Following last week’s setbacks, it was hard to tell how close these paintings were to completion. A few more steps on each, and I called them done.
I’m linking up to Nina Marie Sayer’s Off the Wall Friday here. I am ready to check it out for my weekly inspiration!
After the steamer disaster, I had to rework details on my three Winter Tree Series. Back came the Magic Sizing- and I drew in details in faded and blurred areas. Then steamed again…
Next, back came the stencils! At this point, they were pretty soggy, but I did my best. Also, I tried to keep pace with two other paintings, also at the stencil stage- so I did a lot of paper cutting. For one area, I wanted a soft misty effect. I tried to use cotton balls, pulled apart until wispy, to mask an area. And- it worked! 
I’ve used this steamer for years- it is coated in teflon, and the inside bottom is scratched and therefore compromised, so I took it from kitchen use and devoted it to studio use. However, if you let teflon pans boil dry they can release a toxic fume. Well, I let this one boil dry- it did smell TERRIBLE and I think it made some smoke. I quickly aired out the house, but decided then and there to get another steamer.
Here’s the new one! But- I found it doesn’t work as easily as my old one! And… found out the hard way…
After steaming my three Winter Tree Series paintings , I found that I had areas that washed out, faded areas, fugitive dyes,and dye transfers. Wow. I rarely had any of these problems before.
I think that the new steamer has more problems with condensation- and also the lighter inside of the pot may not keep the environment as hot. I’m working now to save these paintings…
Drawings in my sketchbook spurred me to a new series in process now. Working on silk coated with Magic Sizing, and using a brush with very little dye, I can work with a linear quality I usually find in my pencil drawings. 
After steam setting this drawing, I can rinse out the Magic Sizing and start on the next layer. I’ll be adding some color, so I will need to preserve the tree outlines with my water resistant gutta. 
After the gutta dries, I can add color. 
After adding my silk dye, I tried to add a bit of texture with some salt, with little result on this painting. My next stage will be some shadowing on the trees. This painting is looking a bit underfinished to me, but I do like the direction it is heading.
Posted in Working in a Series
Tagged hand dyeing, silk painting technique, Winter Tree Series
What is more enjoyable than being outdoors on a beautiful day sketchbook in hand? Sketching in my garden last summer proved to be very motivating. I enjoyed the process, and felt that some of the work I did had enough creative energy to fuel a number of paintings. Here’s the sketch that fueled my creative path this fall…
Here are some of the paintings produced this fall, inspired my my sketch…
I found working in a series a challenge, and I did love it. The down side seemed to be that some paintings lost spontaneity. Honestly, I would say that is the case with the one above!
This one turned out better, I think!
The up side seemed to be the link I felt between my drawing skill and what is showing up in my finished paintings is getting stronger. I recognize my joy in linear play, and as I became more familiar with the shapes I had created, I strengthened them a bit as I went along.
In this one, I tried to retain the sketch feeling…
I never felt like I had the “final say” with any of these paintings, or captured quite what I had imagined. Still, one summer sketch occupied most of my creative output this fall. I still feel there is lot of learning to do from these paintings before I put this series totally behind me. I’d love to hear from others working in a series- the pittfalls, the upsides, and all.
Posted in Creative Process, Working in a Series
Tagged Lillies, silk paintings, sketching, textiles, Working in a series
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