Monday 16 April 2012

A new day...

I'm always searching for new materials that will help to resolve ideas for my work, painting has satisfied me a lot, but sometimes, I just gotta' draw...

Now, I don't want to offend any painters out there, but I've always considered drawing a more noble pursuit, there is something so humble about taking pencil to paper.

I've always loved big rough, gestural drawing, but my heart lies with the intimacy of fine, delicate entangled line. The drawings I've enjoyed making the most were done with a light grey fine-liner on paper, the fragility of the scratchy marks and the soft subtlety of the ink sitting in the paper was wonderful.

But after using something like 200 pens for 4 large drawings I got the 'these will end up in landfill' guilts and stopped drawing like this. Which is a shame.
I've tried mimicking this with ink and nib, pencil, refillable pens, but nothing has come close.

Until now...

I've discovered Silverpoint! That's right, the original pencil. It's what the old masters used to draw with. And can I just say, it is wonderful!!
I have found the perfect tool for this feint, fine, scratchy line. It is such a beautiful process, drawing with a silver tipped pencil, that will last a life time, creating such delicate marks in grey, that oxidize to a red over time.

 It is beautiful and I couldn't be more excited because I've found the mark I'd lost, found a tool that will last my life time (no land fill guilt) and I can say I draw like da Vinci!

So, my board is prepared and I'm heading to the studio to make the magic happen...

Below is a link to a video on Golden Silverpoint ground if you are interested.
I know I advertise Golden a bit, but It's what I do, I work in an art supply store and discovering Golden Acrylics had revolutionized my  practice, so here's to them! And three cheers for Silverpoint!!!

http://youtu.be/YD8QHSCsd7M

Thursday 12 April 2012

What's rockin' my little old world...


And here it is...
One of the works in progress, a river delta from the sky.
The image isn't great, it was just a quick iphone progress shot, but I wanted to share it anyway.

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Quick Promo...

My darling friend Ted McKinlay is having a solo show and the dude can draw!
I helped hang the show this week, it 's a beautiful show, I was very impressed, so come along and be equally impressed!





What has made me smile like a maniac in the studio this week....

So I've been searching for more satisfaction in my practice, and I think I've found it...
A way to incorporate all of the little methods, materials and process that I enjoy so much in to my own 'grand unified theory' (of painting, not physics, be reasonable!) it's basic and now seems pretty obvious, but I'm thrilled nonetheless!

I've been doing studies for this one work for years now and I've finally found a way to resolve it, what I've imagined matches up to what I'm making and it is very exciting...

Here's a picture of a study from a couple of years ago. It's a 5 x 5cm watercolour on paper.

But at last, I've gone bigger, I'm working on a 50 x 50cm panel. Said panel has been treated to many layers of Golden Crackle paste, absorbent ground, glass bead gel, fluid acrylics and most recently, a nice leveling isolation coat. Next week I bring in the big boys... That's right, it's time to paint in oil!

When my various forms of technology decide to get along better, I'll post photos of where I'm at, stay tuned.