Notes on art matters and encouraging others
11/4/2017 4:17:19 PM
To me, good artists are like magicians, they take a blank canvas and transform it into something magical. That’s what I want to be, an artist-magician. Magicians have a lot of tricks under their sleeves and they practice a lot.
I have been experimenting with different tools, surfaces and medium. Trying a little bit of this and a little bit of that, mixing medium like a magic potion. Abracadabra and zazoom! Unexpected things happened. I’m getting some tricks in my bag! Practice, practice and practice! See my process below on a 12"X24" canvas.
First, I did my underpainting using transparent acrylic paint. I love doing my underpainting with acrylic paint because it dries really fast and I never loose my darks! Yay!
Then, I added the oil colors over the acrylic underpainting. For a high flow, I mixed the paint with Liquin.
I wanted this work to stay as abstract as possible. I added a few branches that I scratched off and made a few sparks to show that it's water. I was careful to not cover my initial drips from my underpainting. Voila! La Boheme, oil on canvas, 12"X24"
You may view more of my work at www.moniquecarr.com
Wishing you all a wonderful month of November and a happy Thanksgiving!
With Love,
Monique
7/24/2017 3:31:08 PM
Sailing at Sundown, oil on canvas, 20"X20"
I recently retuned from a two week trip to China totally exhausted and sore for sitting too long in a never ending come back home. It was quite a journey for my husband, daughter and I. One that I will always be grateful for. It gave us a great appreciation for what we have. If you want to see about our trip to China, click HERE.
I did not paint during this trip, and it took me a week to recuperate from it. This said, I did not paint for 3 weeks. When I finally got to my easel, I thought I had forgotten all about painting. It scared me! Since I did not remember about my usual process, I decided to try a new approach. It was fun and I learned new techniques. See my new process below on a 20"X20" canvas.
First, I did a quick wash using Indian Yellow Acrylic paint (I usually do my underpainting with oil so I was experimenting with Acrylics). Then, I builded up with my darks still in Acrylics applying the paint with a 2" rubber 'colour sharper' tool. I used Phthalo Blue, Phthalo Green, Ultramarine Blue, Mars Black, Quinacridone Violet. I sprayed water. I splashed drops of rubbing alcohol. It was fun to watch the textures appearing. I let it dried (2 min.) and applied a coat of Acrylic Gloss Medium Varnish. Another 2 minutes to dry. Underpainting done in 10 minutes and completely dry!
Then, I added the oil colors over the acrylic underpainting. For the medium, I decided to try something new. For a high flow, I mixed the paint with Liquin and, for the thinker paint, I mixed a little bit of wax medium in it. For the tools, I used an extra long handle 1"brush (to help keep my work loose), 1" colour sharper, and a palette knife.
I added the final touches. I was careful to not over do it and keep it simple. My oil painting was dry within 48 hours. I applied a coat of Gamvar varnish to give it an even gloss.
All that to say that it was good to step away and clear my mind of painting for 3 weeks. Why don’t you try to take a break, take a vacation and forget about painting for a while. When you come back, try different materials, new medium, new tools. Paint something crazy just for yourself. Experiment! Who knows, you might discover something that will make your work even better.
Wishing you a wonderful rest of the summer.
With love,
Monique
1/5/2017 5:05:47 PM
I'm excited for what the new year will bring. I've been planning it all out and setting my creative goals.
However, as I was planning my new year, I had this negative little voice in my head that kept nagging “What if…?” I found myself “stuck” creatively; I felt that the well had dried up. (It’s a very scary feeling when your work depends on creativity.) I had to change my mind! I started meditating while listening to soundscapes music every morning for about 30 minutes. My therapy worked! This process invigorated me. How Do You Deal with Creative Blocks? What solutions have worked for you?
See below steps of my new creative inspiration, the Wish Pearl collection.
On this note, I wish that 2017 brings you growth in your journey, joy, and prosperity.
Love y’all,
Monique XXX
PS: Someone asked me about my meditation. Click HERE to get the complete answer.
Wish Pearl #1, Wish Pearl #2, Wish Pearl #3, Acrylic on Canvas, 12"x12" each
