Siftings of Art – and Snaps of my Studio

This is painted with a mix of media. I began with a 9B Lyra water-soluble graphite stick on a 8” x 10” canvas board; and finished with layers of gouache, watercolour, Inktense ink washes, and acrylic matte and gloss medium.

I wasn’t sure where I was going with this – there’s photos of the beginnings below. Though a plan is often a good way to start, sometimes it’s fun to begin a drawing or painting in a spontaneous manner – perhaps with just an inkling of an idea. This is often my approach when it comes to “faces”, usually woman; which I’ve drawn constantly (incessantly!) since childhood. Many from “looking” but mostly from my imagination and memory.

Since my revisit (wrestle) with acrylics, I’m finding white paint and gesso very helpful! As it is, I tend to use acrylics as part of a mixed media piece. I still prefer the ebb and flow of watercolour washes (and gouache), and using the white of the paper (love paper) for highlights and to help create tonal values. Even though it’s trickier to “wing it”, as I often like to do.

I mentioned about my new studio in my last post. So thankful† to have this extra space; and as nowadays I have more time for my art, I’m certainly making good use of it.

We built it on land that we have, right next door to our house, and it can double as a guest room when needs be. Here’s a photo compilation of it.

I’ve made thorough use of my new art space; with many different projects on the go. These past few months, I took snaps of my various art pieces, however, before I’d get to upload and write about them I’d be onto the next project…and, of course, any pauses were taken up with the matters of everyday life!

Glad I finally found time to put this blog post together. It helps me to “see” where I’m going – and importantly, I hope sharing my art here is a help and/or of interest to others.

I often use my iPad for many of my creative ventures..and I still draw on it. I spent quite a few years intensively drawing with my fingertip on the screen, dipping into lovely, natural looking art app media. All the more rewarding when I discovered ways to give my iPad art “physical” homes in print.

I also make “reproduction” prints of my art in traditional media, and enjoy trying various types of lovely non-inkjet, and inkjet papers. Theres’s more info on my page, “Printing iPad and Traditional Art”.

I bring my traditional art on paper and canvas into the iPad, by using the iPad camera. Sometimes I draw on it a bit more by taking it into the “Procreate” app.

I count my blessings† for the extra time (and space) I now have for my art. Certainly during the years of raising a family of four boys – young men now – time was scarce for drawing and painting. But that’s fine – wouldn’t have it any other way.

Hopefully I’ll get back to posting more regularly…I enjoy it. As I live in a (very) small Australian country town, sharing my art online here is a handy way to connect and share my art with others – all over the world!

Thanks for visiting and viewing my art. Have a great day. 🙂