Friday 21 September 2012

Face nr. 20 and works in progress

First of all: thanks for visiting and commenting! I ♥ you all for it!

(hihi, I just found out how to make that heart .... I'd been wondering how people do that, so I've been googling, and tadaaa! there it is! And it's easy too! Turn on your numlock, press alt and press 3 on your numlock. Easypeasy, right ☺!) (and the smiley is alt and 1)

Sooo, I've been playing with paint a lot this week, but not much to show for it yet. Last week I started 2 new canvases, but they're small (40x40cm or 15,7""x15,7"), and I really like to work on bigger canvases. So I looked in my cupboard to see what I had left from the things I brought with me from Belgium, and found 2 bigger ones, and 3 slightly bigger that I started a background on already but didn't finish yet. So I've been splashing paint around on 7 canvases! Mucho fun!

And I painted the sides of 4 more small canvases, and now they're ALL DONE! No more unfinished sides. And I'll try to keep it that way!

Here they are:
Sorry, bit of overexposure there ... But see how the sides are done !? It was quite a lot of work because the background was a mixture of techniques and not easy to replicate.

These are the canvases that I started last week. They're now in their "ugly teenager phase" if I remember correctly from Flora's workshop. I'll just show how they look now; once I finish the painting I'll show all the different stages.


They look pretty similar at the moment. Looking forward to seeing what comes out of it.

And these next ones I started this week, after I received my order from Dick Blick. I HAD to try out my new materials ...

Look at those colours! Aren't they yummy!? I almost start salivating just looking at it.  Gosh, sometimes I wonder whether I'm normal (whatever that is ...). Can you also get that excited about colours? I remember when I left home to study in another city. It was the first time that I was living on my own. I only had one tiny room, but I was going to make the most of it.  So I painted it bright yellow. All of it. Even the ceiling! Much the same yellow as the one in this painting. And when I woke up in the morning it was as if the sun was all around me. And at night I felt embraced by the nice warm glow. Aaaah, I simply LOVE warm colours. Maybe it's because I grew up in northern Europe, where the weather is often grey and the skies are grey and people are always looking forward to a sunny day. I guess I just created my own sun.

This is the second layer, cool colours on top:

Oh, the brightness of the colours! Lovelovelove it! I'm so happy with my paints! And the fact that I now know, thanks to Flora's workshop, how to avoid making mud (never mix warm and cold colours. Let one layer dry before you start with the other colours).

And this is the first layer of the second canvas:

I put it in this direction, because when it was drying on the easel I suddenly saw the sea in there. Or at least water. And when my son saw it he said I should paint a landscape. Yeah, I think it would've made a good start for a landscape. But alas, I'm not a landscape-painter. I need to paint people, I can't help it. I don't feel happy when I can't paint people, or at least living things. Unless it's something completely abstract, like a dotpainting. I once did a drawing-class, and we spent weeks drawing apples and flowers and onions. Yuk! I found myself really reluctant to go after a while.

I might use this picture as a background for one of my sketches though. But for now, well, I painted my second layer on top of it ...

When my son saw it, he said: "Yuk! Now it's ugly!". Oh well, you can't please everybody, right!?

I find it very interesting to see the difference between the two canvases. I used mostly the same colours, just that one started with warm colours and the other with cool colours. Yet they look completely different. The colours in the first canvas are so much brighter. I think I know how I'll start next time ...

Well, as far as painting goes, that's it for this week. I still have my daily girl though. Here she is:

I've tried that out a few times, and believe me: it works ... ☺

I'm linking this to Paint Party Friday and 29 faces. Go check them out, it's worth it!

Well, I hope you'll all have a wonderful weekend doing things you love to do! Thanks for stopping by!

45 comments:

  1. Great job on all. I like that quote, If you can convince them, confuse them. Love it! Thanks for sharing. Happy PPF!

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  2. I zoo know what you mean by salivating over color - that is my favorite part about painting - experiencing each and every color!!! Your paintings are gorgeous and definitely a celebration of color!! Thank you for sharing your process!

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  3. Wonderful to see what you are creating. love how you make your backgrounds. your daily girl is a joy to see.

    I don't think my keyboard has a number lock key... apple

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    1. ouch! Don't know ANYthing about Apple I'm afraid ...

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  4. The small canvases look fab as are your wonderful colourful backgrounds. Love the sentiment of the drawing.......lol Happy PPF, Annette x

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  5. Good work, promising looking WIPs, thank you for sharing the process shots!
    Love your line drawing and of course the quote! :)
    ... I asked my daughter about the heart symbol a little while ago, she taught me! :)

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    1. Haha! Yes, I might have tried that too. Kids these days know that stuff ☺

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  6. I love that redhead in the corner. :) Awesome all around!

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  7. Awww I love that you painted your room yellow Denthe... how wonderful it must have been to wake up in a sunshiny space... your canvases are gorgeous... both the finished and unfinished ones... and your One Liner Girl is lovely... aren't new art supplies the best... enjoy ♥♥♥

    Hugs
    Jenny x

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  8. Awesome everything. What a pleasure is to see in your work with your new material. Love it. Bright colors I do love the one with the landscape (haha). I admire your dripping paint. I try to do this but it is not quite right. I have seen the work of Flora and I love that too.
    Marvelous Denthe also your portrait.
    Love;y greet and have a nice weekend
    Marja
    (marjascreativity)

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  9. I think it is very normal to get that excited about colors which means it may not be that normal...Love your colors and layers- such vibrant color joy here!

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  10. i know exactly what you mean about the excitement over new paints. i used to get that way with crayons when i was a child. it has only gotten worse....i LOVE new paints and new brushes and fresh sketchpads!!

    thanks for showing the different stages of your paintings. i've never heard the term "ugly teenager phase" but i know what you mean. i often pause during that stage of painting to let it dry or whatever. then i'm scared that it will only get worse after that :)

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  11. such a wonderful post full of art! I like the small face canvasses. I know what you mean - I started off painting smaller canvasses and now I quite like bigger ones as well. I agree the colours in that yellow/orange/pinky canvass are gorgeous they remind me of chewy sweets called fruit salads that we used to get when we were children!! I'll look forward to seeing how your piece progresses - I love all those different layers.

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  12. Lovely faces and sooooo creative ~ and backgrounds will be great for more faces? ~ wonderful colors ~ (A Creative Harbor)

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  13. Yay for small canvases! Yours look amazing!
    Love your vibrant colors and seeing your process!
    I love the little heart icon, too! ;)

    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  14. I love the idea that paintings go through an "ugly teenager" phase. How brilliant, makes me see that middle stage in a whole new way. Can't wait to see what they grow into.

    Love your small paintings too, they are profound as well as being beautiful.

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  15. I absolutely DO get all excited about color - and there is a lot to see that excites me here ;) LOVING your new canvas work too - the orange one really caught my attention. Such a talent you are! AND thank's for the heart lesson!!! I will totally use that one. Okay, let's see if I can do it: Hm, I could not do it on the mac - but it did give me a whole set of symbols I knew nothing about. Thanks ;) xoxo

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  16. I ♥ the blue one...all of them really, but the blue is so serene. And love the 4 ladies, especially the one with blue hair, top left. I think I am into blue today! Happy PPF.

    ♥Rita

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  17. love the pink and yellow-is that water color or acrylic, because I need to buy them!

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    1. Hi Carol, it's all acrylics. I mostly used Golden fluid acrylics, Golden airbrush colors and acrylic inks from Daler-Rowney. The pigment in the Golden is really strong, so even when you spray it with water it keeps its vibrancy.

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  18. the faces are super fantastic and I love the cool backgrounds you have been creating!!! well done!!!

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  19. I have heard of Flora and it seems I'm seeing her pop up everywhere now. I am going to have to investigate further, because I love what you've painted here! Thanks for sharing how to make the hearts..I always wondered that myself. ☺

    Love all your canvases even the one your son doesn't care for. Can't wait to see what you do with all those juicy backgrounds. Have a great weekend! ♥ ♥ ♥

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  20. I love those small canvases - your faces are fantastic. I'm in the "ugly duckling" phase with Flora's workshop -- it's so heartening that we're not trying to finish our canvases yet. As always, love your words and images. Happy PPF!

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  21. You have been BUSY BUSY BUSY!!! Love all of it ☺ Love your quote on you face today ♥ thanks for the lesson too ☺

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  22. lovely canvases and great layering!

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  23. you have lots of great things to share this week. love your collection of faces... each one so unique and expressive.

    your brightly colored backgrounds are so vibrant. very nice!

    and the quote from harry truman is one of my favorites! ☺ (i did that with your alt 1 tip!)

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  24. The small canvases are awesome. I do like the edges finished too. Your Flora-esque panels are looking terrific. Are you in her e-class right now? I am.. sorry if I missed you there. I have lots of layers to do on my Flora panels. but, aren't they fun? Great work. Happy PPF

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    1. Hey Marji, I did Flora's first e-course in February. I had access to her videos until last week, and I'm very sad I can't see them anymore now. It's a wonderful workshop. Looking forward to seeing your work!

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  25. Incredible amount of work you do, I have healthy envy. Saludos

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  26. i also prefer the first canvas, as you mention the colours are more vibrant - but you know i love all your work

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  27. that is a huge week of wonderful painting... those colours are amazing and I would be mad for them as well... delicious... and I can't wait to see the next stage in your canvases... they are at an exciting stage...xx

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  28. You've been working hard! :)
    Love your faces and those canvases are soooo juicy!!

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  29. Wow..I am loving your beautiful woman faces..stunning and powerful..they feel spiritual and full of life! I also love those dazzling palettes of multi-colored dreaminess!! Beautiful!!
    Victoria

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  30. Wow Denthe, they really are beautiful colours, I cant wait to see them finished. Have you an etsy shop where you can sell your work from? I bet alot of people would love to own a piece (including myself:))

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    1. Thnx Sandra! Not yet an Etsy-shop, not yet ... It's coming though, I'm working on it! But I first want to finish my website and that takes a bit longer than I expected ...

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  31. LOL, love this one. I think it will be new motto.

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  32. I am SOOOO enjoying your blog! The canvas with the girls are fantastic!

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  33. Once again I just love how you use color. So pretty!! Looking forward to seeing those finished canvases. :) Have a wonderful weekend.

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  34. oh Denthe... i LOVE all of this... those canvases look amazing (even if your son thinks it's ugly)... ;-) I love what you said about creating your own sun, and getting excited about colours. Yes, i hear you!! Those small girl canvases are amazing Denthe... Beautiful work. xox

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  35. I've got Flora's book but haven't made anything yet - love seeing your work in progress!

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  36. your work emits so much of positive energy...it does make me smile :)

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  37. I love all your colors...and yes, the warms are my favorite. Thanks for mentioning about not mixing warm and cool until they are dry! I did not know that, DUH! I really love your backgrounds and think they are paintings in themselves.

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  38. Everything is so amazing this week!! You have deeply inspired me!! Love your four girls you have profile down pat and the color thing. You are preaching to the band here!! I can't live without color...tried it once but painted molding color instead...it was terrible. Color is breath to me!! I am wondering if our ancestors were gypsies!!!

    I laughed about the landscape thing....If you want a landscape take a photo I say!! It's just not my thing. I appreciate people have different taste and some people are very good at them...just not for me. I want something unique, like your one lined girls with a thoughtful quote....that's what gets my juices flowing!! And color color color!! I love the changes in your canvas!!Thanks for sharing your process!! Have a great week!

    Hugs Giggles

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  39. Love your Girl paintings. The background colors are lovely. How old is this Son? I would hand him a paint brush and canvas and say.. This is your canvas have at it if that's what you like. :)

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