Preparation for oil paintings . . .

One Black 

One White

and

One Black and White 

First, I paint a thin layer of Gesso, straight from the bottle, onto my canvas boards.

One black - 8 x 10 canvas board

One white - 16 x 20 canvas board

One black and white - 16 x 20 canvas panel board (This mixture of gesso was spread with quick, spontaneous strokes around the canvas with a painting spatula).

It is my intention to use the black and white one as the start of a really cool abstract that I have in my head and in my sketch book . . . . . . only time will tell.   Now to just wait for them to cure - which Liquidtex recommends 24 hours.

I prepared these on my kitchen counter because my painting table was such a mess!  Love that!  I first layed  down a canvas painting drop cloth - I would hate to destroy my kitchen counters!  I have not yet made a decision if i will paint the sides of the canvas boards - that is why they look unfinished at this point in time. 

Pastel Painting - Beautiful Ladies

Beautiful Ladies 

So instructor first wanted us to do our painting in soft pastels.  Below is the results.  I really like this lady.  She is very beautiful!

Once the soft pastel drawing was COMPLETELY FINISHED, the instructor told us to get water, a couple of paint brushes and to open our GESSO!!!  What??? Are you serious?  What does Gesso have to do with soft pastel paintings? 

Below is the completed results of using watered down Gesso.  I was nervous about using the Gesso full strength.  In this process, you dramatically overdo the intital lay down of colors, as the second stage will bring them back to a softer look.  The instructor was hoping that we would use a "painterly style" to build volume and leave visible brushstrokes.  I do have some visible brushstrokes although they may be hard to see in this photo.  

The painterly brushstrokes are pleasing because it leaves something to the viewer's imagination and we can see the hand of the artist more plainly.  Painting in this style is fun beause it allows for the implusive use of color and an unrestrained painting manner!

Too. Much. Fun.!