Studio Session March 6, 2009

Todays session is a continuation of yesterdays image.  I started by mixing a wash pigment to coat the entire canvas.  The wash is made up of 90% water and a teaspoon of orange paint.  I tinted the paint to lower the intensity with purple. 

Next I apply the stain to the canvas.  The image carved into the canvas yesterdaya begins to reveal itself.

After applying the stain I dab at the canvas and remove excess paint in areas I want to accent the image.

This gives you an idea of the subtle markings that the stain has lifted out of the ground.

Next I applied the acrylic gel with the same scraper I used yesterday to apply the gesso.  I apply it only in the area of the canvas I am carving into.  This is a second layer of carving.  It is a carving on top of a carving giving this image a multi layer effect.  The gel will dry clear and I will then wipe paint into the grooves to begin the unearthing process.

I must let this dry for about 24 hours.

I move on to another canvas I began last year.  Today is the day to finish it or at least bring it up to another level.  Again this canvas is calling me to work on it.  I have been looking at it for weeks and finally made a decision to work into it again.  I decided to use an acrid green color which is a fancy term for green mixed with yellow.  I like the contrast of the lime green and the purple. 

The image is a high contrast of yellow and purple before I work into it.

I decide to sand it down to make it more giving to the paint.  I also like the white highlights that the sanding brings back into the image.

I work into it with a very simple palette.

After working into it with the lime green the image has now complete transformed.  It is not done and needs a few more thin layers of paint in other colors that are in the same family. 

And finally we have the end of todays studio session.  The image is completely transformed.  I have a few more layers of color to add.  These will very light red purples and bright yellows.