Friday, September 23, 2016

Learning to oil paint brings new challenges -- and opportunities!

    First came the apple. Then came I. (Afterward, I ate the apple. And it was done.) 
    Plopping myself down on a lawn chair on the screened-in porch, I picked up my paintbrush and hesitantly dabbed it into the blue and red paint to make a purple-like mix on the brush. This color is what I use to make the "sketch" of the apple. I paint the light and dark areas that I see, on the canvas with a light or dark shade of this purple color. That saves the time of making a pencil and paper sketch. Maybe I'll try that someday -- not today.
     I find the dark and light areas of the apple by squinting at it. That in itself, is a new way of looking at objects that I've learned this year,   
     My paint has been too thick of late, so next time I will thin it down by using the mineral spirits; or the Almond Oil, my artist friend, Sharon Rusch Shaver, uses exclusively.

     It's satisfying and engaging to get out my painting gear and hunker down to make a small simple painting. Honestly, it wasn't easy! I like the way the oil paint goes smoothly onto the Senso linen canvas, too.... much different than a white canvas.
     This weekend, I will try to get motivated to take out my paints again. 
     Little by little. Small things and small steps are great and wonderful things. A brush moving on canvas. Easy. Take it easy. The weekend has arrived.