Personal Art Blog

Sharing the lessons I teach at the Artist Guild and the personal discoveries in my art.

Friday, January 30, 2015

Work In Process plus a Handy Hint! - Final day 30 in Challenge




Work in process

6x8 oil on canvas


This series will allow me to work on different surfaces.
The first few will be on black gessoed panels.


I feel it important to use the gesso and not an
acrylic black paint. The reason?
It needs to be slightly porous to grab the oil paint
 and gesso is made to work that way.

A handy and easy to make guide for 
making a "same size guide" for helping to design
the composition. Frames from the Dollar Store 
with the paper taken out and glass left in.

I have several for each size of my canvases
this is a 5x7 but with the frame is exactly 6x8

The grid is divided by the usual rule of thirds.
with a marker.The circles are for 
possible focal areas.
Doing this really helps me design and 
find the focal area and also eye flow pattern.


I am holding it directly over the photo here. 
I can move the frame back and forth to find
a composition I like best or rest 
it right on
the photo like shown here.
 .
I try it in a vertical position and do the same thing.
Having the frame helps me see it clearly with 
its boundary.

Using it for a still life works the same way
Only better -because you can mark off the 
spacing of your object with a marker

Yes, you can buy a product already made
 but I enjoy having them
match the size of my canvas.





29 comments:

  1. Great tips, Julie. Thank you to share!

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    1. You are welcome. You produces some wonderful family portraits for the challenge. I loved them.

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  2. Thanks for the tips, Julie! And thanks for posting in-progress work. I've learned so much from you!

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    1. your batik work is so amazing and today's portrait is full a special quality.
      You did a fabulous job every day in the challenge.

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  3. What a wonderful post!
    I have enjoyed this challenge!
    Thanks for sharing your tips and lovely paintings!

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    1. Thanks Sue.
      Your paintings have really caught my attention
      and I find them very special.

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  4. Julie, how did you know I just purchased some black gesso. It will be fun to experiment. Already on this start you have values 1 to 10 and that is not always easy. And it is the third study of this scene? It will be great.

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    1. I find it gets a richness, but am concerned that the black will show through the light areas as time goes on. White does become more transparent.
      Has your Google + replaced your blog?

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    2. I think I just replied to the other Helen. Yikes.
      No my blog is going along. I am just trying to learn Google+ as I find it a way to see more artists. And I need to keep learning. I just posted a painting I worked on for a long time...........

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  5. Lovely subject and thanks for the helpful tip! Great mix of colors ...

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    1. Hi Helen - we are both painting snow and water - how neat is that.
      I loved your colors and glow.

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  6. This painting is evolving beautifully Julie! Thanks for sharing this tip, I had been doing it mentally all the time with my photos and this seems much easier and faster.

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    1. It makes it more "certain" for me. I understand what you mean about doing it mentally. This just add some assurance.
      Especially on my 11x14 size. For some reason it is a fabulous help then.

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  7. Very interesting work in process ... thanks for the tips !!!
    Happy weekend Julie !!!

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  8. I like that back border to the frame-keeps your eye on the ball, so to speak:)

    Looking forward to following the series.

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    1. That is quite a wonderful series you are involved with, Libby.
      I am really enjoying your posts.

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  9. Congratulations on the completion of the challenge, Julie. You did a fantastic job and I enjoyed every one of your paintings. I'm painting on a black gessoed panel but since I'm doing a figure on it I see the black peeking through so I guess I should wait and let it dry before applying more paint ??
    I look forward to your next piece...

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    1. In worry about that myself, Hilda. Yes, I would let it dry because on your light areas you have to make them denser.n A few light layers are better than on thick one. Cannot wait to see what you are doing.

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  10. Another fabulous idea for us working artists. Sometimes I just use a heavy clear plastic and mark it. Like your idea better. thanks Julie. Also, I did all 30 paintings, yeah. You were my inspiration.

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  11. You did a really interesting variety of subject matter. I enjoyed a surprise at each posting. Thanks for saying I inspired you but really you have to take all the credit for turning up at your easel and palette each day.

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  12. Thanks for sharing - it's a great idea!!

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  13. Your are such an awesome teacher Julie! Thank you for the information!!!

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  14. I like to use the rule of thirds, so I put the grid on the display of my camera, so every picture is framed in a good pattern from the photo. Over time, I've created several viewfinders with disparate materials while I've never bought one ready to use...but your glass is brilliant idea to examine the reality around us in relation to space compositional .I love the look homemade in things that I use for my studio (as the old camera tripod, turned by hubby into easel for watercolor, tiltable from all sides). Now hubby will work again on your brilliant project!!!

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  15. This is a wonderful idea, I always have problems with my compositions and have many unused frames on hand. Thank you once again Julie!

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  16. thanks Julie. Love it that you are always will to share such great ideas and that you make them yourself. Not to mention you know I love your work.

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  17. You are so clever Julie. Thank you for this valuable hint! I'm going to start using it immediately.

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I love that you are taking the time to comment and thank you for it. I am sure other readers will enjoy them too. If you cannot comment through this format then email me at juliefordoliver@gmail.com
Cheers,
Julie