Closed Eye Techniques & Info

[Artyczar]

Starting this thread was a great suggestion from Trier that sprung from the thread: Passing Parade Thoughts - eyes shut start.

Some us have tried some various techniques in painting and drawing with our eyes closed. There might be useful information that we can all share in using this technique, and there is definitely more info out there on the world-wide web, like automatic drawing.

So, we can use this thread to cover or post reports, opinions and tips from artists who have tried this technique in one variation or another.

Here are some basics suggested by Trier:

Was there a general or specific motif in mind to start with?

SUPPORT
How to keep marks on the support: flat, vertical or? Also, rotation of support while mark making.

TIME AND TEMPO
Number of sessions, one session, or total time or per session?

MARKER TYPE
Pencil, pen, sharpie, brush , crayon, fingers, or?
Are you using one hand, both at same time, or non dominant hand?

MARKS
Heavy? Light? Varied? Continuous , broken, a mixture? One hand more than the other?

MUSIC
Do you play any? What type? What tempo, or?

DESIGN
Looking for shapes, lines combinations, and in what order, if any?
Do you have a general plan or idea in mind to begin with? A form you go by?

ANYTHING ELSE
Please add to any reports or ideas you might have about making art in this way. Let's share in doing art in this way.

 

[Roni]

Last time I was in a psychosomatic hospital, they offered a therapy operating with some sorts of creative approach to reach your inner feelings, which I partook several times.
One technique was as follows:

1. Stick a big sheet of paper on the wall.
2. Brush the whole surface with wallpaper paste (this slimy underground helps to glide)
3. On a plate or palette you put a few colours (prev. 2-4) of dispersion [don't know the English word; it is the relatively fast-drying, easy-to-handle paint that mostly is used for walls, not so much for art]
4. Dip your fingers, or some of them, or your hands into one or two or all of the colours - whatever you like.
5. Stand in front of your prepared paper on the wall, your colour-soaked hands/fingers ready - then Close your eyes.
6. Start. Whatever you do is right.

It was an interesting experience.
And painting with your fingers makes you feel like a child again.

 

[Artyczar]

Roni, I'd imagine that would be very therapeutic. I have never painted with my fingers, not even as a child. I am really a clean freak when it comes to getting paint anywhere when I work. It has amazed other artists apparently. I won't get paint on my person, especially my hands. I'm weird about my hands and have disinfectant wipes standing by.

 

[Trier]

Hey Roni!
Thanks for the interest and info.
I would guess the paint to use would be ordinary latex interior wall paint.
I often use my fingers with acrylics anyway.

 

[Trier]

ARTYCZAR

Thanks a million for setting up this thread.
I hope it serves as good resource over time.

 

[Trier]

Here is a piece with info from PSA3475
I don't know if this inclusion will be sucessful . . so, it is from post#9 in my Exploding Turkey thread.
I am also unsure of the need or wisdom of posting the illustrative images if they have already been posted in an existing thread, but better too much than too little, and I hope that it doesn't violate some rule.



"Here is my eyes closed painting which I did after being inspired by trier. Acrylic on Trader Joe’s grocery bag. I listened to side one of bolero with a marker in each hand. Side two I switched to a paint brush in each hand, different color on each. Opened my eyes to switch paint brushes and colors and continued until album ended. Trimmed off short ends and...voila! Fun."

I don't know what happened to the image that I thought I was including from the message from PSA3475, I was trying cut and paste.

 

[Roni]

I would guess the paint to use would be ordinary latex interior wall paint. [...] acrylics

Yes, it's ordinary interior wall-paint. We don't call it latex, but dispersion in German.
In my youth I liked to use them for larger paintings as they were cheap and easy to handle.
Best thing was: They don't dry as quick as Acrylics, so you have a little more time to work with them on the ground you paint on.

unsure of the need or wisdom of posting the illustrative images if they have already been posted in an existing thread

As I see it, you even HAVE to do this, since you can not expect every visitor or reader of a particular thread to read and know and remember every other thread around. So it is not redundand, but additive, if I might say so.

I am really a clean freak when it comes to getting paint anywhere [...] I won't get paint on my person, especially my hands.

Wow, Arty, this must cause a lot of alertness while working. Doesn't it cause you too much distraction during your process?

p.s.: Some of us were using the technique with thin one-way-gloves on their hands. Me too most of the times.

 

[Trier]

Thanks Roni, thats the way I felt about it but I wasn't sure if it was okay.
I.m going to try to add the image again, but I bet it will have to be in another posting here instead of getting it inserted where it logically should be.

 

[Trier]

Here is a piece with info from PSA3475
I don't know if this inclusion will be sucessful . . so, it is from post#9 in my Exploding Turkey thread.
I am also unsure of the need or wisdom of posting the illustrative images if they have already been posted in an existing thread, but better too much than too little, and I hope that it doesn't violate some rule.



"Here is my eyes closed painting which I did after being inspired by trier. Acrylic on Trader Joe’s grocery bag. I listened to side one of bolero with a marker in each hand. Side two I switched to a paint brush in each hand, different color on each. Opened my eyes to switch paint brushes and colors and continued until album ended. Trimmed off short ends and...voila! Fun."

I don't know what happened to the image that I thought I was including from the message from PSA3475, I was trying cut and paste.

Maybe the image will show up here.

(there were 2 lines of alpha numeric characters formerly here, one line had 'jpeg' in it)

well, something happened - I wonder if you click on that jpeg line if the image will show. Last time I tried everything disappeared, so I will wait until somebody else tries and hopefully reports back

NOPE, when I posted this reply, the jpeg line disappeared again.
This is obviously very disjointed and probably impossible to understand, my apologies.

Maybe somebody can tell me how to do this

I DID IT !

 

[Artyczar]

You're getting the hang of it. You can always resize your image in the post by "selecting it" (meaning clicking on it), then it will get outlined in blue and the four corners will have little boxes that will move with your mouse to pull it larger or smaller. I hope I am explaining that correctly.

 

[Trier]

You're getting the hang of it. You can always resize your image in the post by "selecting it" (meaning clicking on it), then it will get outlined in blue and the four corners will have little boxes that will move with your mouse to pull it larger or smaller. I hope I am explaining that correctly.

Thanks, Arty, I think I understand.

I tried to do that just now with the post, but the image did not get outlined and no little boxes in the corners appeaared, and I'm guessing it's because the time for editing had expired and the post was 'frozen' to changes.
I can see how this editing image size will be vital to keeping the thread easier to read and navigate.

I don't want to spend more time learning how to use the computer, I want time to PAINT; but I guess it is a necessary evil in order to share and learn on this great website.

 

[snoball]

I tried to do that just now with the post, but the image did not get outlined and no little boxes in the corners appeaared, and I'm guessing it's because the time for editing had expired and the post was 'frozen' to changes.
I can see how this editing image size will be vital to keeping the thread easier to read and navigate.

I don't want to spend more time learning how to use the computer, I want time to PAINT; but I guess it is a necessary evil in order to share and learn on this great website.

Yes Trier, it is because the time has passed. Do this when you first post the image and you will see how it works.

 

[Artyczar]

The allotted time to edit is an hour, I think. I can change it to two hours. The default for most forums is 15 minutes, but we changed it to an hour. The reason for this is because if you let someone have unlimited time to edit, they can change what makes sense to the flow of the entire thread.

 

[Trier]

Thanks SNO & ARTY
Looks like I guessed correctly.

The one hour limit makes sense to me, and I agree.

 

[Roni]

You can always resize your image in the post by "selecting it"

Ah! I didn't know That! Great.
[technical question and sorry for the off-topic: Does this action downsize the image itself or just its appearence in the thread? The reason for my question is, that it sure makes sense to have them appear smaller sometimes for convenient looks through the flow of a thread, BUT if you then decide to save it to your computer, it sure should have the full original resolution, right?]

 

[Trier]

Re 'Thoughts Off Port Redhead'

I am unsure of the best way to handle the posts with images that were started using the closed eye technique;; so I am

trying a double post to see if it is appropriate considering forum usage space available, and at the same time making this

thread the convienient collection and storage place it was intended to be.

For this painting, I made even more dense coverage with lines than before overall, and then even more to get some wave

action in the water after I had looked and decided the general composition..Then I put the pencil on the area the water

was, closed eyes again, scribbled left to right, looked, and modified what was there.

I had the paper support vertical on the easel.
Used two hands to start, then one, pencils, no music but pretty rapidly.
Looked once for density, then again to amplify the water.

Lets see how this approach works out with everybody, especially the Moderators.

 

[snoball]

Like I said in the other thread, I think this is my favorite of yours.

 

[Artyczar]

Ah! I didn't know That! Great.
[technical question and sorry for the off-topic: Does this action downsize the image itself or just its appearence in the thread? The reason for my question is, that it sure makes sense to have them appear smaller sometimes for convenient looks through the flow of a thread, BUT if you then decide to save it to your computer, it sure should have the full original resolution, right?]

I haven't tried to download them off the computer yet. I can try it with one of my own and let you know.

 

[Artyczar]

Trier, thank you for the details about working on this piece. It's a great way to keep us informed and to keep this thread flowing. I really like this one and it's interesting that your used both hands. How was that using you non-dominant hand?

 

[snoball]

I haven't tried to download them off the computer yet. I can try it with one of my own and let you know.

When you click on one of his smaller images they open large. Not sure it is the same pixel load as when he uploaded the original or not.