Digital adventures

Pastures new.

Hello and welcome to my Monday Blog.

Joining the digital world

On Friday I decided to experiment with some digital tools.

This is a photograph in my garden completely transformed with colour.

It may well find its way to becoming a new painting.

Still Life Study

Another photograph is of some ceramic vessels in an artist friend's home.

Taking an initial photograph I edited the image with the drawing tool.

Just shapes

When I returned home I went straight into my studio to use my ideas.

I had a board already primed with some orange and patches of green.

Using a pencil I sketched the basic vessel shapes on top.

Next, using a mix of Burnt Sienna, some red and cold wax medium

I applied the oil paint with a knife, smoothed it with a squeegee

and then 'carved' out the vessel shapes with it's edge.

I left some thicker patches of oils and scraped some of it back for

a few paler parts. It has a textured look and a loose, abstracted feeling.

Work in progress...

Oils and cold wax medium on canvas board 16 x 20 inches

For a more colourful painting I could use my edited photograph for reference.

On the easel

This painting has been on my easel for a few weeks.

I keep returning to it...changing parts and adding new layers of paint.

I think it is nearly 'finished' but I will leave it to settle.

There may still be alterations.

Then I had an idea....

Taking a photograph of the work I used my digital editing again.

This will show me how the painting can be changed without

damaging the exisiting design. It is only on top of a photograph.

I quite like the white patch next to the lime green.

Also, the bright blue top right and lower left.

a small uneven patch of primrose yellow lower middle adds a little zest.

With the aid of my saved image on my iPad I can go ahead with any changes.
If it goes wrong I shall reach for a rag and some solvent.
I will let you know what happens...

Best laid plans...

What happened was nearly a disaster.
I tried to use my digital ideas on the canvas as in the image above.

The blue parts were fine and also the yellow.
Next, I mixed some white with a hint of blue.
Using a knife I applied the paint and spread it liberally.

I would like to say it was a huge success but in reality my plan did not work.
Two hours later I had added, scraped off, changed colours and made a mess.

At least that was what it seemed...
I decided to leave it and escaped to the house for a cup of tea.
On return to my studio I had a fresh look at my painting.

I was pleasantly surprised...
The break away from working paid off.