What are you working on?

[Terri]

I completely agree with Wayne and Sno here. This "fix" is almost a gift from the art gods, it really gives the composition an interesting, almost compartmentalized look that is enhanced by the variation in values. Love it!

Your recent work has been excellent, Ayin. Between all these new pieces and your recent Dan-themed artist's book, this should be an amazing show.

 

[Artyczar]

Thank you sno and Terri. You both are giving me a lot of confidence! Thank you so much.

 

[Ellen Easton]

Somewhere here or over on Wet Canvas---I don't remember which---I posted a painting I did but managed to salvage that had goobered up paper. It was a block I had when I had covid and I had taped a border around it but I was still living in the fifth wheel where I didn't have any real good place to store the block so when I started a painting after a year of not painting on it, you'd be surprised what a mess showed up when I did start painting. I was doing a painting for my son's birthday and I didn't want to waste the page of the block, so I just punted. It came out well enough to give to him, but it was just a huge mess when I first started. I definitely empathize with you about this but hang in there and try to salvage it because you may just suprise yourself.

I kind of class the experience under one of my self-made rules----"always paint past the ugly". There always seems to come a point in my painting where I'm just totally convinced it's never, ever going to be any good. But then one time I decided to just paint on the mess some more because I didn't want to have to throw out a precious sheet of paper (that stuff ain't cheap) and I just started painting on it again. The end result was that it didn't turn out anything like what I originally had in mind at all, but ended up being one of my better paintings. So now I just put the "ugly" away and save it for when I lack inspiration for starting something new---good old artist's block we probably all face at times---I pull out the "ugly" and paint more on it. More often than not, it improves plus I'm learned valuable stuff from doing it. Even if it doesn't come out that much better, at least I tried.

 

[stlukesguild]

Finally! Summer Break is here and I have time to put in some serious time on my artwork. I've been working on this one for the last 3 days or so. I began this some months ago... with the idea of something rooted in Rococo paintings...

Sometime before Summer Break I blocked in the hair... and immediately hated it.

I decided to focus on some of the details while I mulled over where I should go with the hair and the body.

The painting then entered the "ugly stage". One of the biggest lessons I learned in Art School was that almost every painting has an "ugly stage" and you just need to battle through this.

This is where it stands right now. The top half of the "halo" will eventually be covered in gold leaf... but first I need to work out details before I begin on the gold which is extremely difficult to rework if yo make a major mistake.

Before I do much more I need to hit the Dick Blick's near me and pick up some paints and pastels.

 

[Rich53]

Interesting, SLG! I thought I saw a hint of a raised eyebrow in the first sketch. (The woman's left, or on the right-hand side of the picture.) I thought it gave a hint of mystery to her.

--Rich

 

[stlukesguild]

Rich... I haven't touched the face outside of guidelines. My guess is that the way the hair hangs almost touching that eyebrow makes the arch less pronounced. You change one detail and it changes everything.

 

[Artyczar]

Nice work SLG. Looking great so far!

 

[stlukesguild]

Another couple of days work. The hair isn't done. I'm thinking of taking it down a bit darker to increase the contrast with the background... but I never finish the hair until the face is done. Now I need to run the vacuum and suck up all the gold leaf scraps while thinking about the background. I have a couple of themes in mind... but we'll see.

I'll need to drop the painting down a bit to work on the top... and then raise it up before working on the torso and the rest of the bottom.

 

[Terri]

Another couple of days work. The hair isn't done. I'm thinking of taking it down a bit darker to increase the contrast with the background... but I never finish the hair until the face is done. Now I need to run the vacuum and suck up all the gold leaf scraps while thinking about the background. I have a couple of themes in mind... but we'll see.

View attachment 41493

View attachment 41494

I'll need to drop the painting down a bit to work on the top... and then raise it up before working on the torso and the rest of the bottom.

That gold leaf is exquisite! Going to be another beauty.

 

[stlukesguild]

Thanks!

I love the way gold leaf looks. I have long been a fan of Gustav Klimt, but also was inspired by the use of gold leaf in medieval manuscripts, Japanese screen paintings, Islamic art, and early Renaissance paintings from Italy. Having said that... it is the biggest pain in the ass to use. The leaf is almost lighter than air so all fans & air conditioners must be turned off, and windows closed when applying the leaf. Before even beginning that state, I have to apply the adhesive everywhere where I want the gold... sometimes two layers. I like a bit of a "weathered" surface that shows the reddish primer beneath so I will sometimes sand it a bit the achieve this effect.

 

[Artyczar]

How difficult! But the results look fantastic!

 

[stlukesguild]

The tessellations used to be my least favorite part of my painting... or rather the process of measuring, drawing, and coloring/painting the tessellations. I loved the result... which is why I slogged through the process. Now... as the floral elements have become an increasingly major part of the paintings, it is these... and especially the application of the gold leaf around the floral elements where my patience is tested the most.

The gold leaf is applied to an adhesive that looks like slightly watered-down Elmer's Glue. This must be applied only to the areas where I want the gold leaf to adhere. I usually find I need to apply two coats. When the adhesive dries, it remains slightly tacky to the touch and will grip the gold leaf. I then need to brush away all the excess leaf and clean up the edges with a small stylus. All in all... a time-consuming process that can be quite frustrating. I may actually be able to complete the gold leaf in the outer ring tomorrow and move on to painting/coloring the flowers and leaves.

 

[Terri]

Whew! It does sound tedious...but your paintings always up with that very special glow.

What's tedious to one artist is kind of the point to another. Time being relative and all that.

 

[Hermes2020]

I love this kind of post, because I can learn so much from skilled artists like you. I would like to see you post a series of photos that show your gilding technique.

 

[Artyczar]

We've reached Page 100! (Unless this lands on 101).

I'm about to start working on this one, which I started some time ago. It comes from an old picture of when my mother sneaked away to Mexico with a couple of her girlfriends in 1951, which would have made her sixteen.

 

[PaintBoss]

The tessellations used to be my least favorite part of my painting... or rather the process of measuring, drawing, and coloring/painting the tessellations. I loved the result... which is why I slogged through the process. Now... as the floral elements have become an increasingly major part of the paintings, it is these... and especially the application of the gold leaf around the floral elements where my patience is tested the most.

View attachment 41932

View attachment 41933

The gold leaf is applied to an adhesive that looks like slightly watered-down Elmer's Glue. This must be applied only to the areas where I want the gold leaf to adhere. I usually find I need to apply two coats. When the adhesive dries, it remains slightly tacky to the touch and will grip the gold leaf. I then need to brush away all the excess leaf and clean up the edges with a small stylus. All in all... a time-consuming process that can be quite frustrating. I may actually be able to complete the gold leaf in the outer ring tomorrow and move on to painting/coloring the flowers and leaves.

Looking very good. I picture you now slaving for your art, with sweat running down your face in a stifling studio!
Does the gold leaf adhesive have much of a smell? Always wanted to try it but I have to be careful with reactions.
I think darker hair would look lovely.
I like Brad Kunkle’s work with gold leaf. Your work reminds me of his.

 

[stlukesguild]

There's not much of a smell to the adhesive I use. If I hold it right under my nose it smells somewhat like Elmer's Glue. Brad Kunkle uses real gold leaf... which is quite a bit more expensive than the metal leaf I use... but not as much as you might imagine. Our former member Musket was familiar with true gold leaf and directed me to some suppliers and books. The leaf I use is likely the same as that used by Robert Kushner... a painter I have looked at a good deal.

Like myself, Kushner is inspired by non-Western art... especially from Japan and the Middle East. Unlike a good many Western Critics and Theorists, the artists of the East embrace decorative art and pattern. The metal leaf that Kushner and I use is available in a variety of colors... including variegated gold:

 

[stlukesguild]

Finally completed the "halo".

 

[stlukesguild]

Arty... when I first saw your recent painting... from a distance and without my glasses... I thought "Oh cool! She's painting the Cat in the Hat"

 

[bethany]

I have a keen interest in using metal leaf in my paintings. Brad Kunkle was an inspiration. So far I have used imitation gold leaf onto stretched canvas and then painted the portraits in oil on top. Then retouch varnish. Very successful and I love the effect.
Recently I went to a workshop run by a local pastel artist who uses a variety of metal leaf on paper with pastel. It was an interesting effect with the pastel. I will explore this further. Also the first time I have seen this variegated metal leaf used- she uses it a lot with her pastels.
Seems I am chanelling your methods and being inspired by you! Thanks so much for the details you are sharing.
What surface are you painting on? Is it timber panel?