Mixed Media Experiments

 This past week I have been experimenting with mixed media and using some unfamiliar layering techniques. Not really sure how this will work over time, hopefully I am not picking up where Albert Pinkham Ryder left off in terms of painting longevity...

Here is my nearly finished work "Smoke Haze"

Smoke Haze: 4 x 6 mixed media on cradled panel

I am liking the effect, which I achieved by layering oil pastels and and then cold wax medium over a base layer watercolor painting. The cold wax smeared the oil pastels only a tiny bit, and I actually appreciated the softening effect. At this point I have added a few more tonal touches over the cold wax layer and am sitting with it for a few days before adding signature and a final layer of cold wax. 

Good luck little painting! 

Playing

 I schedule a weekly "Play Day" to create dedicated time to experiment with new ideas and techniques. I try to keep this day sacrosanct. Often I find little gems within this work and crop to a suitable composition. In this case I was able to extract an ACEO-sized piece (2-1/2 x 3-1/20.  

I will likely work this in a larger format and experiment with expressing it through other media, perhaps cold wax and oils. I love how these small pieces inspire me and fuel my imagination.

 

The Evolution of "Lavascape"

I had to sit with this one for about a month. That happens sometimes.

I laid in a "wash and lift" sky then used a "swipe and drip" technique with some fairly bold colors... cadmium red, cadmium yellow, lamp black, burnt sienna and sepia. Laid plastic wrap on the foreground sepia to create texture. Then I felt like I didn't really know what I wanted to do next.

Finally I pulled out my composition frames and extracted a composition that I considered for about another week. Hmmmm. OK I like it.

For me this is a process that works for me quite often, but it can take some time.  It is not at all unusual for paintings in process to linger on the "consideration shelf" while I figure them out. They have to come to me gradually sometimes. They truly have a life of their own.

Hello World.
I Paint.