WE FOUND OUR HIDDEN TALENT!!

Sylvie working on the finishing touches on her oil painting of a peacock


 

 What fun it is to get back to art class! Every year there are more and more amazing and jaw dropping art produced by the artist at Hidden Talent. Here is a snap shot in time as we show artworks in progress.


Upside down helps with seeing form

Christine's grand painting of a Baby Grand

Lisa's European watercolor is  ready to hang!



Joyce has mastered the copper kettle@

PALETTE KNIFE PAINTING

Foresr Glow, Acrylic palette knife painting by Laura Watmough

Those little knives are a bit tricky to use!
I picked a variety of white plastic palette knives to experiment with. The metal ones are coming in my Richeson Art supply order but I thought I would work out a few kinks before hand.

First off, I am painting in acrylic. Yes, not my favorite media, but a little can go a long ways and I am definitely going to go through a few tubes. I will graduate to oils once I have an idea how the knives perform.

My other dilemma was how much medium to use? I prefer light moulding paste and heavy gel mixed. I tend to mix  on the palette which means there are always inconsistencies. The approximate percentage is 30% gel, 70% moulding paste. This keeps the painting from weighing a ton! Heavy gel really means heavy....

My discoveries:

•  acrylics can be used straight, without mediums, especially in the first thin coating of the canvas/board and the final layer that is just accents.
• a variety of different paint is a must- heavy body AND regular AND almost fluid.
• FORGET DETAIL. This is all about visual impact. If detail is what you are going after, select a LARGE canvas!
• I prefer board over canvas- easier to scrape off paint, easier surface for making edges and no fear when using the 'sharp' edge of a palette knife.
• other tools work just as well or better for certain effects-combs, paint pushers, cardboard, brushes, stamps etc. I can see myself collecting an assortment of' 'junk'  just to get certain marks on the painting!!!
• Not every painting will be 'good'. I repainted on entire board three time from top to bottom. If it doesn't work, wait about 3 days, sand vigorously, then start again. This will appeal to  the penny pincher in all of us. Nothing wasted!

Who is interested in giving this a try? If you have dabbled with palette knives, can you add to the hints and tips?

BRUSH WITH SUCESS!

Joan Stang with her painting " Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto"with
Joan Berwyn accepting for the winner.

Giving back to the community just got a whole lot more artistic!
Hidden Talent's Joan Stang decided to help our her church by painting the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto (behind the  Historic Catholic church) and donating it for a raffle prize.
The St. Albert CWL raised $1259.00 and the money will be used to build a Marian Garden in front of the bell tower. Congratulations Joan -a wonderful painting for a wonderful cause.