Handmade Watercolour Paper

2/20/2023 9:15:19 PM

A few days ago, I decided to paint an old barn on a beautiful sheet of St. Armand handmade watercolour paper to be framed in an old barnwood frame that my husband made for me.   I've been waiting a long time for the right subject to use this paper.  The paper is highly textured which is great for barn texture. 

To create the effect of paint peeling on the barn and I applied masking fluid  in numerous small areas to help create the illusion.

Sadly, when I removed the masking fluid after painting the barn, the top layer of the paper ripped eliminating the painted barn.  Imagine how flaky a good croissant is and the layers coming apart. That's the experience that I had.  Unfortunately, I hadn't tested masking fluid on this type of paper.  A bit of research after the fact informed me that handmade watercolour papers  prove to be too delicate and insufficiently sized for masking fluid.  I hope that I remember this when I use my last sheet of this beautiful paper.

A few days ago, I finished this small (8"X10") painting of an Asian lock. I love the colour of the wood.

With regard to the barn, well I started over on my regular paper - Fabriano Artistico.  I'm not sure how it's going to turn out.  You'll have to wait until next week to either see a finished project or a WIP.

Did you know that my next class with Kanata Art Club will be about barns and their surroundings.  I believe that there may be a couple of spots open. For more information:  https://kac1.ca/club-activities/classesstudios/danielle-beaulieu-old-barns

Have a great week

Danielle

Working on more than one work of art at the same time

2/12/2023 3:48:18 PM

I've heard some master watercolour artists say they have up to 10 paintings on the go.  One of them claims that she loves the spontaneity of switching gears and not getting too consumed by any single image. By bouncing around, she feels that she keeps the work fresh.  Another artist likes to keep multiple unfinished paintings on easels in his studio and feels that he can better apply the finishing touches because he's had time to reflect. I like this philosophy.

Maybe one day I'll be able to have multiple paintings on the go and not feel an urge to finish anything. In reality, there rarely is a rush to finish any of my paintings, except that I'm excited to see what they look like when finished.

Here is my latest demo from a weekend workshop. I wish that you could see in person how luminous this painting is.

Soaking in the Sun - 16"X12"

My next 6-week class with the Kanata Art Club will be about old barns.  Here is the link to the class description:  https://kac1.ca/club-activities/online-classes/danielle-beaulieu-old-barns. I believe that registration opens next Saturday.  In the meantime, you can start looking through your own photos of old barns for something you'd like to paint.

Have a great week

Danielle

Garnier Opera Touch-ups

2/7/2023 9:24:42 AM

When I paint, I always feel like the reference photos presents itself to me in multiple acetates. Some of you will remember acetates from your younger days in school.  I first see the general shapes and paint those.  Then on the next acetate, I see some details and paint those, then more details on the next acetate and so on and so on.

Here's how James Gurney explains it:

"Learning to paint requires developing two different sets of neural pathways. One is the cognitive / perceptual skill of strategic observation, where you learn to see what you need to see at each stage of the process, no more, no less.

The other is a cognitive / perceptual / motor pathway that allows you to plan a move of the hand to pick a brush, lift the right amount of paint of the right color and consistency, and apply it in a way that gets you closer to the interpretation you visualized."

A couple of days ago, I decided to touch up this painting.  It never felt quite finished and now I am happy with it.

Garnier Opera - 28" X 21"

As of tomorrow afternoon, you can see this painting in person on the Promenade Wall in the Shenkman Arts Centre.

The Palais Garnier in Paris, also known as the Garnier Opera, was built rom 1861 to 1875. It was associated with Paris Opera Ballet until 1989.  This is a portion of the wonderful staircase of Palais Garnier in Paris.