Experiments in Paint and More


Acrylic and glitter on masonite board, 1 hr.
Sometimes I feel as if I were a wave, stuck in a strange dichotomy between the world of chaotic water crashing over rocks, and the serene beauty of a sunset over the endless sea.


(That's supposed to be a clever simile inspired by my painting of my Papa's photo. I don't think it quite worked, so... *insert witty simile here*)

I had such high hopes for this summer. I'm not sure if it was a success or not-- I didn't do all the things I wanted to, but I was both enjoying myself and being productive the whole time.

For example, I've blogged irregularly over the past three weeks. I've been teaching an art/jewelry class to around five young local girls, visiting with friends (and going and visiting with family friends), touring colleges-- I'm sitting down to write this half an hour after a scholars' day event--, attending my cousin's wedding, and attempting to get the August issue of Ink and Fairydust put together. Plus, there are other things. Playing with my lil' siblings. Exercising. Eating. SLEEPING. And playing some epic board games with my family!

One of the failed hopes for this summer was spending an hour or more each day on art and getting my entire portfolio ready before the school year. Didn't happen. But I did manage to fit in several smaller art projects, in the one to three hour range-- experimental stuff.

I haven't done a proper art-project post in a long time. It's about time I did another! I am, of course, going to get you in the right mood. Ready? Set? Listen to words of great wisdom and let's GO!


"Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if one only had a coloured pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~G.K. Chesterton

I felt as though I were drawing on the ceiling with a five-foot pencil for some of these pictures! Paints, in particular, are very unwieldy. I have so much to learn.

(Someday I will get the scanner to work properly and will upload these to my DeviantArt page with proper descriptions and whatnot.)


A memory-painting from our trip to Colorado. Acrylic on canvas paper.


Colorado has some truly WONKY trees that are very, very intimidating when done in monochrome! Acrylic on canvas paper.


This would have worked better if I hadn't tried to incorporate designs from a total of five different images. The colors don't balance well. But for what it's worth, this is my attempt to copy Korean DanCheong, a type of ornamental art used to cover architecture in historical Korea.

Half-dried and quite uncooperative acrylic paint on masonite board.


My first attempt at painting with only a palette-knife. Oil on canvas board.


It leaves a great texture! But it's hard.


I don't know how long I spent on this painting; I was outside with mosquitos and creepy crawlers inching their way all over my legs while I listened to Sherlock Holmes and painted in perfect bliss. I have a feeling I put in around 2 1/2 hours before I got chased inside by creepy crawlers biting me.


Acrylic in a bristol paper notebook.


Dragonfly in prismacolor colored pencils.


A clockwork dragonfly (I already mentioned this one here).


I love taking pictures from unusual angles. ^_^



A miniature painting with a palette-knife. Acrylic on stretched canvas.


30 minute watercolor from my imagination, done as a challenge with a friend.


Audrey Hepburn in a painting that I tried to fix... and ruined... seriously ruined...

 

CELTIC KNOTWORK SNOWFLAKES. The top right one is entirely original, I didn't even look up usual motifs for circular knotwork. This was inspired by the movie Brave (more about that here).


A WIP of my first painted still life, done in art class. Oil on canvas board; mine is the one facing you. It's finished now. :)

You can always see some more of my art here. Just click "older posts" a few times and you'll find all sorts of old, embarrassing projects. I've learned a lot but I'm sure that in just a year or two, I'm going to cringe at what I've just posted...

By the way, this week I am beginning my first week of school. It's strange to think that I am nearly done with high school! Wish me luck!