A Mixed Media Portrait

"Mom and Her Favorite Chair"

Mixed Media on Masonite, 16 x 20," c. Catherine Vines

   

This painting is done with acrylics over a collage of letters and envelopes from my mother to me. She loved this Victorian chair and would sit there and work on her quilts.

I can see now that the chair is too important and distracts from the face, but it has taken some time to get that perspective.

Quite a difference from the flesh tones I have been working on the last few days! 

Over the next few days I will be posting some older paintings while I am visit my aunt in WV. She is Mother's baby sister, the last of her siblings, and very dear.

What Comes First?

"Orange Magnolia"
Acrylic on Masonite, 20"x16" c. Catherine Vines

Finally!  I have the answer.  Or Alyson B. Stanfield does: HxWxD. She even has an artist's mnemonic to remember which comes first. Her speciality is "art biz coach" and her advice invaluable. This latest in the Magnolia Series also uses the tar gel I blogged about previously, this time tinted with black. It gives an interesting raised surface to the flower. I even like the irregularity for a more spontaneous look.

Have You Ever Experimented with Tar?

"Yellow Magnolias"

Acrylic on Masonite, 16" x 20," c. Catherine Vines

Tar Gel, that is. The ultramarine blue outlining the magnolia petals is Golden's "Clean Tar Gel," tinted with acrylic paint.  It is a stringy, colorless (without the paint) gel that dries to glossy finish and allows you to drip paint in a more-or-less controlled fashion. Fun, especially if you like to experiment. I think it will accept any color of acrylic paint, but you should check with the manufacturer for specifics. For some reason this magnolia reminds me of a cactus, but that's me. A fun cactus, mind you.

Tired of Magnolias Yet?

"Pink Magnolias"

Acrylic on Masonite, 16" x 20," c. Catherine Vines

Because there are still more! I think this painting especially shows how I am cropping my photos to select an extreme close-up view. This gives me the abstract look I am going for without removing all references to my flower.  I prefer to paint from black-and-white photos; I find my color choices are more imaginative. By the way, there is no black in this painting.

Metallic Paints

"Magnolia Metallica"

Acrylic on Masonite, 16" x 20," c. Catherine Vines

The copper color in this paint is actually metallic paint and in person has a lovely sheen. It's an opaque paint, so it completely covers the colors below, sometimes a disadvantage.  I use a palette knife because I love the way it lets me develop layers of colors.  Working that way can be misleading though if I don't frequently get back from my canvas and look at my painting.  Too many ridges of color can add up to a brown mess because of the way they blend from a distance. I prefer larger areas of overall color complemented with juicy details.

What as I Thinking?

"Blue Magnolia"

Acrylic on Masonite, 16" x 20," c. Catherine Vines

I'm sure there's a reason I included so much red in this painting.  It must have seemed a good choice at the time! In person, the blues I used are stronger and balance the reds somewhat better. I am learning that it gives me another perspective on my paintings when I see them posted, not always a pleasant experience. Looking back at my photos of the magnolias makes me think about an all-white painting - now that would be a challenge.

What if Your Painting Wanted to be Bigger?

Magnolia Triptych

Acrylic on Masonite, 34" x 20," c. Catherine Vines

Then you would have to paint a triptych, especially since I have already done the hard work and learned how to spell "triptych." This painting has the clear, bright colors I love. And the palette knife is such a great tool for building broken color patches. Each time I paint a Magnolia in this Series, I can picture something else I want to try, the perfect definition of a series. If there ever was a case of a painting saying it wanted to be bigger, just try and imagine this one with only the center panel. Can you even picture it?

What's Wrong with Pretty?

Acrylic on Masonite, 16" x 20," c. Catherine Vines

When I look at a pretty painting like this  latest in the Magnolia Series, I wonder what it is that makes me want something different. Two answers come to mind, both weaknesses when it comes to my color choices.  1. I typically use one of two color schemes: analogous (side-by-side on the color wheel) or complementary (opposite on the color wheel).  2. I don't take advantage of neutrals to accentuate my colors. Both of which explain my current emphasis on color relationships. Still, pretty has its place, and this is even better in person.

In the Beginning

Acrylic on Masonite, 16" x 20," c. Catherine Vines

This is a return to the flower series. Now that you have seen this one, I can admit they are all versions of a magnolia, although perhaps not one you've ever seen. This one - the original - is the only one painted with a brush. If you've never visited the state capitol in WV, where all these flowers were photographed, it's a beautiful, gold-domed structure, visible from the interstate.

Working from Photographs

Acrylic on Masonite, 16" x 20," c. Catherine Vines

From my flower series, done with a palette knife. This entire series was based on a group of photos I took at the capitol in Charleston, WV, waiting to catch a plane.  The flowers are actually magnolias, though only the first in the series (not yet posted) looks relatively true. This always seems to be the case.  I start mostly realistic, and as the series grows, become more and more abstract until even I am surprised.