I had a chance to try out the grey-toned Nova Series paper by Stillman & Birn this past weekend. I tried using various materials, including: water soluble oil pastels, grease pencils, regular graphite, colored pencil, gouache and acrylic paints.
I liked the way the paper handled all the materials, and the colors contrast nicely with the grey background. So far, nothing has bled through to the other side!
Valentine’s Day Tulips
Creativity in time lapse speed. Here’s a video I forgot to post where I was painting my Valentine’s Day tulips with acrylic paints on canvas paper.
Good times when you get to make art with your little sister. Creative day fun.
I was inspired by our walk Sunday through Wekiva Springs State Park where the vegetation was showing much decay from the frosts we have had this winter. It is a transition we are used to here in Florida… the winter turns most of the tropicals into mushy pools of brown, but there is beauty in the turning towards spring.
This walnut ink color is rich and warm, and I enjoyed trying to capture some of the beauty found in our Florida winter season. I used a walnut ink that I mixed myself and a Brause 66 EF nib in a straight holder. The paper is an insert by the Traveler’s Company in Japan (Midori).
Soon, all of Florida will be green again, so I’m going to enjoy this color variety while it is here.
But my wrap sandwich is waiting for me at Publix… it’s just that kind of day. You just have to laugh at these moments.
I like to take the iphone and the Nikon DSLR when I go on walks, especially in a place as lovely as Wekiva Springs State Park. It was a good morning for gathering some landscape inspiration. It is best to paint on location, but if time is limited, I always try to collect photos for my reference file collection–I often use them as ideas for larger paintings.
It was a good day for the small works projects–I managed to add some more to each of these oil paintings.
Working in oils takes more time to allow for drying, but I enjoy everything about the texture of painting alla prima with oils. I often work in acrylics and watercolors in between the oils–it gives my creative brain a different outlet and keeps my skills expanding in other mediums.
