Mixed Media Landscape Painting

For the past 2 weeks I have been working with mixed media in my art work particularly in my abstract paintings. I have been working with watercolor, soft pastels, charcoal, and prismacolor pencil all on one painting.  For those who are not familiar with the term mixed media it means a  technique involving the use of two or more artistic media, such as ink and pastel or painting and collage, that are combined in a single composition.    I have worked in mixed media before only with watercolor and prismacolor pencil but not in more than two.  I have been getting more comfortable with three or more.

                                                                                                                                                                     

Reference Photo of "Colorful Sky Over Shore

I cropped off the painting with masking tape first. began the painting by mixing watercolor paint on a glass pallete before to lay out my colors.  Next I wet the entire surface with water using a large liner brush. The paper that I used for this painting  was Canson watercolor paper on the smooth side or back side. Then I used a small liner brush in the details of the clouds.  

I continued with most of the painting appling watercolor using a small liner brush to the paper. As you can see in the painting below I also added details and waves to the water and reflection of light.

I continued to add more color to the surface after the paper was dry.  I use a blow drier most of the time when I paint for a quicker process.

Here is the final image of the painting 11x13cm done with watercolor, soft pastels and charcoal.

Watercolor Portrait and Process

Watercolor Portrait

Ever since I was very young in age, I have always had an interest in drawing portraits.  I have been drawing portraits for many years now.  However, it was not until last year that I did my very first watercolor portrait and the previous year I started working with watercolor media.  After a few pictures produced in watercolor from landscapes to still lifes, I wanted to test my skills in working in watercolor doing a portrait.  This is my third time in producing a watercolor portrait. 

Here are the colors used and mixed in the process.

The color were mixed with a liner brush and water.

The picture was drawn with a 4H pencil very lightly.

Lighter tones are layed down at the beginning.

Additional colors are added to the portrait.

Next other aspects of the portrait are added in with tones.

Hair is added to complete the portrait alone with signature and copyright.  

Thank you for coming to and viewing my blog.  If you have any questions or would like to contact me please contact me at deeweaver15@gmail.com. 

Charcoal and Graphite Still Life Drawing

Martini Glass and Vase Still Life

Step 1 Crop off paper with masking tape

Step 2 Take the side of charcoal stick and rub all over the surface of paper.

Step 3 Use a chamois cloth by rubbing the charcoal into the paper till you get a light gray tone.

Step 4 This step is optional. I used a homemade view finder which I made to capture the vertical, 

            horizontal and diagnal lines to gauge the proportions.

Step 5  I used a pencil to gauge the width and vertical of the still life objects. I fully extended my arm with a pencil in hand and then closing one eye.  Afterward transfer measurements on to paper.

Step 6  I began connecting the measured widths, verticals and angles of the still life using a H4 pencil.
         

Step 7 Next began to add tone texture and contrast using a vine charcoal stick. In this photo I was adding detail and laying out shadows in the background.  I also used a skewer to extend the short charcoal with masking tape.

Step 8 I used a charcoal pencil 4B to add darker values and defined the details.  I also used a blending stick as in the photo in my hand. I used it to rub the charcoal into the surface of the paper.

Final Results

Still Life Painting in Acylic

 Apple and Pitcher Still Life Painting

  

One Sunday afternoon this past summer I set up this still life of a apple and pitcher.  I had the purpose in mind to start do a painting of a still life.  I had been doing a few drawing of still lifes but this time I wanted to paint one instead.  When I set up most of my still lifes I use a dark back ground. I love the use of values and tones with the use of reflected light on the subjects.

Step 1 The Underpainting 

For the first step I began with a underpainting in a water down acrylic brown with a filbert brush.

I normally began with a drawing but in the case I chose not to. When I start my realistic paintings I use a filbert brush.  I just lay in the dark tones and block in the lighter values with a more watered down brown color.

Step 2 Adding Color 

Next I added color to the subject in the picture, this happened after I mixed the desired colors that were needed.  When I darken my colors I use blue or brown and sometimes I use black.  In this case, I took acylic red and darkened the tone with some blue.  When it came time for me to lighten the color I just used white.

Adding Color Continues

I repeated the same process with the blue sheet in the fact that I lighten with white and darkened it with black or brown.  I was still using the filbert brush during this stage of the painting.  However when it was time for me to paint the edges I used a flat brush and a liner brush to create a straight edge.

Finished Work

Landscape of Field in Soft Pastel

Landscape Field with Tree Line in Soft Pastel

I took a picture of a field and drew it out in charcoal and later I added soft pastel to it.  I used vine charcoal and charcoal pencil.  The size of the picture is 4x5 inches.

Landscape Oil Painting of Swamp

 Reference Photo of Swamp Landscape

I was out one weekend in April and took this photo because I was looking for more reference material for a painting. I like this photo because of the time of the day there is some contrast with the lights and darks in the image.  I also like it do to the altocumulus  cloud in the sky.

Step 1 Underpainting of Swamp done in acrylic paint

I used some masking tape to crop the picture so that I would have a nice clean edge although later I place a matted frame around the piece after it was completed.  By doing this it gives me a boundry for the dimensions for the inside dimensions of the matted frame.  I used brown acrylic paint to work in the underpainting.  Sometime I draw out the image like a rough sketch just to capture the subject matter to be painted.  The purpose for the underpainting is to provide a blueprint for where the tones and value are located, mainly dark values and light values. 

Step 2 Add color to underpainting  with oil paint for the sky and water.

Now at this stage I started to add the oil paint by mixing light blue and white.

Step 3 Continue to add oil paint to the picture but now to the trees and foreground

As you can see from the photo my work enviroment is quite crowded.  Most artist work from quite crowed conditions.  I normally paint from my easel, but on this occasion I wanted to paint from a table.  There are occassions in which I use a table.  I do some of my drawings from a table and I my watercolor paintings from a table. 

 Finished oil painting of the swamp

Here is the finished piece signed 5x7 in oil painting. 

Oil Painting of Spring Creek

Spring Creek Oil Painting Process

Reference Photo of Spring Creek

Charcoal Drawing of Spring Creek Step 1

Acrylic Underpainting Step 2

Adding Color to Underpainting  Final Step 3

Completed Painting of Spring Creek 14x14 cm