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Alcohol Inks on Canvas

For over a year, I've been doing alcohol ink paintings. I've painted on Yupo, ceramic tiles, plastic dominos, and glass. They are a fun and vibrant medium.

Yesterday, I went to my studio with the intent of doing some cherry blossom paintings on Yupo (synthetic paper). For some reason, I decided that I wanted to try painting with them on a blank and pre-gessoed canvas I had sitting around. It wasn't the absolute first time I have touched the inks to canvas, but it was the first time that I have done so as more than a mere experiment to see how the inks take to the canvas surface.

I took a few photos as I went along:

Inspiration photo, taken by me Spring 2013

Canvas with whites masked with Miskit. Usually the orange doesn't show up so much, but the bottle is getting close to empty and the coloration has settled to the bottom.

Squirts of ink! I'm now putting on my gloves!

Background now has it's initial coat of ink.

Masking fluid has been removed! Wow!

Now, I am painting in paler shades and detail. I love the white ink over the background!

Detail of Blossoms

I'm not finished with the painting. My plan is to come back in with acrylic paints and add some dimension. All in all, I am pleased with the start.

Under the Fir Tree - Alcohol Ink Series

"Under the Fir"

11" X 14"

$295

The alcohol ink paintings keep coming. This was a painting derived from this photo:

I wish I had taken photos during every step of the process, but I neglected to. It is the process that I used in this blog post except I now use translucent Yupo paper which is much easier to see through. I also used a LOT of masking fluid in the making of it, but only in one layer. The background was somewhat of an afterthought, and I'm not sure why I put in a pink background, but I like it.

I've been having so much fun with these paintings this month that I'm now about to go find more images to continue the series. I hope you are enjoying them too.

Two More AI Gems!

I decided not to include these two alcohol ink paintings in yesterday's post because the photos were not recent. The one of the leaves is from last year. I loved the graphic nature of the branch on the road.

"Fallen Branch," 8" X 10" $175

In fact, this same branch is part of a paper litho print that I did last year,

("Whispers of Fall," 10" X 10," mounted on cradleboard is currently available at Stifel & Capra for $95.)

"Hollyhock Dreams," 11" X 14" $295

This painting is the second one that I have done using the inspiration photo of grain stalks (sorghum?) in Clovis, NM. The first one that I did sold very quickly and was in a different palette. I love how different days reveal different inspirations.

Do you see the resemblance? Which do you prefer?

If you want to know more about the method I use to paint these, I wrote about it here.

Cheating in so Many Ways

Aspen Grove

Watercolor (on Yupo)

4" X 6"

$50

Click Here to Purchase

I didn't take the inspiration photo for this painting on a walk. A friend took it while riding a horse in Colorado. But, it was so lovely (see below). Plus, I'm a day behind. And, this is what I wanted to paint first today. So, there you go. I hope you like it anyway.

Back to your regularly scheduled paintings. Day 6 before midnight...I hope.

Ink on Yupo with Masking Layers

I was organizing some stuff in the studio the other day and ran across a pile of 11" X 17" "xerox" copies that I made thinking I would use them for Pronto prints or paper lithography prints. My last attempt at the paper litho didn't go particularly well, so the project had been abandoned.

I decided that these images might be a good basis for some alcohol ink on Yupo artwork.

I knew that I wanted to use a LOT of masking fluid (I use Miskit) in a new abstract way and that I wanted a turquoise background when I was finished. For this new method, I decided that pink would be a nice contrast to the turquoise, so I painted the whole background in pink. I think I added some shadow gray as well...and perhaps some purple.

I let this dry.

I then took a 1/2" brush and applied the masking fluid (Miskit) to my favorite pink areas and added a lot of splatters and dots.

I let this dry.

Then, I held the painting vertically (over paper towels and trash can) and used my spray bottle of 91% alcohol to splotch and rinse the pink from the unmasked areas.

I let this dry.

Then I began painting the actual images inspired by the photocopy. I used both a round brush and a fan brush and the droppers of course. Because the Yupo was more opaque than I thought it would be, I used a light box in a dark room to see the image through the Yupo. I could have drawn the image first, but for this particular piece, I decided that I didn't want pencil lines. Below is the painting with the masking liquid (Misket) still in place, but the main imagery painted.

I let this dry. It takes longer for the ink to dry on top of the masking fluid. (If you are not patient, ink that is still sticky will make a mess in the next step.)

I was very pleased at this point. I almost wished I could ignore the masking fluid and call it done, but I was also very curious what it would look like removed, so I started taking it off. Dried masking fluid sticks to itself, so you just sort of make a ball as you go. Some bits are stubborn and the Yupo tends to release ink if rubbed more than some other surfaces, so try to touch only the masking fluid, unless you like the scrubby look below.

As you can see, the masking fluid also lifted some of the pink ink. I found that using a gentle touch and not re-daubing, I could keep from lifting as much.

Some of my darker areas and some of the yellow flower bits were painted over the masking fluid and were lifted away, so I then went back in and repainted. I also worked in some straight extender and some diluted inks to add some rhythm to the dense area.

Here is the finished piece:

(Scheduled for Cross-posting on AI Art Blog)

Celebration Day!

After a lack-luster Christmas season art wise, January has been AMAZING! I credit a lot of the success to Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Above is a collage of the paintings and pieces of artwork that I made during January 1-30. Nine of them sold. Below is a collage with the sold pieces indicated by a red dot. Thank you so much for the support and encouragement if you purchased any of them.

My original plan was to do ALL 4" X 6" watercolors. I did not do that, but I did do quite a few of those and decide to make a collage of just those to see if I have "a style" in the smaller format.

My watercolors are usually large; I tended to paint more realistically in a smaller format. I think that the smaller watercolors have traits in common, but are not as distinctive. I have a few favorites though. The earlier ones are on display at Stifel & Capra in Fall Church, VA. I will be framing several of the others for shows around town.

Another exciting thing that happened in January is that I started painting in alcohol inks on yupo. Both the medium and the surface are new to me. What fun! What a struggle! I've by no means conquered it or explored its possibilities!

I hope your January was one to be proud of. See you in February!

Day 28 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Perfect June Day

Alcohol Ink on Yupo

5" X 7"

$40 SOLD

This started out as a very simple landscape and I was concentrating on the clouds. Is it a lake? Is it a meadow? Both? You decide. I do like the sky and I like the way the clouds are casting shadows on the ground/water.

Day 27 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Crossing The Reef

Alcohol Inks on Yupo

5" X 7"

$40 SOLD

Yesterday, I felt like doing some simple imaginary landscapes. This one made me think of being out on a ship or boat and looking at the horizon. It is always so beautiful and serene, especially when the depth varies and you get different colors of the water, as in this painting.

What I've Learned (while doing the 30 in 30 Challenge)

I'm really proud of my perseverance in the 30 by 30 Challenge, but the commitment has been draining some days.

1. Even a very small painting can eat up half of my day.

2. I can still manage my life (most days) even if I spend a couple hours painting. I had to give up Papa Pear Saga and such to do it. It is worth it.

3. Posting every day (to my blog and my FB art page) has helped me to network and make new friends in the online art world.

4. Apparently, I get bored quickly. I was planning to do a watercolor 4" X 6" piece EVERY day, but on Day 3, I already wanted to do something different (a new medium = alcohol inks) and in the third week, I was beginning to panic about other projects I wanted to work on and hadn't found the time to do because all my creative energy was going into the 30 in 30. So, I don't have thirty paintings all the same size and style. And, that's okay!

5. I was reminded how much I do not like to draw. That might be the reason the ink on yupo is appealing. I can see through it to sketch outlines. I love to paint and the drawing just slows me down.

6. Movies with subtitles (i.e.-Kite Runner) are not good for painting entertainment. Light and funny movies can be (Guilt Trip and What To Expect When You're Expecting). Audiobooks and podcasts (Artists Helping Artists and Satellite Sisters!) are still the best!

7. Snow days (no school related sports/theater/etc.) make great days for just staying home and painting all day (in pajamas)...but result in lots (LOTS) of cups and dishes. Plus, the dogs just love everyone being home.

8. I really need to purge some photos from my "potential artwork" folder. I am never going to paint some of that stuff!

9. Artists are some of the nicest and most encouraging people!

10. I can't wait until February, but by September, I'll be ready to do this again!

BTW, I have sold seven pieces (with four days to go), so approximately 25%!

Day 26 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Lone Gull

Alcohol Ink on Yupo

4" X 6"

$40

Click here to purchase

I guess I take a lot of bird photos since I've painted three in 26 days. Don't tell my children, but I still like seagulls. I know most people don't. They are "rats with wings" in some situations. In California, the school lunch tables were outside and they would hang out and steal food straight off the kids' tables if you didn't pay attention the whole time. For this reason, my children have no love for them. I just wish I had captured that in photos!

I remember watching them at the beach and thinking how cool it would be to be able to fly like they do. They are very graceful in the air. We also had some metal seagulls hanging on the wall of our beach house porch. I remember looking at them and putting them in order of which wing positions I preferred. Weird, yes, but I hated the naps we were supposed to take after lunch and found many ways to avoid them.

Day 25 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Out the Window

Alcohol Ink on Yupo

4" X 6"

$40

Click here to purchase

This sweet mother bird built her nest down in our window boxes. I took this photo looking out my bedroom window and back into the living room window. (See the photo I was working from below.

I'm not sure what kind of bird she is. I originally thought she was a junco; now, I'm not sure. See the pictures below and give me your opinion. I am definitely not good at identification.

Dark-eyed Junco

 Western Bluebird

I had always wanted a house with window boxes and they did look lovely, but had to be watered A LOT. I'm still glad we filled them and enjoyed them while we were there. I wonder if the next renters kept them alive. I was planning to post a picture of the house with the overflowing planters, but I can't find a photo. I sure hope I have one somewhere!

Day 24 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Pacific Daydreams

Alcohol Ink on Yupo

4" X 6"

$40

Click here to purchase

This morning, I perused my thousands of photos looking for inspiring images to get me through the last week of the Thirty in Thirty Challenge. I have about 500 "art photos" from our ten months in Carmel, CA. We lived downtown near Dolores and 10th, five blocks uphill from the beach. It is a truly beautiful area and I miss being able to walk to all of my favorite spots there. It was too cold for this Southern girl; I wouldn't want to live there permanently, but....I daydream and look at my photos often.

This particular spot was a favorite of mine. It was almost as far toward Pebble Beach as I could walk on Carmel Beach. The rock I was standing on when I took the photo is covered in green mossy, seaweed stuff. If you tread carefully up and over it, there is one more tiny bit of beach. Sometimes, I would find small bits of sea glass there...and moonstones...and coral...and pottery. Yes, I have about ten pounds of stuff from all my walks. I was a little obsessed and I am not recovered, just removed from the trigger, lol. Here is the result of one day's walk.

 Enjoy the painting and your own daydreaming; it is a worthwhile pastime.

Day 21 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Snow Day

Alcohol Inks on Yupo

4" X 6"

$40 SOLD

Here I am, doing a painting a day for no discernable reason, with two shows quickly approaching, and I decide to visit the Daily Paintworks website, where my friend Patti (also a 30 in 30 participant) had posted a challenge. I decided that I just had to paint her cat, Max. I'm not sure that I stayed within the spirit of the challenge, to stay true to the values, but I did have fun. In fact, perhaps you may want to paint him too! I was happy to discover that I did not have to "join" to participate in the challenge. Enjoy!