveries you make as you paint and learn and how it affects your future work! Have a great time, wear your new hat and be fearless!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to be exhausted Susan, but very stimulated. I've already told honey to plan on eating out those nights. This intense workshop with a renown artist is costly. I'm up to 350 and haven't bought the suitcase yet or gone to dinner four nights in a row. No wonder portraits are priced high.
DeleteNo hat, just my usual paint outfit--Niki gym shorts, white tee/tiny hole from twenty years ago and painting Pumas. It's what I wear here. It's what I'll wear there--plus the apron gifted to me by Subzero; it has pockets and only a few paint spots. My usual smock is an artwork in its self. The rest of this week, I'm going to take it easy--no I'm not. I'm going to work in charcoal on a 9 x 12 pad. I really am not conditioned to charcoal on anything smaller than 18 x 24--that's left over from art school and a ton of figurative drawing classes. Thumbnails were never me.
What a charming tale. That hat should be treasured. Enjoy your course, there's nothing like working with an inspirational tutor amongst other artists who share your enthusiasm.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I like hats Mick. I never really wear them; they give me a headache. I end up taking them off, fluffing up the damage and tossing them in the backseat of the car. But I do love trying them on and the ones that spoke to me ended up in my shopping bag. I think I like the attitude a hat pulls over on you. My favorites include a Scarlet O'Hara number that immediately brings on a Southern accent. Then there's my jungle hat, my pith helmet, which I am most fond of except it's unpackable. I do believe it's a jungle out there in the world and that hat is the right one to wear when venturing into it. Guy's hats are always good; all of them look great on me. I do believe if there is an afterlife, I will come back male. This new one is a guy's hat style--but it's phony straw, crushable and obviously a swimmer. It is to be cherished.
DeleteI am getting excited, as all my supplies collect on the bar. I'm apprehensive about how long the sessions are and packing a lunch, but I'll persevere. Nearly every painting in my house is a portrait. Looking back over the work I've produced, it's mostly all portraiture. I have to see what this is all about. I do want to make a three quarter figure painting of JD perched on that rail full of his boyhood. It was a glorious sight.
You never slow down, but you seem to have fun, that is important. Happy painting. =)
ReplyDeleteI am very slow moving Roger EXCEPT when I feel I couldn't take one more loss this summer; the ring was enough for several years. I'm still sad and angry with myself. Plus I haven't run into too many hats that I could wear longer than an hour. I had to save it. Hang the aquatic flora!
DeleteThis week charcoal is on my mind. I am not good in small venues. I was trained to put my full body into a stroke with charcoal and paint. My hat painting is close to horrific. But it's done on 9 x 12. Do you see how I ran off the sides? Do you see how it's squished into this little space incomplete? Do you see that the background is awkward? I do. I am not an illustration artist who learned to draw on small surfaces. This is my problem. Next week I'll deal with it--or change the size of my charcoal pad and painting grounds.
Happy Painting to you too:)
well, you know that I don't like to paint small either. Not that I could pick up a smaller brush and do it smaller, but smaller means a lot less feeling in the brush strokes and I like to go with the flow.. hehe
DeleteI love this painting Linda! Wild, colorful, exciting,great movement and so much more.
ReplyDeleteBravo!
Art Buddy Michael
It was a wild ride Michael! Seaweed--or more appropriately lakeweed--is what kept me out of that turtle, bass and bluegill water for twelve years. Now that I'm in it. The damn plants weren't going to stop me from rescuing my hat. The painting was a wild ride too before dawn. Splish, splash I was taking a bath with acrylics. Don't take it serious; it's too mysterious.
DeleteI like a little bit more solid form. I'll try again.
You know, for someone that's not a sailor, you have more sea stories!! Peril, excitement, water, and muck! This is why I keep coming back.
ReplyDeleteFun painting!! A lot of excitement in this painting! Love the colors. This is why I keep coming back.
I enjoyed reading about the preps for the upcoming workshop - mighty cool - I bet it will be great. I can imagine the nervous excitement. I hope one day I will be able to do one. I love the idea of four 6-1/2 hour days of workshop! Wow! I hope you have a great time. I'll be interested to find out what it was like.
I'm not a sailor, but I am a swimmer. In life, it's important to know how to keep afloat.
DeleteSilly painting. Not serious painting. I was just splashing around before dawn and a busy household day. You can be sure I'm going to give reports on what that pretty penny is buying.
I hope it's shortcuts to my MPA (master portrait artist:)
Missing all your posts at the moment ...life's a bit lumpy ...hope to be back in gear soon ...take care!
ReplyDeleteMissing yours too. Sorry to hear things aren't smooth. Sometimes we do wish for boring. Boring is so good compared to lumpy.
DeleteLove your hat story and painting.
ReplyDeleteDon't stress over the 9x12. If you are painting a head, life size, that's about right.
Enjoy the workshop and come back and share what you learn. We will all benefit.
Mean to say, share some of what you learn, but iPad would not let me.
ReplyDeleteIPad has some draw backs.
DeleteThanks. It was a fun day and no way was I going to lose that hat turtle or turtle! I plan to share. I already like the freezer tip. Leftover paint got drier just overnight. At least with acrylics a wet box took care of the problem. I tried the freezer keep. It works.
'A gal with attitude', you couldn't have said it better and although you don't need the hat to complete the picture, it does feel right! The painting of the hat does great justice to the 'attitude' part, both yours and hat's!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your workshop and come back with details!!
Warm regards.
ps.-what is it with things that talk? and you know, the most talkative are always the hats and shoes... :)
The painting truly was a quicky before with my first cup of coffee. I was really trying out canvas boards; they were on the supply list as an option to the pads. I had some and used a couple, but I still prefer the bounce of stretched canvas; it's lively. I chose to take along the pads. I can use whatever sheets are left for palettes.
DeleteShoes and hats do call out to us women with an array of attitudes and who are never sure which one is going to take priority on any given day.
Haha, loved the hat story Linda.
ReplyDeleteVianna Szabo, wow, love her work. Wonder if her parents were Hungarian? "Szabo" is Hungarian.
Well where have you been? I've missed seeing you on my side bar. Thanks. From what I've seen on your posts,you'd love the hat too.
DeleteIsn't her work a knock out? Doesn't look like gesture painting to me--it looks like some pretty serious application and skill. I'm serious, but not that serious. I'm not that skilled. I'll see.
Love the story about your favorite hat!!! I have a T-shirt like that - had it for YEARS, and it looks like it, but it is so comfortable. And that supply list is quite impressive! You really will need a rolling suitcase to tow it around. I'm off to check out Vianna's website ...
ReplyDeleteThere are just pieces of clothing that we wear till they shred. Now I am able to recognize such pieces, so I pick up two. They always discontinue the good stuff--or cheapen it up with lesser materials. Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I enjoyed your new portrait. Vianna sent along a watercolor supply list as well if you're interested? Might be something new in there?
Delete"fuck the turtles!" hahahahhaahhaahha! Still laffin here! The hat story is hilarious. Absolutely outstanding. I think we are a lot alike, I know I would have done the same. I am so excited for you about your workshop. You know, you could get a rolling thing from walmart, like a grocery cart that old ladies use too. The rolling thing is a real personal choice. I bought 3 different rolling things (including a "file cart" from office depot) but the small wheels don't work well in dirt, etc. I ultimately wound up with a knapsack. Your hat painting is cool! I'll be watching for your updates about what you learn. :)
ReplyDeleteI went to Target and bought a kid's carry on piece of luggage. It did well rolling in from the garage up a three steps into the house. I loaded it up and I can lift it. I still have to add a couple of canvas pads and five tubes,35ml, of paint. That will do it for the 21." The building does have a couple outside steps to go up and come down if I just don't leave the supplies there for the duration. But it also has an inside elevator. It'll work. IOU:)
DeleteThanks. My wild ride into uncharted waters was a bit harrowing, but my hat looks better on me than on some turtle.