Abstract Pointillism

One of my latest painting obsessions is pointillism, which is creating a painting by using the brush or some instrument to systematically make dots or points on your substrate. One famous artist known for his use of pointillism was Georges Seurat,  but other pointillism can be observed in aboriginal pointillism. I have done a few interpretations of pointillism, but my latest attempt is my favorite. I haven't decided whether to hang or sell this one.

4x12x2 Abstract Pointillism

on stretched burlap

Planning a Painting

I've been floating an idea for a painting around in my head for a week or so and decided that I would tackle the project proper (for the most part). I have been thinking a lot about fashion, trends, and the current generation of hipsters and steampunkers. This painting would be an appeal to the imagery associated with both trends. Although it isn't yet finished, it is shaping up according to plan.There is much more to come in this work, but it began with an idea I typed into my memo app on my iPhone, then progressed to a very rough sketch, then a more detailed sketch which allowed me to plan my assault. Paint can be unforgiving and unless you want to scrap progress half way through, it's good to always have a plan. Unless you are planning to paint Pollock style, and my guess is that he made plans too. The picture posted is showing the beginning of the paint step to about half way through, you'll have to check back to see the completed work which will be available on Etsy with my other paintings.

Update: 4/2/2014

Still working on this one. Taking it bit by bit, visualizing each layer.

Speed Painting

I have been attempting to complete paintings in one sitting when possible. This afternoon I was scrolling my Facebook feed when I noticed a photo a friend posted. I decided to replicate the image and am pleased with the results. The painting is called Sunset Surfer. I've been working on speed painting because I was hired at a local gallery that offers classes. In order to develop instructor skills I must be able to produce a finished product in a short class period of three hours or less. There will be time for session courses, but I'm just getting my feet wet. This painting took a total of less than four hours.

Acrylic on canvas 11x14

Sunset Surfer

Whitening Beeswax

I recently bought some beeswax to be used as my encaustic medium. Normally I would just use it in its natural color, but lately I've been wanting to refine the wax for more intense depth of color from the pigments. Using yellow wax definitely requires more pigment and never produces the brightness that a colorless wax could. Additionally, using colorless wax allows artists to create translucent layers in works without using paraffin wax.

There is more than one way of lightening or whitening wax. One way is melting, filtering, and pouring thin sheets of wax, leaving it in the sun for natural bleaching. Lightening should not result in the loss of that wonderful honey aroma of the wax. Another way is to add hydrogen peroxide to melted wax after filtering.

Pure beeswax should be filtered if you don't intend to use it in its natural state since fragments of bee parts and other hive debris are usually suspended in the hardened wax.