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Re: Cleaning brushes
GTO
Yep. Soap will defat the natural oils from the outer layer of the bristles. The result is a brush head lacking in sheen, flexibility and shape. Repeats of this procedure contributes to a thin, shaggy brush, incapable of any brush stroke except a scumble.
I use walnut oil with clove for all my painting, cleaning and storage of brushes. About once a year my brushes get a soak in a hydrogen peroxide based cleaner to remove any paint or oil residue.
Denis
Yep. Soap will defat the natural oils from the outer layer of the bristles. The result is a brush head lacking in sheen, flexibility and shape. Repeats of this procedure contributes to a thin, shaggy brush, incapable of any brush stroke except a scumble.
I use walnut oil with clove for all my painting, cleaning and storage of brushes. About once a year my brushes get a soak in a hydrogen peroxide based cleaner to remove any paint or oil residue.
Denis
Charcoal Drawings ★☆★☆★ comp: (March 2021)
Hi everyone!
I have been focusing on the planes of the head, fundamentals, rendering, and deconstruction.
I've been trying to adapt to papers available in japan, importing from the US can get expensive. I wish that there was a more broad variety of papers in here, but oh well.
So here are some of my latest stuff.
I have been focusing on the planes of the head, fundamentals, rendering, and deconstruction.
I've been trying to adapt to papers available in japan, importing from the US can get expensive. I wish that there was a more broad variety of papers in here, but oh well.
So here are some of my latest stuff.
Vanitas Still Life with Chloroform, Skull and Wine
The drapery has started to dry and haze over which is making it look funky. Also, I painted the drapery three times trying to get the lighting dialed in between my shadow box and studio. [What a rabbit hole that was.]
My goals on this were: Simplify the drapery; focus on the skull; use large hog brushes.
I used a small detail brush on the corkscrew and it's the weakest part of the painting in my opinion. It looks a little cartoonish compared to the more painterly look overall.
16 x 20 on 1/4" birch panel with poplar support. The skull is cast resin (from a real skull) and I polished it with brown shoe polish to get the color and sheen. That's a real bottle (empty) of chloroform from an army surplus store. I have a companion bottle of strychnine as well in case I need two old bottles of poison that the military did god knows what with.
The photo looks like the paint is covered in dust. I don't think it is... at least I didn't notice that on the easel.
I think I might paint it all over again, while it's set-up in the shadow box, maybe in a smaller format on canvas. Overall very happy with it but next time I'd like to improve the drapery, use NO SMALL BRUSHES, pay a little more attention to the draftsmanship, and paint every element with the same or similar level of abstraction.
Thoughts?
Before and After....
Kormi, 16 x 20 inch, oil on panel. I had painted his face 2 years ago when I was still learning to paint...https://forum.drawmixpaint.com/discussion/comment/152440#Comment_152440
Although I still have a ways to go before I would consider myself an accomplished artist, I think this is an improvement, and testament to the importance of sticking to it. Curious what others think about it.
Re: Complete- Paluxy River, 18”x14”, oil on linen
I think I’ve done all the damage I can do without overworking it. Thanks for any and all feedback.
Contemplation...My first portrait 12 X 16 oil on canvas
This is my first attempt , I hope it's worth posting in this esteemed forum. It's a portrait of my 7 year old son. I caught him contemplating on a bright sunny day.
A Summer Scene in Greater Noida. Oil on Canvas. 9X12 inches
A study done to understand how a painting can be executed very quickly within an hour be it pleinair or at live painting. Painting from a photo quickly is not easy compared to painting outside. But this took about an hour.
My dog in the grass - WIP
So as you can see the grass color is a little bit off. I’m OK with that. But I don’t think I like the abstractness of the grass. I’m not very good at wet on wet, this is my second painting, and the paint for the grass is very thick and wet. It’s straight Geneva paint, perhaps I should’ve thinned it out?
Anyhow, it would be difficult for me to add more detail. So I’m considering wiping off all the grass and starting over and going for longer, thinner and individual blades of grass. As tedious as that would be I think that would really add to the realism. How would you guys paint the grass? What do you see that would help me? I see patches grouped together that vary in color. I see that even the shadow grass has light tones but less saturated. I see that the sunlight grass has more yellows. I see small but entire black and brown shapes within all the grass that need to be there. I see quite a challenge. 🤣
Or… Does the grass work as it is if you haven’t seen the reference photo? I’m uncertain.
Or… Does the grass work as it is if you haven’t seen the reference photo? I’m uncertain.
I also need to do something with her white chest fur which is overblown in the photo. Since I removed the leash, I’m not sure what to do. Maybe I’ll just paint in the tags.
Thoughts?
