Claire's Art Journal: A Bit of the Process

Claire's Art Journal: A Bit of the Process

A Bit of the Process

It takes many layers to make a lot of my paintings and sometimes it takes weeks. I use different materials and techniques to make the textured backgrounds and work on more than one painting at a time so the crackling will crackle or the mediums will work their magic.  I thought I would just post a few "Progress" pics here so you can see a bit of the process.
This one is called "Under the Sea" and is 30 x 30 on gallery sized canvas. This is one of the acrylic paintings that took me weeks of work.

With the Fibromyalgia and arthritis and the back injury, I do have to work at the paintings in increments and take breaks - sometimes it is hard to hold a brush so I use my fingers and sponges. I paint each day and it is my favourite part of the day.

that is a day's work for me ... I cannot work faster than that or do more and all of that motion with my hands meant pain later in the evening but I loved the start of this and it was a large canvas for me so - then it had to dry for a couple of days while I worked on another one. Here is another progress pic...

Lots of colour added (this was over a few days also as i added the colours separately or they would mix together )  we are getting some depth now




And the texture is growing - I don't think I took more pics but will see if I can find any and insert them here - otherwise you can see from this closeup, the texture and the detail increasing. I work on portions at a time and do not work right to left or left to right, I work on where the music takes me and then step back and let the painting tell me where it is going.

So stepping back, you can see the fish now and the way it is building up in layers.

I always love LOTS OF COLOUR so of course, this one was fun to do with the transparent colours and layers and mixing some and leaving others right out of the tube

Eventually it was done and turned into a fantasy seascape of underwater fish and coral and maybe that is what it is really like down there !! Remember the story about Atlantis?? Maybe ....

Then some final touches and wait again a few days for it all to dry thoroughly - this is acrylic so it does not take too long, but with oil paints you wait months before varnishing. So with this acrylic, then you can choose to varnish it (which brings out the colours and seals it) or leave it ... and I like to varnish most of mine. I did not varnish this one as it is such a large painting and I have nowhere to put it in the house to do it !! But I think when the warmer weather comes, I will spray it to seal it and at least get that vivid colour.

This is now available as prints, cards, reproductions on canvas, acrylic and metal surfaces through my websites  Here is one of my newest websites - and here is my Fine Art America website   Have a happy day no matter where you are, full of colour and fun ;)

Come Sail Away Lady with Suite Madame Blue

So can you guess what music I am listening to while I paint??? Styx ... and let me just say that music is very inspirational and it gets into your head - if you paint to music, this is a great band - actually we can add "Mr. Roboto" to that list - I just put my iTunes onto "Styx" and all the songs looped

 Fun to do the

abstract painting listening to that and it takes me back to the great memories.

Here is "Black-Eyed Susans" 11 x 14 acrylic on canvas, Sold - but prints, cards and reproductions available here ...

This is from a few days ago and not time for photos of today's art but at least I am posting on the blog for you guys ;))

My art is now available for purchase at a local cafe in Midland, Ontario - The Ladybug Cafe  - Wonderful sandwiches and homemade soup and amazing desserts! Plus local musicians play there on Tuesday nights. Check out Chef Glen and Elaine's great cafe and buy some art at the same time ;)

Support YOUR local artists too - go to art galleries, shows, studio tours and visit their websites - let them know you LIKE their work and become a Fan on their Fan Page - there are a lot of ways to show your support that do not involve "purchasing" but of course we do need to make a living too and work hard at this.

This art has sold but is available as framed/unframed prints, cards, and reproductions on canvas, metal and acrylic surfaces at my Fine Art America website   here

And of course one of the first flowers to pop up is the PANSY - little Violas, Violets and Pansies are very hardy and can tolerate the cold frosty nights of Spring - here is an acrylic painting of Purple and Red Pansies on 8 x 10 wood - I had to brighten it up for viewing as the original is much darker... the greens are a deep evergreen and the purples dark dark  - and it was difficult to get an accurate photo - this has lots of texture in it and the Original is for sale ;)  Have you bought your Pansies yet? I am hoping to be able to see them come up soon along with the Tulips and Daffodils !


I sure do hope we see the flowers soon - the snow is almost gone and there are lots of buds on the trees - we are waiting for the green !!!

Painting, Creating and Re-Creating!!

Hi everyone - have been doing lots of creative things in addition to the painting and thought I would pop some pics up for you... and we had our First Snowfall which is always exciting!!

We had a milk jug out on the front porch for years at the old house and it got all rusted and abused with the weather and outdoors... so I went crazy (FUN) with the acrylics after preparing it and sanding it and rust coat etc. and then a gloss finish on it and it is a very fun creative "re-used" piece of art now - keeping it indoors for the winter but it will be fun outside again with wild grasses or corn stalks or whatever I end up putting in there on the front porch - an old broom? 

This is an old table that my husband's father made many years ago, it must be at least 50 or 60 years old... and it was in the shed covered in sawdust, underneath a bunch of boxes. I grabbed it and have covered it in old book pages (Tess of the d'Urbervilles) and letters, postcards, handwriting, stamps and pretty scrapbook papers... stamped it and wrote on it and coloured it with pen - the light is not accurate in this photo but it has an aged patina to it now and will finish it with a varnish and another item RE-Created !!! And of use and old Granddad would be pleased I think to see his table being used properly again

Book Pages and Scrapbook Paper decoupaged onto table

 Just a peek at the studio where it all happens - it looks messy but came in here after dinner to turn the lights off and go do the dishes and thought I would snap a pic !! But it is organized... I need everything within reach and accessible as it is difficult with gel medium and paste and paint on your hands to open drawers or boxes - so everything is out in the open and set up to be "quick grab" - all the books are sorted and the music playing and only one window - hmmm... but maybe that is part of the reason my work is so colourful, eh? I love this studio - it is a happy place and lots of CREATING going on in here - Hope you are creating too - and thank you for your support of my art

Claire   -  Visit me at ArtistClaire   and   I am on Etsy and other places too!

or find me on EBSQ as a self-representing artist - My EBSQ site

Thanks!!! 

Fall Winter 2011

November is Remembrance Day and my birthday and my father's birthday ... the leaves have fallen from the trees and we are getting ready to settle in for the winter by the fire.

I have been winding some knitting yarn and have my books picked out... the studio has two landscapes on the easels and some abstract art drying and waiting for photos so I can upload to the computer.

We have had our wonderful Thanksgiving and looking forward to the next family get together.

Finished a mixed media piece and some pretty daisies as well as an abstract and have been trying to update websites but need to slow the pace down a bit as the weather is killer right now for me.

I have not been sleeping much, in a lot of pain from the damp cold weather. But I am happy to be able to paint what I can and knit what I am able, and even made some brownies and apple crisp this Fall which is wonderful as I have not been able to bake for a few years now.

So things are okay and the painting to the music really helps mentally. Have finished two hats and a pair of socks, and working on a shawl - so winter knitting is taken care of - and our dog is waiting to run through the snow (which she loves).  She loved the boat rides this summer and stands on the side of the boat looking out... on her hind legs like a little kid - so cute - doesn't she look happy????

I also painted a Victorian Santa Claus on some unstretched canvas - just a scrap piece of canvas and then put it onto a support but obviously should have used a stronger support and it warped a bit - so really not useful for anything other than prints and cards... but it was fun to paint from my imagination and might paint more of these on canvas board instead so they are sturdier - at least this helps get into the Christmas spirit - we don't have snow yet, but it sure is getting colder and this fellow will be on his way soon !!!

Hope everyone had a lovely summer and Fall and happy to hear from all of you - Please visit my websites for custom reproductions, prints, cards and gift items with my original art - or contact me if you like

My Artspan website

Custom reproductions, prints and cards here

and

Fun gift items from my Zazzle site

I am working on some great new pieces and the sun is shining today so I thought I would take the time to say hello and update the blog. Stay warm and cozy - and a Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends

Claire