Traveling through a painting

Here's a quick look at my latest painting. I've only just started it and after a couple of layers some really interesting things are happening. Already there are gorgeous patterns, marks and real depth thats appearing.

Sometimes I love to get up close and personal to a painting to really see the textures and each little part on its own, all the parts that sometimes get lost when you look at a painting as a whole.

I also do this in art galleries, I like to get as close to a painting as possible (without touching it) to really admire each brush stroke or mark in its own glory. All these small elements are little gems that really add the beautiful depth, detail and soul to the whole painting!

I can't wait to see where this one goes!
Zoe :)

Gorgeous greens as winter creeps in #5daysoflayers

I really enjoyed this week's project.  I still find it so strange that sometimes the commitment to creating another layer can be too much, like I don't want to move forward into this next phase, the next evolution  of the painting. My resistance always shows up at some point, questioning what I'm doing and if it's right to push forward. I find so many analogies to life in this process. I think that's part of why it's so addictive!  Anyway here are the layers for this week!

Layer 1= inky splodges

Layer 2 = doodles and details

Layer 3 = acrylic finger painting

Layer 4 = white gesso brayer

Layer 5 = oil pastel drawn highlights

Layer#31 Contrast in Pink!

I have been a bit stuck with the way things have been going in the last few layers. So I decided that it was time for another transformation. What better way to go than to go fresh and bright so as a contrast to the dark blues I have chosen a beautiful bold bright pink.

Sometimes it's nice not to think too much when you're painting so this layer literally took about 2 minutes. Letting the paint and brayer action take centre stage and quickly produce a gorgeous textured paint effect. The stencils from the previous layer peak through in areas which as a rich dimensions to the canvas.

Layer#29 Transforming Light to dark!

So after the last layer I was inspired to begin a whole new body of work surrounding boats and waves. I have left my Journey canvas for a few days wondering what to do next so have come to a decision that in times of confusion and indecision it's time for another complete transformation. So here we go: from so much light and white foreground let's embrace the dark!

Layer#20 Line quality

Having stripped back to quite a plain canvas I felt this was a good opportunity to stick with monochrome and add detail using different qualities of line.

I chose a colouring pencil, a charcoal stick, a biro and some heavy body acrylic paint- all black in colour to really differentiate between the mediums.

There were some surprising results. A combination of both fine and delicate lines with bold and chunky expressive marks creates a really beautiful and elegant combination that I think would work well as the finishing touches to a painting not just to add interesting detail to yet another layer as I have done here.

The biro created whirly swirly marks that are quite similar to handwriting but look so beautiful peaking out from behind the sporadic dark marks of the heavy acrylic.  The charcoal can smudge and blur as well as create gorgeous crisp lines as the pencil leaves a ghost like streak along side.

I think what I love most about these lines is the overall effect, how they seem to compliment one another to create something far more beautiful than each would individually.

Layer#19 White out

This layer was screaming out for a fresh start, something simple to build upon, so there was really only one thing for it; white gesso and some brayer love!

The brayer means that some of the previous colour peaks through the gesso whilst the textures are really highlighted. The mass of white almost creates a blank canvas all over again yet these layers that we see a little glimmer of here and there add a whole new dimension to an otherwise complete white out!

Layer#18

Dream your biggest dream. Let your imagination soar and watch the abundance flourish.

Layer#17 Mountains

So I have recently been feeling like my brain is getting in the way of my intuitive art making which is causing everything to feel like an uphill struggle. 

In an attempt to face my fears head on and defeat this create hurdle I seem to be painting my way through it. Somewhere in my subconscious today I was drawn to painting mountains. Perhaps the lesson here is to visualise myself at the top, giving myself the pure freedom and liberation that I seek. Up until now I feel as though I have been stuck at the bottom staring upward without a rope in sight to help!

Time to breath deep and let the inner critic go.

Techniques used for this layer were my good friend the brayer with acrylic paint which has really helped to highlight the gorgeous array of textures created by previous layers. I also used a good old paint brush to apply some silver acrylic to the mountain tops. Nice to add abit of shimmer to brighten things up!

Layer#15 Brayer action!

I am so pleased with this layer. The textures coming through are gorgeous. 

This is the magic and beauty of brayering, not only does it cover a large area in paint very quickly but it also gives an uneven finish and allows previous colours and textures to peak through.

The colours blend in beautiful ways which are related more to print making as opposed to the flow of colour created by using a paint brush.

Brayering is fast becoming one of my favourite techniques of applying colour, I love it!

Layer#10

Layer#9

Layer#7

Layer#6 Gesso and Brayer love

Layer#5

Layer#4

Layer#3

Layer#2