Studio Tip for October

In this economy I'm always thinking about ways to save, so recently I started saving my "grays".

At the end of a painting session, there's always paint on the palette. But my leftover paints were never of sufficient quantity to warrant mixing them into grays and filling empty tubes. I worried about ending up with lots of tubes that would be filled with small quantities of mystery colors.

But I also hated throwing away perfectly good paint, or worse, trying to use it in the next painting when the colors weren't appropriate.
My solution is this:

• I mix together the remaining paint on the palette and add a few drops of clove oil. Clove oil retards the drying of paint, and smells great. You can also use linseed oil, walnut oil - whatever you prefer. Just don't put in too much oil.
  

• I then scoop this blob of paint into a plastic food container with a snap on lid. I recently noticed that you can find very small containers in the grocery store. Or you can recycle what you have on hand. Just wash thoroughly first and keep the lids/lips clean.

Now when I begin a painting session I can easily add these grays to my palette. I can pick and choose warmer or cooler mixtures just by looking into the containers.

Studio Lighting part Deux

Last fall I was so happy that I'd found a lighting solution for my studio. Ah...right. This was then.


And this is now. I figure I lose one light every three months. This is not your simple light bulb burning out. No, it doesn't matter how many times I replace the bulbs, how I work them in the sockets to get contact. I figure at the rate of failure I have six months left before I am totally in the dark...heh...some might say I'm already there.

In the mean time I have found this lamp that looks like a reject from the 60's. I call it the octopus. Actually it's very functional, and it was a lot less money than the fancy ceiling fixture.

March Studio Tip

This month's studio tip has to do with cleaning your brushes - those used for oil painting. I would not recommend this for watercolor brushes.

If you paint in oils you know one of the worst end-of-day jobs is cleaning your brushes. I read about this tip on another blog - I wish I could remember which one, now, so I could give credit. But it works, I've been using it for several months now quite successfully.

Take a bar of natural handmade soap or Ivory soap and put it in an old mason jar. Fill with just enough water to come half way up on the bar of soap. As the soap softens it turns into a gross looking goo but it still works. After a cursory cleaning in oderless mineral spirits I put the brushes into this soap and water mixture. I've - gasp - even left them soaking for several days. I won't admit to anything over a week here. I might scrub the bristles over the soap a bit and then rinse in running water and - presto. They are clean and even those with dried in gunk come out in much better shape. I think it might have something to do with the lanolin that is still in handmade or natural soaps and removed by chemicals in the commercial soaps. The lanolin conditions the bristles - at least that's my theory. Anyway, it works better than anything I've tried to date, is cheaper than most commercial products, and uses up all those hundreds of bars of homemade soap I've received as gifts over the years.

Hey, not that I don't love those soaps or the fact that you thoughtfully gave me a gift...

Fixing the Wobbly Easel Problem

If you have one of these A-Frame studio easels you are also probably familiar with the tendency for the easel tray/support to wobble when you are painting. For years I tried all kinds of fixes, putting in way too much thought and creativity into something that continued to frustrate me. And then came an idea so easy a caveman could have thought of it: I used wood shims. Now it's easy to adjust my height and get a stable work support each time. Duh...

Studio Tip for the New Year - New Palette

For years I had been working on a 12 x 16 glass palette. It fit nicely in my work area and I had an old cookie sheet that I inverted over the wet paint to retard drying. Then I discovered a large piece of glass packed in with some old sketches and decided - why not? It's 18 x 28 (probably came from an old watercolor). I cut a piece of medium gray mat board to size and taped the glass and mat together with painter's tape. I could not believe the difference this made. I was so afraid it was too large and I would hate it - but quite the opposite.

Studio Lights

new fixture replacing old florescent

My studio is in a spare bedroom in my house - a common situation for many painters - and the standard ceiling lighting is inadequate. A few years ago I replaced the ceiling fixture with a florescent fixture, which flooded the room with bright light but made it difficult to accurately judge color. I added a fixture above the west-facing window and used a floor lamp in one corner, but these fixes still did not give me the lighting I desired.

A month ago I decided to research studio lighting and discovered that many experts suggest a variety of lighting sources and types. I've included links to some of those sites at the end of this post. I understood the obstacles to lighting that I had: West and North facing windows, a ceiling fixture, a room about 11 x 11, and not wanting a major lighting project that would make it difficult to convert the space back into a bedroom if the need arose.

The research I did led me to conclude that I needed multiple light sources that I could control, a way to avoid glare and, conversely, shadows by diffusing the light. I needed task lighting that I could direct down on my work space, and I needed lighting that could work for me both in daylight and at night.

I ended up with a compromise in what I could do. First, I replaced the ceiling florescent fixture with one from the home improvement store that allows me to direct the light. This fixture uses 50 watt GU10 bulbs and the light does have a yellow cast.


Using this light alone I can create a wash of light on the wall and my easel.

But I needed a way to countermand the cast shadows created by this light source. I decided to use floor lamps that direct the light upward to wash across the ceiling. These lights are slightly more blue/white.
One lamp in one corner, another lamp in the opposite corner. The newer lamp uses a 3-way natural light bulb, I'm not sure what is in the other lamp. Above the window I have an adjustable fixture, plus a clamp on light with a GE 50 watt Reveal daylight bulb

I use another clamp on light with a 50 watt Reveal bulb to light my palette and control cast shadows. I also use an Ott Lite above the easel.

While not the ideal if I were planning my dream studio, I find this assortment of lighting sources to be far more flexible than the single wash of light from the florescent fixture. I can control the light and direct it where I want, or increase or decrease the illumination, and it was quite affordable. I would eventually like to purchase a floor stand and a solux light bulb, too.

The above photos were taken at night, with each source "on it's own" - but with all the lights the working environment is comfortable. During the day, when I do most of my work, the ambient light is brighter, more neutral, and yet with all the flexibility I desired.

Useful Links:

An Artists Network PDF on Studio Lighting

A Blog Post From Pastel Artist Daniel Wise

Utrecht Art Fixtures

Solux Fixtures

More from the Copper Leaf Paintings

Ancestor Series
oil on copper leaf on panel
6x6
@2009

I was asked to share more information on my process with these copper leaf paintings. I may have talked about it before, but here is the information again.

I stumbled on this idea a few years ago. I was creating paintings on 3" deep canvases and was unhappy with the way the painted sides looked. I had some copper leaf I'd purchased but never used. So I applied it to the canvases, and now, 3 years later, the sides look as great as when I did them, so I'm confident as to what I'm doing.

Now I start with a gessoed panel. I brush on GAC (an acrylic product) in small areas and then lift and apply small pieces of the copper leaf, available commercially in craft stores. It comes in thin sheets and can be a little frustrating to apply. I either tear or cut small pieces between 1 and 2 inches and gently lay them on the GAC, brushing into place. You will end up with a less than smooth surface, but these wrinkles are what I want for my surface. When the entire panel is covered, I brush it again with a thin, even coat of the GAC and allow to dry.

Next, I use burnt umber acrylic paint and a thick paper towel. I put a bit of thinned paint right onto the paper towel, and using my finger, rub it across the surface. The acrylic paint also lets the oil paint bond to the surface of the copper leaf. When the acrylic layer is dry, the panel is ready to be painted.

I sketch in the "landmarks" for my faces with charcoal, and I use a limited palette of colors. I've also created still life paintings using this process. The copper works with you or against when it comes to values, but if you think of it as a mid-value range and push a lot darker and a lot lighter, it's fine. The small size of the panels I'm using right now means I can finish a painting in about 2 hours - if the faces come. They aren't always cooperative.

When I am happy with the oil painting, I allow that to dry and then coat the entire surface with galkyd. This prevents the copper from tarnishing, although there is no guarantee that some areas won't react to all the materials applied. I have panels I painted more than 3 years ago, where I embedded copper leaf in galkyd. Some copper turned dark, but most of it is as bright as it was when I used it.

Keep in mind that the surface is rough, so fine detail is hard to achieve. I use the beautiful warm color of the copper as a value.

SOLD

This is the painting I donated to the NAWA fundraiser. I went back in and added detail to her eyes with one of my smallest brushes, and I'm pleased with the result. I hope it sells.

Studio Tip for April

home-made brush washer

I'm probably the only person I know who can get excited about punching holes in the bottom of an empty butter tub, but I've always wanted a brush washer and finally made my own.

I use an empty coffee can for OMS to clean my brushes. The gunk in the bottom adds up and it was always hard for me to get the bristles really clean. So, being the *thrifty* artist I am (meaning I prefer to put my money into really good paints and canvases) I was quite happy when I came up with this idea. The best part - it works!

Take one empty, large butter container. Punch holes in the bottom. Take a utility knife and cut the /\ slots. Fold those pieces up - they are perfect for sliding between the bristles of your brushes for a good cleaning. Put the container upside down in your turp can. Works like a charm. When the turps get too dirty, I pour them off into decanting jars and clean out the sludge for disposal. With my decanting jars, I let the remaining solids settle out of the liquid, then pour off the clear part into a second jar. If necessary, I repeat this process two or three times before the liquid is clean enough to use again in my brush washer.

Note: I have been learning more about wiping my brushes rather than swishing them, and using one brush for each color/value. I've read where other artists are using baby oil for cleaning and then washing with dish washing soap. There are many ways to care for your brushes and I have noticed I rely less and less on the OMS to clean between color changes. The additional tip about cleaning with baby oil (which I do use to clean paint from my skin) is to dip the brush into the oil, then push it down on the palette several times, working the excess paint out of the brush.

Please share your own tips on what works best for you.

Building Painting Supports from Scratch

Building Painting Supports from Scratch

Prepared panel, linen, and brayer.

This week I have been building my own painting supports. I am working on two versions: linen on hardboard panel, and stretched linen (as well as cotton canvas) on wooden stretchers. The process is sort of like making cookies at Christmas - you get out a huge bowl, a dozen cookie sheets, and don't stop until they're all done.

I started with the panels I ordered from Ampersand. I followed the recommendation found on their website and coated both sides as well as the edges with GAC100. When that was dry, I was ready to mix the glue. I precut my linen, and followed the instructions on the package of rabbit skin glue from Utrecht.

Here is the glue in an old Tupperware container, and my first attempt at attaching the linen to the panel.

It gradually became apparent that the glue was not holding. This may have been because I either mis-measured the granules and/or the water, or the water was too hot. I was following the instructions provided with the package, which were slightly different from instructions I've read from other sources.

So, I went back to Ampersand's instructions. They recommended attaching the linen using a slightly thinned acrylic gel medium. This worked well - except that I discovered I'd cut the linen too small if I wanted to fold over the edges. Back to the drawing board.

Here I am working on a larger panel. Plenty of overhang here. After smoothing out the linen using my Speedball brayer, I flipped the board and worked on the corners.





This took some careful folding, and after I finished I put the panel into a frame to make sure the corners would fit. Those that were too bulky were refolded. I decided to fold over the linen instead of cutting it flush to the edge because, for me, the corners are most prone to damage, loosening canvas, or breaking.




This is one of the stretched canvases with the rabbit skin glue on half of it.


After 24 hours, I lightly sanded the surfaces and got ready to the second application of glue.

I noticed that on one panel, the linen hadn't completely adhered, and I was a little concerned with the outcome. So I was particularly careful as I mixed the glue - in a smaller batch because I certainly hadn't needed the amount that I mixed on the first day. I cut the recipe in half and allowed the water to cool a little longer before adding the granules. That worked. After the second application of glue dried, everything was tight as a drum.

If you are stretching linen, staple it loosely to the stretchers. Do not fold in the corners yet, but staple close enough to keep the linen in place. Lightly spritz with water and wipe gently with a damp sponge. The linen will tighten up nicely. The glue makes it tighten further, which is why you don't want to start as tight as you think. It's the same for the cotton canvas, although the canvas- while wet - appeared to sag more than the linen, but again, when everything was dry, both the canvas and the linen are tight enough to work on.

Remember, leave the corners loose at this point. You will be putting on the oil ground next and want to coat everything before folding the corners.

Today I applied the first layer of the oil painting ground from Utrecht. Here is the step-down knife I ordered. The idea is to apply a thin layer to fill in the spaces between the fibers. You can also use a brush for this - which I did eventually reach for when doing the edges. My eventual technique involved brushing on the mixture, then scraping it back with the step-down knife.



I mixed the painting ground with odorless mineral spirits according to the instructions. I used a glass plate, and after I finished, I was able to scrape the excess back into the can to use another day.





The tools. You can see the thinner areas - brushed on, the thicker areas, using the knife, sort of like frosting a cake but very, very thinly.






I also dug out a little squeegee that worked very well to scrape back the surface. The goal is to prevent any ridges from forming - from brush marks, or your spreading tools. From my research, the goal is two thin coats instead of one thick coat.

I will be adding the second coat within 48 hours, then letting the panels and canvases cure for 3 weeks.

I won't know until then how I like this painting surface, but I definitely enjoyed the process. I have always liked exploring the materials and processes used in creating art, from start to finish. It seems to connect me to the traditions that have existed through the centuries. No, I'm sure I won't give up my favorite oil primed canvases and panels, but if this is an affordable alternative, then I will continue to make my own.

Studio Tip for March

I missed posting a studio tip for February, so you get double the tips today.

Do you ever buy those small, individual servings of applesauce or fruit for your kids or yourself? I save the little plastic cup afterward, wash it thoroughly, and use it in my studio. It's perfect to hold small amounts of medium, odorless thinner, or, if you work in watermedia or collage, things like your GAC or clean water. After a while it's time to pitch them, but if you clean the cup after using it by wiping out with a paper towel, these little things last a long time. Yogurt cups work as well, but are a little too deep for what I do, so I generally recycle them.

Here are some of my favorite oil painting surfaces right now:

• Raphael Premium Archival Oil Primed Linen Panels, very sturdy, beautiful painting surface particularly for thick paint and palette knife work.

• Masterpiece Vincent Masterwrap stretched canvas. This is an oil primed linen canvas, with a surface that I absolutely love. There is virtually no brush drag. The paint sits on the surface and the colors retain their intensity, rather than sinking into the gesso.
  

• Pintura Cotton Medium Grain , double primed good for oils, acrylics, and gouache. This is also a beautiful surface, and not as high end as the Vincent Masterwrap. I like that there are brass tacks holding the canvas along the sides of the stretchers, with a few staples on the reverse, plus wooden keys already inserted. There's a wonder mystique about this canvas that I really enjoy.
  

I would like to try Charvin's stretched linen canvases, and Raphael's stretched linen in the future. Of course I do love Ampersand's gessobord panels, although their recommended method of attaching the cradled panels doesn't seem to work for me. I will be picking up two large assemblages next week because there seems to be either shrinking or - over time - torque has created some gaps. I will need to come up with a framing solution and I'm working on that.

I also just ordered some materials recommended by a fellow artist - far more accomplished than I - Margret Short...some canvas scrapers, a priming knife, Rabbit Skin glue and Utrecht oil priming material. This is the first time I've ordered from Utrecht, so I'm curious to try out their products. I also ordered some hardboard flats. I have several yards of fine linen which I was going to stretch onto a rather large set of stretchers. I've since decided not to do that, and instead try my hand at adhering linen to a hardboard surface, which I think would not only be fun to do but also open the door for more options regarding my painting surfaces. I've discovered many good instructional sites regarding how to do this, so I will keep you informed of my success...or failures...I guess rabbit skin glue can be a little tricky, but I'm optimistic about the process.

Pear and Roses

Collected
"Pear and Roses"
6 x 6
oil on Panel
@ Sue Smith 2009

I go through cycles - there is the thinking cycle where I spend most of my time doing "busy" work and otherwise distracting myself from the actual work of painting. Then there's the "preparing" part where I start to get motivated and gather together new subjects to paint. And then the actual "painting" part of the cycle. For the past week or so I've been caught up in the painting part and hadn't really wanted to stop long enough to photograph anything to post to this blog. Sorry :.(

But this is a funny story, here, so I'm happy that you're still reading along. My husband had asked me the other day what paintings were selling the best, and I said "Pears and Roses." So he pointed at this little painting drying on the table with that look, "Covering your bases?"

Duh...yes, even though the colors and shapes DO look good together, better than the tangerines and roses, which was another "base covering" idea...hey, when they want chocolate you're wise to give them chocolate and not offer broccoli instead, as the marketing guru's would say.

So my question is...does this count as a "formula" painting? Because according to all the uproar a few months ago over on Ancient Artist, formula paintings are "A Fate Worse Than Death!"

Still...I think it's a pretty little painting. I've found that for me and the way my eye/hand works best, with flowers I will paint the value form first, checking with my hand mirror to make sure it reads the way I intended, and finish with a few gestural strokes using a small palette knife. The key for me is not to think about it too deeply, just "draw" with color, one or two quick marks, following the direction that the paint gives. If I try to be too exact and purposeful with this step I ruin it.

When this is dry, it's destined for ebay. Wish me luck.

Tangerines

"Tangerines"
5 x 7, oil on panel
Collected

This is another of the Daily Paintings that I posted to eBay. I was thrilled when someone bought it immediately.

Several months ago I bought one of those three tiered wire carts from the Big Box Hardware/Everything stores - when I was on an organizing kick and trying to be space efficient. The cart is on casters, which makes it easy to move around. I keep all my paints and supplies on the lower shelves - and it works great for this.

Once I decided to paint still lives, I realized I needed more space again. The cart came to my rescue... I moved my palette to the table in front of the easel and set up my still life arrangements on the top. This cart is high enough that I can place something at slightly below eye level, as in the painting above, and also stack up a box and an old painting panel to lift the arrangement up to eye level. For lights I sometimes use a cheap, goose neck desk lamp with a 60 watt bulb. Low tech to be sure, but it works.

Studio Tip for January

Keeping my studio neat and clean is always a challenge: there are aspects of painting that just demand mess, and I'd rather spend most of my time messing around in the stuff than cleaning it up.

But there are some useful strategies that I use consistently.



Here is an image of my painting set-up - and no, it isn't really slanted, I'm just photo challenged at times. I recently arranged my easel and palette in this configuration because, well, I think I saw where some really famous artist painted this way so I thought if I did, too, some of the creative talent would rub off...I digress....

I decided to try painting with my palette in front of me and between my body and my easel. I have a tendency to get too close to my painting surface and not step back enough, so I logically concluded that by putting a barrier here that would cure me.

I actually like the set-up now that I'm used to it. I discovered that with my still life setups, I am able to maintain proper perspective instead of looking from one position and then trying to paint and compare from another position. Maybe Cezanne would have sympathy for this predicament.

My studio tip, though, has nothing to do with all the above. I'm just feeling chatty today and writing about perfectly inane things.

There's the tip, actually two tips:

to cover my black table (seen here beneath my palette) I use adhesive, clear shelf paper. I pull it off when the surface gets too grungy and put on a fresh piece. Sometimes the left-over adhesive - from when I pull the old piece off -- remains on the surface but I clean that off with some Simple Green and careful use of a razor blade. I really don't know if it matters whether you use clear or solid shelf paper, I just like the black table to show through because it helps me with values.

On my watercolor tables (which I use for flat work) I cover them with freezer paper, shiny side face up, taped down. I use the clear packing tape because artist's blue tape doesn't hold very well on the shiny surface, and I like this side up because it cleans easily and keeps stuff from sinking in to the paper. Then whenever I want a clean workspace, I replace my papers.

Studio Tip for December

Don't you just hate putting gesso on raw canvas? Well, here's a tip that really works for me.

I started using a 3 inch foam rubber roller. It comes in a kit that includes a tiny plastic tray that doubles as a storage container. You'll find it in the house painting section of your local home improvement store - the one I found is made by Rubbermaid but there may be other brands available.

After putting a small quantity of gesso into the tray, I roll it on the canvas or board. It's so quick you'll actually enjoy the chore, and the best part is that you get very even coverage without the annoying brush marks -- unless you want brush marks, that is. I usually do two or three thin coats, alternating the direction each time. Then, if I want more texture, I'll use a gesso brush for the last layer.

Clean up is easy, the roller lasts a long time, and replacement foam is available.

I can tell you, this really saves my shoulder when preparing a large canvas.

One warning, though -- this method splatters gesso around, mostly on your hands and arms, so be sure you protect any surfaces that are in the line of fire. Those little dried specks of gesso are a real bear to clean up...

Studio Tip for November

November is the month for "In with the new, out with the old" and my studio is no exception. I spent several days giving my workspace a makeover, due in part to the photographer who would be coming to photograph the artist in her native environment. When the "native environment" looks more like a pack rat's nest than a working studio, well, some serious work needed to be done.

I generally prefer to work and live in an orderly and esthetically pleasing environment. Chaos leaves me feeling unsettled, but often things get away from me and I am legendary for my "stacking" abilities. Does this happen to you, too? It was a lot of work, but I put in place several ideas to keep me organized and I wanted to share the best ones here.

• Remove everything that you don't use regularly. For me, this included watercolor and acrylic supplies, books, my hand tools (sander and drill), photo lights, and other odds and ends. Find some other place to store these items: shelves in the garage, donations, etc.

• I found some decorative boxes which I filled with the small items that always get lost, and stacked them on my shelf unit. I labeled the sides so I could find things easily, but the labels would not detract from the "pretty boxes" which I enjoy.

• I bought old fashioned, heavy bookends and organized my books on several shelves according to their topics: general information, specific techniques, etc. This keeps each section manageable so that I'm not hunting for an extra 30 minutes for that one specific book.

• I brought in an pretty patterned area rug and threw it down on top of the "ugly utility rugs" I was using.
  

• I rediscovered the wire shoe racks I'd used when I had my larger studio. I'd left them in the garage when I moved everything home. I had been using these wire racks on edge as a drying rack for wet canvas and really missed the convenience. I realized after cleaning out the stacks of stuff beneath my watercolor tables that these racks would fit perfectly.
  

I store not only wet canvases here, but also the empty panels under the table, and I use another set as a two tiered flat drying rack on top of the table - easy to remove if I need the working space. For the racks set on edge, the wire "ends" keep your wet canvas off the floor (or rug). This is an inexpensive and easy solution to those storage issues in the small home studio.


But the best thing about cleaning my studio was that it gave me a renewed sense of optimism, of starting fresh again and knowing so much more than I did before. It was as if I had swept all the negativity about the economy and the future of the art world out with the old magazines and dried up paints.

If you have tips of your own, please share them in the comments section.

Tips from my Studio

Here is another tip I recently discovered.

In cleaning up after several days of painting, I discovered that Mr. Clean's magic sponge makes it easy to get my palette knives back to shiny new and works well on the dried gunk that ends up around my brush cleaning jar and the edges of my palette. I use a razor blade scraper and "Simple Green" spray cleaner on the palette itself, then wipe clean with paper towels. The Magic Sponge works nicely if you get a bit of oil paint on your hand, too, although repeated scrubbing does tend to chap the skin, so if you have a lot of paint to remove, use baby oil and then soap. (Usually I wear latex gloves to paint, but sometimes I get lazy, or I pick up a dirty rag or paper towel. And my brush handles have been known to get messy, too.)

Always be sure you have plenty of ventilation in your studio. I have a box fan in one window that I use to exhaust the air, and another in a different window that sucks in fresh air. I also have an air purifier but I know that eventually I will have to upgrade to one of the ones made specifically for artists. At least the air quality is better than that I experienced in art school.