Author: trowzersakimbo

As promised here’s my painting from Day 2 of my Yosemite Renaissance artist residency in Wawona. Those of you who’ve being following my recent posts will recall circumstances made it necessary for me to post  Day 3 before Day 2. You can catch up by reading the Day 3 post.

Local artist, Sandy Kowallis, was up here painting with me, over two days (Tuesday & Wednesday). She was pretty excited about all the water running down Chilnualna Falls, so, even though I painted this location on my first day, up here in Wawona, with Carolyn Hartling and Sandee Scott, I agreed to paint it again. The thing about painting a long waterfall like this is, you move up or down the falls, even change your point of view and you have a drastically different composition.

Can’t get over how cold it is in the shade here at the stream edge. Tourist hiking up and down the trail, alongside the falls, out in the sun, are in shorts and t-shirts, but I’m wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt, covered by a light polyester fleece, covered by a wind and water-proof shell and I’m barely comfortable. It’s a reminder of why it’s important to layer, when out on location, even in the spring and summer.

So hard to see what’s really going on with the splashing, foaming, boiling water moving at this volume and pace. It’s so active it never seems to repeat itself. I’m stuck with just trying to put down an impression of what’s going on. It’ll be interesting to study the reference photos I’ve taken, a regular intervals, when I’m back in the studio. The sound matches the action…roaring! Can’t hear what Sandy is saying to me, just a few feet away.

Sandy’s a trooper, we painted late into the afternoon, ’til 4:30 or 5 pm, before heading back to the cabin. The light had become too severely horizontal to keep working.

 

I recently completed the above pastel. Back when I was in high school, I used to create work with pastels all the time. I didn’t have a dedicated place to work back then, I worked on my bedroom floor: a bedroom I shared with 3 younger brothers. I couldn’t leave anything I was working on out. Projects had to be set up, worked on then put away until I had time to work on them again. Pastels allowed for quick set up and take down. An oil left out in the bedroom, for example, would likely get a hand, tongue or other body part (don’t ask) dragged across it. We were animals!

I also used pastels from time to time in my illustration and animation work (I directed and designed animated tv commercials for about 16 years), but I think this might have been the first time I used them in creating a landscape. I generally paint landscapes in oils, watercolors or acrylics.

Anyway, since this was a fairly new journey for me, I thought I’d take you along for the ride. The piece was started during a Yosemite Western Artists (YWA) plein air outing I hosted at my place in the Sierra Foothills. We’ve had an unusual amount of rain this year (we needed it to end our 6 year drought), so the ground everywhere is pretty soggy and you can’t plan on not having rain on the day of the event, given you have to schedule ahead of time. We’ve got a large covered deck on the back of our home, with a great panoramic, unobstructed view. Good thing we chose this spot, it was freezing that day and we experienced both rain and hail throughout our session.

I was working on pretty smooth pastel paper. On a surface like this, I like to rub my first layer of chalk into the paper to lay down a ground. I find later applications lay down better, if I do. Hosting the session, I didn’t get as much done as I generally would. The group worked 3- 4 hrs. that day.

With the next working session, I really started to dig in. Working from far to near, I detailed the background first, ignoring the tree, knowing myriad thin branches would be involved later in the execution and I didn’t want to have to work the background around them. I generally set aside 4 hrs. for each of my working-week daily sessions, but there was a lot going on, on the gallery show front, during the creation of this one and sessions could be 1 1/2 – 4 hrs. I felt I’d really nailed the pond reflections in this session.

Now that the background was pretty much laid in, I moved on to the tree in my next session. I was beginning to dread the fact that I chose to paint this complicated oak, without leaves. Even if I greatly simplified and reduced, there was going to be a lot of branches to execute on this one. I really felt this was my only decent composition choice, though, the weather confining us to the covered porch.

Another session, where  I really started to hone in on which branches I HAD to execute and which I should eliminate, to give the tree interest and represent the silhouette that was in front of me. I really didn’t want to add any more than I had to. I may be detail-oriented but I’m not a masochist. This I find to be the hardest part of painting: the necessary simplification.

Next to the last session, where I added detail to the grasses and did what was necessary to separate the parts of the tree that I wanted to stand out from the background.

That took me to the final session, where I added the nit-picking details, like lacy masses to represent micro branches/stems and the beginnings of buds: whatever was necessary to communicate it was finished.

Artist friends are always complementing me on the volume of paintings I produce. Interesting, because in my mind I’m not getting into the studio to paint enough. And I’m a slow painter. I work slow to be sure I’m paying attention to the details of every painting as it develops in front of me. I study as much as I paint. I never know when a “happy accident” will occur, leading me in a totally new direction.

My art school illustration professor, Harold Kramer, used to quote another painter or teacher he knew (terrible, but I can’t remember who that was) in saying, “Work slow, finish fast.” In other words, work too quickly and you make mistakes, travel down roads that dead-end, need to backtrack and start over. Work slowly, but meticulously, thoughtfully and you’re more likely to determine what is working and not working at the start, avoiding the dead-ends, keeping the painting moving in a fruitful direction to the finish.

Anyway, on the off chance that my friends are right and I do produce a lot, I’ll share how I work. First, I aim to paint everyday of the working week: Monday – Friday. Why not work Saturday and Sunday? I’d love to, but I have chores to complete, like everyone else, a home and cars to maintain, errands to run, etc. And parties or get-togethers are generally planned for the weekends. The rest of world runs on a Monday – Friday working week, with Saturday and Sunday off. Buck the system and you’ll find your painting time interrupted by personal commitments and unexpected visitors.

Next, I set aside a dedicated time to paint each of those working days, the same time each day. I try to get into the studio every day as early as I can, but if all else fails, when my dedicated painting start time arrives, I stop whatever else I’m doing and head into the studio. My family knows and respects this as my painting time and truth be told, probably enjoy the fact that they have a given time each day, when they don’t have to deal with me.

How much time you set aside, depends on your personal schedule, how much time you realistically have to paint. In my case it’s 4 hours a day. Why not 8? The experts say running your own business is 50% production and 50% infrastructure and marketing. The other 4 hours in my day are spent running and marketing my business.

From time to time things do occur, which prevent me from getting into the studio on time (I’m on the road returning from picking up art supplies or I set up everything to shoot my work and it’s taking longer than I planned, etc.), but just because I’m starting late, is no excuse to skip working that day. I get in there as close to my designated start time as possible and use whatever time is left, no matter how little, to paint.

If you’re not working to a dedicated schedule already, try it; I think you’ll discover a significant increase in your production!

 

Varnishing Acrylic Paintings

In the previous Fear of Varnish blog, I explained the proper procedure for preparing and varnishing an oil painting (the way I do it anyway). In this blog I’ll cover the proper way to varnish an acrylic painting. The recommended procedure has changed several times since 1953, when the acrylics we use today first became available to artists, so even if you think you know the right way to varnish an acrylic painting, you might want to follow along. I utilize the latest discoveries and recommended procedures in my process.

Acrylics, including acrylic varnishes, harden, but never truly dry, as oil paints do, instead, they remain slightly tacky. You may have noticed this yourself, if you ever laid two of your acrylic paintings face to face and then separated them. Recently it was discovered that on a microscopic level, acrylic paints actually attract dust to them and then attach that dust to the surface of the painting, through this tackiness, dulling the painting over time. So, the old method of finishing your acrylic painting off with a coat of acrylic varnish, will attract dust to the surface and dull your painting over time.

For this reason, experts began to recommend applying regular removable oil painting varnish to acrylic paintings as the final protective layer. They later discovered that removing that varnish to clean an acrylic painting, if it became dirty, was removing micro particles from the surface of the acrylic painting, along with the removable varnish.

Given the above, experts now recommend a couple layers of permanent acrylic varnish, followed by a couple layers of regular oil painting removable varnish. This way, when removal of the oil painting varnish takes a micro-layer of acrylic surface with it, it will be taking it from the sacrificial transparent layers of acrylic varnish, not from the surface of the painting itself.

 

Applying the Barrier or Sacrificial Layers

Allow your finished acrylic painting to dry for at least 72 hours. Make sure the surface of your painting is free of dust or dirt and apply the first coat of non-removable acrylic varnish, either brushing it across the painting horizontally or vertically. You only want to apply a thin layer and don’t over brush or overwork it. Overworking this varnish can cause it to cloud. Acrylic varnish comes in gloss, matte and satin finishes. You can also get it in a spray can, if you prefer that to brushing it on. Let the first coat dry 24 hours and apply a second coat of the permanent acrylic varnish. Apply this coat by brushing it in a direction perpendicular to the direction you brushed in applying your first coat. Allow this final layer of permanent acrylic varnish to dry 72 hours, before proceeding to the application of the removable painting varnish.

 

Applying the Removable Painting Varnish

Once your Barrier/Sacrificial layer has dried for 72 hours you can apply your removable varnish layers. Like with the acrylic varnish, apply the first layer either brushing on the varnish in a horizontal or vertical direction. Apply your removable varnish layers thinly and don’t over brush or overwork them. Doing so can leave brush strokes in your varnish layers. Removable painting varnish is also available in gloss, satin and matte finishes. You can get it in a spray-can version, if you prefer that to brushing. Allow this layer to dry for 24 hours, then apply a second layer of the removable painting varnish, brushing it on in a direction perpendicular to the direction you used with the first layer. For more detailed instructions on application of the removable varnish see the blog Fear of Varnish.

Happy varnishing!

With our local open studio tour, Sierra Art Trails, on the horizon, it’s time to think about getting some varnish on all those dry, but unvarnished, paintings in my studio. I’m reminded of all the recent conversations with other artists about the varnishing process and of all the confusion and misinformation out there. So I thought I’d share the latest and greatest information on the subject, uncovered by my own ongoing research, the methods I currently use in varnishing.

The process of varnishing and preparing for varnishing is a little different, depending on whether you’re varnishing an oil painting or an acrylic painting. I’ll cover varnishing an oil painting in this blog and varnishing an acrylic painting in a future blog.

Varnishing an Oil Painting

Normally, an oil painting needs to dry for 6 months to year before you can apply the protective painting varnish. The length of drying time necessary is dependent on the thickness of the paint that’s been applied. The best test I’ve discovered for telling if an oil painting is dry enough to apply varnish is to put a little turpentine on a rag and lightly rub one of the thick applications of pigment on your painting (If you’ve used Titanium White in your painting, it’s a good color to test, as it’s one of the slowest drying paints). If any of the pigment appears on the rag, it’s not dry enough yet for varnish.

If you use Gamblin’s varnish, Gamvar, you can varnish sooner. Here’s the test they recommend for determining when you can varnish: lightly press your fingernail into one of the thick applications of paint. If it makes an impression in the paint, the painting is not ready, if it does not, you’re ready to varnish.

Oiling Out

Before you varnish, however, an oil painting should be “oiled out.” I’m surprised by how may artists I know have never heard about this. What is “oiling out” you ask? Oil paint can “sink in” to your painting surface, as it dries, giving an uneven sheen to the surface of the painting, with some areas more matte than others. This is because some of the oil binder in the oil paint has been absorbed into the painting ground. Many factors contribute to this phenomenon, an in-properly prepared ground, how much or little medium or linseed oil was used in the painting process, etc. If you apply your protective varnish to a painting in this condition, the varnish can be absorbed into the matte areas of the painting, just as the oil from the oil paint was, telegraphing the same uneven sheen across the surface of the varnish that the painting had before you applied the varnish.

So, before you varnish, you want to “oil out” your painting. Actually, since oiling out, unlike varnishing, can be done as soon as your painting is dry to the touch, it’s a great aesthetic interim step anyway, evening out the sheen across the surface and providing a better presentation for exhibition, before the painting is dry enough to varnish.

Oiling out is accomplished by applying artists painting medium to the surface of the painting, either by gently rubbing the medium into the surface with a lint-free rag or brushing it on the surface and then after 2 minutes, removing any excess medium with a lint free rag. If after oiling out and allowing the painting medium to fully dry, your painting still has matte “sunken in” areas, you can do a second oiling out. Here is how Windsor & Newton demonstrates the process: https://youtu.be/4oSU6PLEPpw. Here is how Gamblin demonstrates the process: https://vimeo.com/51473622.

Varnishing the Oil Painting

Once your oil painting has dried for the prescribed period of time (6 months – 1 year) and you’ve “oiled out” the surface of your painting (the oiling out medium must be dry to the touch), you’re ready to apply the varnish. You want to make sure you’re applying a removable painting varnish. In addition to enhancing the color and richness of your unvarnished painting, varnish protects your painting from elements in the environment that it’s exposed to over time. If, many years from now, your varnished painting has become dirty, it will be the protective varnish that has taken the abuse, not the painting itself. A removable varnish can be dissolved away with mineral spirits and a new clean layer of varnish applied.

You also want to be sure the varnish you choose is described as clear and non-yellowing. You don’t want to apply varnish on a rainy day. Doing so can sometimes cloud varnish. Application is recommended with the painting lying on a flat, horizontal surface. Since varnish is not very viscous, it has a tendency to run, while wet, so your painting should remain horizontal until the varnish has dried. Traditional varnish has a powerful odor and the vapors aren’t great for you. Unfortunately, all recommend you apply varnish in a room without a lot of air movement to prevent dust traveling around and landing on the varnish as it dries, which mean applying it with doors and windows closed. So, you’ll want to choose a location where you can apply the varnish then leave the room, close the door and not return until the varnish is dry. I’ve made the move to Gamvar, as it’s virtually odorless. Most recommend, “tenting” your painting while the varnish dries, to prevent dust landing on the surface. I do this by using four bottles, jars or cans of equal height, as posts, placing one at each corner of the painting. I then take a piece of cardboard or mat board, slightly larger than the painting and balance it on the four these four posts.

Varnish comes in gloss, satin and matte versions and you can mix the various versions to arrive at a custom sheen. Varnishes can be applied with a brush or sprayed onto the painting (Gamblin’s varnish, Gamvar, is brush on, only). Follow this link to see Windsor & Newton describe their various varnishing products and demonstrate applying varnish with a brush: https://youtu.be/ZNucC0XCRhc. Follow this link to see Gamblin demonstrate applying their varnishing product with a brush: https://vimeo.com/91544967.

Armed with the above, you should feel confident that you’re taking advantage of the latest information, when varnishing an oil painting. In the next blog I’ll discuss the slightly different process involved in varnishing an acrylic painting.