Cold Wax Medium

Day Five

Another day, another painting.

“We only see what we look at. To look is an act of choice.” – John Berger

January 16, 2017

My work from the last two weeks:

: Panel 1 WIP, Jan 14, 2017, Mixed Media on Birch Panel, 11″ X 14″

: Panel 2 WIP, Jan 14, 2017, Mixed Media on Birch Panel, 11″ X 14″

: Panel 3 WIP, Jan 14, 2017, Mixed Media on Birch Panel, 11″ X 14″

Striped Lemon, Jan 14, 2017, Mixed Media on Masonite, 10″ X 8″

The latest in the 6″ X 6″ Circle Composition series:

Circle Composition 13 WIP, Jan 14, 2017, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

And my daily drawing challenge so far:

January 1, 2017

January 2, 2017

Jan 3

January 4, 2017

January 5, 2017

January 6, 2017

January 7, 2017

January 8, 2017

January 9, 2017

January 10, 2017

January 11, 2017

January 12, 2017

January 13, 2017

January 14, 2017

January 15, 2017

When I did my drawing a day project back in July, I decided to use the same medium all month – black drawing pens and a bit of watercolour. I used a small watercolour sketchbook to work in that had 28 pages to which I added 3 more small sheets that I tucked in the back to contain the entire month’s work. I’m carrying both of these ideas over into this new project. I’m using a 2017 Moleskine planner set that consists of 12 small 3.5 x 5 soft cover books. Each has a different colour cover and a page for each day and they can all be contained in a hardcover. The lines on the pages don’t bother me, but the show-through from one page to the next does. So I’m experimenting with gessoing every second spread to avoid that. For the month of January I’ve chosen graphite as my medium. It’s been awhile since I’ve messed with graphite and I’m enjoying it so far. I’m not as fond of the way the graphite responds to the gesso on the pages, but I’m working with it and trying different things – sanding the gesso a little and using harder pencils, or just dispensing with the gesso and accepting whatever show through results. So far it’s going well. Two weeks in, 50 to go.

“To embrace luck, you have to enhance your tolerance for ambiguity.” – Twyla Tharp

December 19, 2016

Circle Composition Six, Dec 17, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6” X 6”

I managed to work on three different pieces this weekend. This one was looking so much like a bullseye that I decided to add the eye.

More Reclaimed Pears, Dec 17, 2016, Mixed Media on Panel, 11” X 14”

Possibly too colourful, but I thought I’d try a different approach and this is where I ended up.

Seven Apples, Dec 17, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 48” X 36”

And I have decided that this is now finished. Unless of course I decide to come back to it at some point. For now though, it’s done.

“The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity.” – Alberto Giacometti

Dec 14, 2016

A couple of things here today as I’m catching up a little on missing the last couple of weeks.

Who By Fire, Dec 3, 2016, Mixed Media on Canvas, 28″ X 28″

And here’s what I was doing Saturday night.

Bellis III, Dec 10, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 28″ X 28″

“There is no learning without having to pose a question. And a question requires doubt.” – Richard Feynman

November 1, 2016

Reclaimed Lemons, Oct 29, 2016, Oil and Acrylic on Canvas, 14″ X 14″

Circle Composition Four WIP, Oct 29, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

Circle Composition Seven WIP, Oct 29, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

Another reclaimed canvas – this time with lemons. Again, not that pleased, but it is what it is. I played a bit more with my 6″ X 6″ canvases too. And I think those went a little better…

“The life so short, the craft so long to learn.” – Geoffrey Chaucer

September 12, 2016

Circle Composition Four WIP, Sep 4, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

Circle Composition Four WIP, Sep 12, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

Circle Composition Five WIP, Sep 4, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

Circle Composition Five WIP, Sep 12, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

Circle Composition Six WIP, Sep 4, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

Circle Composition Six WIP, Sep 12, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

I’ve added another layer to each of these pieces – all being a mix of Paynes Grey and cold wax medium. And these really are about layers. This is all about playing with the cold wax medium and transparency and I am trying not to get attached to anything along the way. The trick is going to be deciding when to stop.

Untitled WIP, Sep 4, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

Untitled WIP, Sep 12, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

When I looked at this one again, it seemed to have lost a lot of it’s brightness and I found it quite dull – so I decided to add a lighter colour and pull out the grid pattern a little more with a bit of Naples Yellow mixed with cold wax medium. And I dulled down a few areas with Paynes Grey mixed with cold wax medium. Looking at it beside last week’s version I’m not sure it’s an improvement. Too late now though. And I still don’t know which way is up (with the painting that is). I think today’s orientation emphasizes the cross that is emerging a little too much. I will try something else with it next week and see what happens.

“No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist.” – Oscar Wilde

September 6, 2016