The Earth Laughs In Flowers.

This afternoon has been lovely....pottering down in my studio and experimenting with some new materials I have bought from the art shop. So exciting (I know, you can't contain it can you)....

I bought a glazing medium which was something I really have no idea about but let me tell you, I'M IN LOVE WITH THE STUFF. It basically acts as a thinner but adds a gloss and sheen to the paint and brings out all the colours and oh oh  OH. So good. I find it really lets the paint pigment come through, even when I was working on unprimed stretched linen. It means your paint goes further as well, and seeing as I'm poor that's always a good thing. I can't wait to keep experimenting....Today has been such a departure from last week when I was so frustrated with myself and painting! I have to just remember to keep playing and practicing and it will slowly unravel and I will gain confidence...I think.

I have a great book that was given to me called 'Chinese Painting' by Chow Chen-Ying and it has some great tutorials on how to loosly draw flowers and petals in a beautiful oriental style. I love it! It really helped me.

Out for now, bye!
xo. E

~ Seashell tea light YES. ~

~ Seashell charcoal smudger holder YES. ~

~ Page out of the amazing Chinese Painting book ~

~ Bought some beautiful Hyacinths to keep me company ~

~ Another new addition to my studio space ~

~ Amazing new giant glazing brush I can't WAIT to try out ~

~ My favourite Filbert ~

~ Finished product (pretty much) ~

~ I N S P I R A T I O N ~

xo. E

Playing all day in the studio.

Today I have been frolicking down in my studio and it has been deeeeelicious. I love it. The incense is burning, the candles are lit and I finally cleaned my palette. Ah. 

I have been playing around with some pretty new oil colours that I unearthed, just seeing how the paint is reacting with the wood- what mixers I have to use....just generally trying to get a handle on whatever the hell I'm doing. I find myself easily frustrated when it comes to painting ~ it is not something that is coming all that naturally to me...not like drawing does. I know I just have to spend the time and practice practice practice but the impatient part of my personality wishes I could just be good at it already! 

I find it easier to combat the abstract elements of painting- but portraiture is another thing entirely. The face changes so much as you try to paint it / versus draw it. My god. You have to build up layers and start of with a much looser idea and placement of the features than when you just make a mark with drawing and map out where the eyes/nose/cheekbones go at the beginning. It has made me realise I definitely need to get going on doing some research and reading on the planes and proportions of the face. Once I have a true handle on where everything is meant to fall and how the face changes at different angles / where the light falls etc I think painting faces will come a lot easier and I won't be getting as annoyed with myself.

For now I have just been drawing away on some more insects for Daenerys and am in the process of blocking in her beautiful white hair with some oils (mix of titanium and zinc white). I will be putting in some shadows and darking strands with a light grey and the highlight of her braids. I have pretty much decided upon a dusty grey/blue light wash for her dress but I will have to do lots of practice at drawing material before I make any marks that might ruin her. I've don't usually draw clothing on my girls! Hehe.

Well here are some photos of my latest endeavors. Bye pretties!

xo. E

work in progress pictures of Daenerys

applying some layers of white oil paint as her silver locks

i'm such a basket lady (case)

colours like patchwork

on my desk this week

my studio is starting to look so beautiful I LOVE IT.

floor dweller

All my instrument holders are pretty

cleaning my palette ~ the worst part of the job!

sometimes when I'm bored I paint my palette instead of my panels

#fromwhereistand

the promise of a new panel ~ argh! my favourite thing.

pretty frame I found from the op shop

~ I N S P I R A T I O N ~

xo. E