unconventional methods…

earliest image of progress

Recent Image of Progress









Today I share with you some progress photos on a piece of work that has been neglected on the easel long enough. Especially, since I want this huge ass canvas to be the centerpiece for my surreal art show.  

Neglected no longer! I have advanced.  


After taking time to sit with the art and study it for a while, I realized that I am, or was dissatisfied with the background. I love the trees themselves.  But that background had to go. All painters know the golden rule: work background to foreground.  It just makes life simpler that way.  Since when do I follow the rules of art?  

Not only did I redo the background, but I decided to do so with oil paint on what up until now was a watercolor painting.  I  am very satisfied about the result of mixing these two mediums.  Using short dabbing brushstrokes I was able to give the sky an almost impressionistic appearance (another genre from the surreal work).  For the ground work in and around the trees I wanted an undulating, smooth surface, I achieve this with thinned down oils. The trees themselves are painted with watercolor from a tube and a pencil.  The interesting thing about applying watercolor to canvas is that it does not cover the nubby texture of the canvas and therefore helps fabricate the illusion of a weathered looking bark.  The point of having trees which look textural and natural, yet are a smooth surface is the ability to create details that are completely foreign to tree bark and give them the unconventional patterned look I desire.  

Happy Monday,
Peace.

Valerie