White Wing

White Wing

This is my first 2016 painting. I named it White Wing because it reminds me of when my father used to take me with him to shoot white wing dove in the Southern California desert. And, that's about all there is to say about that!

©Kinsey Barnard

A Very Primitive, Primitive Painting

Over the weekend I continued watching painting videos. I discovered a fellow by the name of Ric Nagualero. He has a series of videos. I watched the one on painting clouds and the one on painting trees. If you are interested you can check them out in my Video Library. It's very interesting to me how each artist has his unique way of doing things. Nagualero, for instance, mixes his washes right on the canvas by spritzing the canvas. I liked the idea of this method.

After watching the how to paint clouds video I was anxious to try mixing the wash on the canvas. I liked it.  But, I fear I must graduate myself to a canvas panel as the canvas paper I have been using really curls with so much moisture being applied. Painting on a panel is going to be a real treat!

I also wanted to try my hand at some clouds. In all the teaching videos I have watched the instructors have painted from a photo. I prefer to paint right out of my head. All I knew when I began was I wanted to paint some clouds what I ended up with was my rendition of a primitive painting, a very primitive painting.

My First Primitive Painting

I realize this is truly a "primitive" painting by the literal definition of the word. Thank heavens this painting project is all about having fun. Looking at it now there are a number of things I would do differently. But, the truth is, I actually like it. It's frivolous and colorful. The very qualities I admire so much in the genre.

Regarding the subject of on line videos. I must say there is a ton of free and useful information out there. I have purchased a couple of Craftsy videos but I doubt I'll buy anymore. I have learned more about the things I'm looking for on You Tube.

©Kinsey Barnard

 For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the primitive style of painting click on this Google search to see a potpourri of lovely examples.

https://www.google.com/search?q=primitive+painting+style&tbm=isch&imgil=k0vZBUDcBQQOlM%253A%253BsI5HqW4B1t9O-M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fbobferrucciart.com%25252Ftwilight&source=iu&pf=m&fir=k0vZBUDcBQQOlM%253A%252CsI5HqW4B1t9O-M%252C_&biw=1600&bih=689&usg=__-r9aoG0ot6tT3ksMRMgk45LCZuk%3D&ved=0ahUKEwj2x-r-8LrJAhVBS4gKHYaNCvsQyjcITA&ei=EbBdVrb7LMGWoQSGm6rYDw#imgrc=k0vZBUDcBQQOlM%3A&usg=__-r9aoG0ot6tT3ksMRMgk45LCZuk%3D

Ready to Paint

I received my supplies from Amazon yesterday. Got my work space set up this morning.

Workspace

I like this little easel. It allows me to sit whereas if I tried to work straight off the table top I would have to stand. Standing for long periods gives my back fits. As I had hoped the little drawer is a good place to store small  paint tubes.


I tried to do a wash on canvas paper. I used Phthalocyanine (crikey I can't even pronounce that one) for my color. In my lexicon this color shall henceforeth known as Navy Blue. When it dried the color was barely perceptible. Not at all what I was expecting. The canvas paper curled on me.  Then I tried the Cerulean Blue and got more color but uneven coverage because the paint pulled and I tried to paint over it. I tried to use equal measures of water and paint for both tests.

Cerulean Blue was. The white spots are what I call pulled. There were great globs of in the body.

Uneven blotchy wash

I thought putting a wash on the canvas was going to be the easiest part and maybe it is. Heaven help me. The dried wash looked nothing like the color of the paint. More experimentation is in order here for sure. The nicest color I got was in my brush wash jar!

©Kinsey Barnard

Enquiries to Purchase My Paintings

I had to laugh. I got an unsolicited enquiry to purchase my paintings this morning.

It was no doubt some type of phising expedition but I couldn't help but to think "Wow, selling photographs was never so easy."

My supplies should start arriving tomorrow. I am anxious and terrified to begin. The fact that I am scared I see as a good sign I can't loose with this project. Clearly, if I feel this way there must be remnants of the fear of failure lurking within my psyche. At 67 it's probably time to rid myself of such nonsense once an for all. I thought I had but it seems not.

©Kinsey Barnard

Amazon Let's Me Down

Well, heck!! Amazon let me down. Usually, buying things from Amazon is as easy as falling off a log. It must have happened because I was so anxious to get my starter kit and get painting. Without going into all the gory details they sent the order to the wrong address, eighty miles away. The package may or may not be forwarded to me and heaven only knows how long it will take.

My mother always told me "Every cloud has a silver lining" and she was right. When I look back over my life at points in time when I thought things had gone oh so wrong I can see so many good things that came of my misadventures.

A botched Amazon order is a trivial thing to be sure but annoying nonetheless. Whilst I was trying to figure out how to deal with it I decided to change the whole plan. Instead of getting the kit I put together items I thought I would serve me better. In the process I decided to try Amazon's Prime 30 day free trial which means the new order will arrive before the original order would have but with added benefits. Free Prime music. Free Prime videos. Amazon has Downton Abbey which I have heard so much about but never been able to see. I liked it so much I watched four straight episodes last night. I wouldn't be surprised if I continue with Prime.

I should be getting my self designed kit by Friday the 20th. I'm beginning to feel like those guy we used to laugh at. The ones who went to Abercrombie and Fitch and bot all the latest fishing gear and attire and never got their line wet.

Meanwhile, Molly and I took a walk in Whitefish this afternoon. It has been unseasonably warm here in northwest Montana. We came upon these lawn ornaments that I think are just lovely. I really like this person's idea of art, so imaginative and creative. I'm also quite fond of the subject matter.

©Kinsey Barnard

Gathering My Painters Tools - Finding the Right Easel

Whereas I may be cavalier about following other peoples ideas about creating my art form I am very much attuned to the importance of learning as much as you can about the proper tools to create your art. My mother used to say "A worker is as good as his tools".  I believe that to be true. Choosing the right tools is most important. In my search for the right tools I am finding I spend the most time looking on line at Dick Blick, Jerry's Artarama and Amazon. I'm sure I will discover others as I move along.

I'm trying to figure out what easel to purchase. I figured I needed one of those to even begin. What are you going to do? Nail a blank canvas to the wall? (I thought I was being cute when I said that but have since found a forum where a guy actually suggested just it!)

For heaven's sake who would have thought choosing an easel would be such a show stopper. I'm already stumped. There are so many variables to consider. Right off the bat you need to consider what size canvases you want to work with. Well, how the devil should I know? I'm thinking I would start smaller and see where I end up. If and when bigger feels better I'll go bigger.
 
I've narrowed the easels down to two styles, the A-Frame and the H-Frame. The H-Frame seems the more sturdy and versatile choice. You can spend a couple of grand on one of these easels. I think two things could cause you to spend that much (1) You are a master or (2) You have more money than brains.

Having narrowed it down to the H-Frame, I'm thinking I could buy a nice starter easel in the $100 to $150 range. I have been looking at the various models in my target range and reading buyer reviews.  Egads! No sooner do I find one that looks good than I read the reviews to find things like "It's so short you can only work at it sitting. Or, "The mast is so high it hits the ceiling".

I'm a tire kicker kind of person. What I would not give to be able to actually see some of the darned things in person. That isn't going to happen, particularly anywhere near where I live in Montana. I may check Craig's list but don't hold out much hope there. I live in a pretty small community but you never know.

Bottom line; I do not feel ready to choose the easel. OTOH, I am really anxious to do something. So, I'm going to do something many artists say I shouldn't. I have ordered a little table top beginners kit from Amazon. I think it's probably a half step above a child's kit. Juniper's Custom Kit. 

The big thing I have read you should not do is use cheap paint. The paint in this kit is made by Reese and I think it's rated student grade. It's fairly low quality stuff. I had to laugh at what I read on a beginner's forum where one person remarked. "How would you feel if you were using a low grade paint and painted a masterpiece?"Uhm, I'm thinking I am liking my odds of that not happening.

Here's where a little self knowledge comes in handy. I can be very close with a dollar. I come by it naturally. There is a lot of Scottish blood running in my veins and Scots have a well deserved reputation of being tight with their coin. I recall when I was using Velvia film for my photography. The film was expensive. The processing was expensive. And, I bet I missed a lot of great images because I wasn't quite sure a subject was worth the expenditure. I don't want to find myself in front of a canvas, paralyzed with the fear that what I am about to waste a bunch of money. It's just a thing I know about myself.

So, here's the plan. I'm getting this kit and some canvas paper. I am going to play and experiment to my hearts content and with reckless abandon without breaking the bank to do it. I'll experiment with mixing paints and creating color. I'll experiment with the strokes of different shaped brushes. I feel I can learn a lot and have fun doing it, maybe even build some confidence whilst I do it. As it is I have none. I've never used a paint brush to do anything but paint fences and barns.

That's my plan. I can always use the table easel for paint storage when it's served it's purpose.

Meanwhile, I'll keep researching easels and gathering whatever moss I can.

PS: To painters who may stop by, any tips you might have to help me along my way would be most appreciated.

©Kinsey Barnard

The Journey Begins

I have had some success as a fine art photographer but lately have found my enthusiasm for that art form begin to wane. I'm not one to define myself by what I do so switching gears is not something I find particularly difficult. And, I love an adventure.

I have decided that I would like to try my hand at painting. I don't know the first thing about it and I think that is a great advantage. I have not a clue what is right or what is wrong. I'm completely unencumbered by any preexisting theories. My belief is that there is no right or wrong in art. I believe art, in any form, should be nothing more and nothing less than the free expression of the artists singular inner being. Doing art in order to please others is a fools errand and really not art by my definition.

OK, so free expression of myself is not a problem. I know no other road than the one less traveled. I adore doing things just because they float my boat. I don't like boxing myself in with other peoples concepts.

I have gotten as far as deciding that I would like to try my hand at acrylic painting. I've done a little research into different paints and acrylics seem like the perfect medium for a true neophyte such as myself. "Seem" being the operative word. I may find that not to be so. In any event it's a place to start.

This blog is meant to be a dairy of my painting journey. I want a record for myself of the various discoveries I make along the way. I'm making it public in case a few others stumble upon it and find it useful.

Wish me luck.