As Things Percolate – Pen and Ink

As Things Percolate – Pen and Ink

While my next big move is percolating, I fell back to my go to – pen and ink. . .

So the big idea about doing Spirit Portraits is in the works. Actually, I’ve fully realized that I have all that I need to do them at hand already, and that I myself am ready.

First off, I was making things far too complicated. I don’t need to re-invent the wheel. A good friend of mine pointed that out in a very kind way.

The least expensive Spirit Portraits will be done on 8.5″x11″ Watercolor paper. I will do the first few layers of background before someone comes to me, as that is the most time consuming part. Since I will have several done before a session, I can choose the background start that matches the aura/colors that I perceive. In this way, I should be able to complete the quickest portrait within 1/2 hour.

I’ll be next looking for a public venue to do portraits (like on a second Saturday). Any ideas?

 

 

The Joy of Experimenting – a Portrait Layer by Layer

The Joy of Experimenting – a Portrait Layer by Layer

One portrait layer by layer

 It’s so way past my bedtime. Still, I couldn’t make myself stop and go to bed. Although I had a reluctant model (she loves being her age, but does not like to look like it), my brush and pencils did not wish to quit.  This Spirit Portrait still has quite a ways to go. However, Prudence insists on having her way.

 I’m going to show you the process of painting this Inner Spirit portrait layer by layer.

Step 1a – Sketch in watercolor pencil. Sometimes I use prismacolor pencil, or Utrecht/Blick colored pencils. However, the watercolor pencil seems to prove the most flexible and quick on canvas for the portrait work.

Layer 1b – Wet watercolor pencil on face. The time benefit of this pencil is apparent in this layer. I can wash around laying in the basic skin tone at the same time that I start defining the shapes and shadow very quickly.

Layer 2 – Watercolor Pencil. Here, with both pencil and brush in hand, I lay out the basic portrait composition, quickly.

Layer 3 – I lay on broad areas of  transparent liquid acrylic, then cover those areas with plastic wrap, while they are still wet.

Layer 4. At this point, I enter a deeper engagement with spirit. There is a lot of joy in the process of finding what/who appears with my colored pencils. Sometimes they are readily visible, other times a bit more reluctant. Always there are surprises, and those who appear for others to discover, not me. I started my art journey drawing. It is my natural go to. It feeds that part of me  that loves to do detail and define surfaces.

I also use more very thin washes of the liquid acrylics for defining large shapes and shadowed areas, as well as even more plastic wrap to reveal any additional lurkers willing to be discovered with the pencil.

At this point tonight, it is far too late to continue. Suffice it to say, that I will keep building up the portrait layer by layer until the painting says it is complete.

Note: For the final image, reference the day I finished it.

Oh Boy! A Whole New Universe

Oh Boy! A Whole New Universe

Oh Boy! I’m excited. The new transparent liquid acrylic paints I used to create this new universe are wonderful – everything I dreamed they should be. Plus the acrylic paint pen that I invented? Well, someone caught the vibe and actually created them! And they actually also work just as I dreamed!  This little abstract acted as the temporary playground for my new toys.

Someone important to me told me that my paintings were too busy to take in. She suggested I instead take a small portion and just paint that big. My little abstracts on canvas are that idea expressed. This little one, however, is pretty busy itself – having incorporated an entire universe and all.

This is part of the preparation for offering Spirit Portraits. I now have no doubt that I will be offering those really soon. I’ve got plans for a giveaway/contest type thingy here this week. I love it when things move along at the speed of galaxy’s rising.

While the Paint Dries

While the Paint Dries

Sometimes other good things happen while the paint dries. This morning I got up before the dark dissipated. I wanted to play with the new transparent liquid acrylics a bit before my appointment this morning which is before I go into the store to do Stones of Change readings. I LOVE them!! They are really going to work out. However, I did not want to push the river up the hill, so I decided to do a bit of digital paint playing as the physical paint dried. Then I got involved with that, and now it’s time to start moving about the cabin.

Another Idea

Another Idea

 

 

I bought some transparent acrylics today, but have not had the opportunity to work with them yet. Another idea that I had was that I could paint and color my drawings digitally for my Spirit Paintings. I’ve done quite a bit of that with my pen drawing, but not so much really with pencil drawings. So, for today’s image I’ve re-worked my pencil drawing of my friend Greta with some canvas/paint texture and coloring. This could be a quicker, lesser cost alternative. Of course it would be a spirit portrait, not just a pencil drawing, but it appears the technique tests out  sort of ok.