Thursday, February 24, 2011

a word on supplies

Here is my daily layout of supplies I use to paint murals with. The top row of colors are acrylics and the second row is my oil paints. I use a wooden palette for my oils and a disposable paper palette for acrylics. I start my murals in acrylic and finish them in oil glazes. I also use a flexible curve...important to own a few of them. I use turpentine and linseed oil for my oils. I also bring a tape measure, a triangle, a t square, and a square. I always bring a sketchbook and pencils a dozen sharpies, tracing papers, a camera, a projector, new brushes for every job (will go into colors and brushes on sunday) sandpaper, gesso, dropcloths, watercolors and more basically enough moneys worth of supplies to take charlie sheen out for a night on the town. You can get by with less colors, maybe ten..but I prefer many colors..sometimes I think a cerulean blue would go nice here or a cobalt blue for a sky and it just doesnt work for me not to have as many colors..I just made a list of another dozen colors I want...my new favorite color is raw sienna. Raw sienna and white makes a color of the gods, throw some alizarin crimson in there and you can paint the flesh of angels. Be sure to have a range of pencils, soft to hard lead. Also bring sharpies..they come in very handy. I use them for many things and outlines. My dirty little secret. I use sketchbooks for everything, laundry list, bills, sketches and i tape pictures I am using in it. If you paint a bleu grey dress on a figure in acrylic and the n when it is dry you glaze alizarin crimson over it with a linseed oil glaze you can make a thing to behold. Glazing for me is the desert after a meal of hard work. The best part of art is after all the hardwork is done, the drawing is correct and you are basically having a good time..the problem with art is that it is like the iceberg most of the hard work is hidden below the ocean of genius and the part above water is what people see. Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% persperation. Everyone wants to be a genius until they find out she looks like hard work and comes dressed in the overalls of labor. Genius is seldom found in the cafes where artists are usually found posing in black. No matter how good you are as an artist if you have worn out brushes you are doomed. You must have new brushes. I go through brushes like charlie sheen goes through...nevermind. I paint better with new brushes and I paint better when I lay out my supplies neatly. After lunch I clean up and re-lay out everything fresh. Tin foil is a great makeshift palette in a pinch. Wrap cardboard in tinfoil, it works great. Always bring rags or buy a box of disposable rags. I clean my brushes three times becuase I use my brushes for both acrylics and oils. Never leave brushes in water or turps etc. The tips bend...lay them on their side after you dip in turps or water. Always bring tape! Blue low tack tape and masking tape. Thats just some notes on supplies..
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Alice in Winter Watercolor

12  x 16 inches on arches paper to purchase https://tendollarart.com/products/alice-in-winter-watercolor