Using a new technique

Experimenting with new techniques keeps painting exciting in my mind. I have been using acrylic paints for my paintings ever since 2003. The thing that I love about acrylics is the immediacy of the work. I feel inspired, paint, and usually finish a painting within about 8 hours time. After a full day of drying and attaching hanging wire to the paintings, they are usually ready to hang and display. This allows me to have new work at every show.

Some of my art friends and clients recently asked me why I haven't been showing work as much in town. The reason is that I am learning a new technique and have different reasons to paint.

After, 9 years of painting with acrylics, and perhaps age has something to do with it, I am taking things a little more slowly. I am still of course inspired by nature and light every day, but for my new paintings I am more focused on painting illustrations. Not illustrations for books (though that would be really fun too), but instead illustrations of a feeling or emotion.. blah blah.. you have read that in previous blog posts by me so I won't go there this time.

All that to say, there is a heck of a lot more planning involved in my new paintings than there ever was before. I now begin with a concept sketch - usually something that comes to me at the edge of a dream. My sketchbook is riddled with ideas for paintings. These sketches are really really rough.. usually I am the only one that knows what the lines mean.

Once I have the concept figured out, I download or take photographs that represent the various components to the painting.

Next, I choose the color theme for the painting - which of course morphs as I paint and new ideas come.

Now here's the new technique. I am switching to oil paints. They just feel awesome moving around the canvas - it's addicting. I thought I'd try the Vermeer technique, (I think I have that right), and ancient technique that the masters used. Basically what this means is "Under painting". So, I paint the entire painting in grey scale, sepia, whatever.. in this first painting I am using grey scale.

Once the under painting is completely dry I will apply the color. The purpose of under painting first is to maximize composition and contrast, lighting, etc... This way, when I go to apply the oil paints, I am not as concerned with the composition, and I will use less paint.

One thing I really really really love about oils is that I can leave the paint out over night, even for several days and it is still ready to use when I come back to it. All I have to do is clean my brush!!!! SOOO COOL!

So, here's where I am at right now. So far I have about 30 working hours into the painting, if not more. I never thought I'd ever say that.

"Mask Parade" unfinished oil on 40"x30" canvas
by Raette Meredith - copyright 2011

So, if you are wondering why oil paintings cost so much more, that is why.. there USUALLY  a lot more time put into the painting, especially if you are using this technique. I am really excited to see how it turns out in the end. Does it make a difference, etc....

What do you think?

I am still working out the composition, etc.. will post progress photos along the journey. The painting is a commission for a local performer, music and theatre instructor. I would disclose her name, but I have to ask permission first.

The photographs I used for the composition were used with the photographer's permission also and I will disclose her name once I have permission from her to do so. I am using three of her photographs and some imagination for the composition.

Happy painting!!!

Raette

(I apologize for any typos that you find - I only claim to be a professional painter, not a professional writer! :)