Cactus Halo

This is the beginnings of a painting I am doing from a reference Photo I posted in the RIL. I am doing it on a 12" x 24" stretched canvas with a medium texture. I am using WN Artisan WSO's and walnut alkyd as my medium for thinning down the paints and to hasten the drying time.



I started by putting a thin layer of Cobalt blue over most of the canvas and then wiped off a circle of paint down to the white gesso to be the beginnings of the halo.



Two days later, I went back and added more color to the sky and painted around the halo to blend the white area in better. I had a lot of old cobalt blue (several years old) that I wanted to use up so I loosened it up with some walnut alkyd and then used it to fill in the foreground. I expect to do several glazes over the foreground to get the color I am looking for.



I'll give it a day or two to dry.

Any comments or suggestion are welcomed.

Judy

Great job on that sky Judy! Backlit subjects can be hard to recreate convincingly, but very dramatic when it all comes together. I'll be checking on this thread to see your progress!

Thanks Chantel,

My problem with back lit is always how much color to put in the forward components. Cameras always deaden all the color, but in real life, there is still a predominance of color, in this case greens and ochres. The same is true with the sky. The sky was a brilliant clear blue but the photo makes it grey. Fortunately, we have clear blue skies most of the time here so it is very easy to capture the color any day you are painting.

Judy, Happy New Year !

Judy, Thank you for sharing your porgress. Looking great so far!

This will be a fun one to follow. Great subject!

Thanks Callie,

I might take a hint from the way I did them in the Down the Drain painting I just posted.

Judy

Great start! It'll be fun to see the progression as you develop this painting.

Judy, like everyone else, I cannot wait to see the progression!!

Do you put anything on the canvas, like on the gesso before the paint goes on?
Or did you just go right directly to the canvas with that pretty cobalt?

When I am using acrylics, I put down a quick layer of the medium (clear) on the panel, then then the paint flows evenly.

Usually, I put one layer of gesso down even though the canvas is pre primed and says good for acrylic or oil, but I didn't this time. I did put a thin film of walnut alkyd down before I started the blue to help the paint flow more easily. It was an old tube and very thick so I thinned with the alkyd. I didn't use the gesso because I am debating about whether to add white to the halo or leave it like it is. Once I put the clouds in, I'll be able to make that kind of decision.

I have hesitated using the walnut alkyd because I was cautioned that it has bothered some people with allergies. Well, sure as could be, I've been very stuffed up since starting the painting, but I was also exposed to colds from my grand kids and my son two days later, so I don't know which it is or a combination of both. I do tend to clear up some when I'm out of the house. Hopefully in a few days, I'll get unstuffed and say that way.

Judy

I hope you get over this quickly also.

What mediums have you used in the past that don't bother you?

I really think it is a cold so it is hard to tell if it is just coincidental. It has been hanging on too many days to be an allergy.

Regular oily bother me tremendously.

WS oils with regular walnut oil do not. Using WSO linseed oil does to some extent. tje alkyd question is still out with the jury.

Acrylics, of course, don't bother me at all.

Pastels don't bother me as long as I work in an area where the dust can't permeate the air. Usually what I do is walk outside to tap off the dust as needed, so I work close to an outside door when ever possible.

Watercolors don't bother me at all.

I've only minimally used colored pencils and they were no bother.

Oil pastels, but I really don't care for, so I don't have a true test but I would assume that I would have the same response as regular oils because of the solvents, although, I have read that you do not need to use solvents necessarily.
Judy

Glad to hear you think this is not an allergy.

That is why I went to watercolors for so long, till WSOs came on the scene and now Golden Open Acrylics are so buttery and stay wet on the palette so long!

I've started working with Open Acrylics also for some paintings. I was getting so frustrated with acrylics drying so fast out here in the desert. The Open Acrylics seem to have enough time for me to work with them and they reactivate with water if I haven't let them dry completely.
Judy

Are you using the medium or the thinner? I've not used the thinner yet, but use the medium all the time. The medium does tend to dry out the paint a bit faster than without it. I guess because of that I get a nice timing on the painting. If I am painting outdoors in the air, I prefer the WSOs because they don't dry out in the air. But, I am getting quicker at the draw with both of them. And, I have found Golden Open Acrylics and Holbein WSO's are absolutely, totally, and seamlessly compatible. I can use the linseed oil or the Open medium with the oils without any change in workability.........it's all like butter! I'm so amazed at this.

Do you notice any allergies to the Opens?

Donna Pierce-Clark wrote:

Do you notice any allergies to the Opens?

No, I have no problem with them. I don't use any mediums or thinners in either WSO or the Opens except the walnut oil for the WN Artisans.

I've never tried the Holbeins. I'll have to look for them next time I'm at the art store. I'm supposed to start teaching a beginning acrylics class there again this coming Monday. One women wanted to teach WSO's last season,but she couldn't get anyone to sigh up for it. i really should get in contact with her and see if she would like to join our forum.

That is interesting that you use the linseed with the Open Acrylics also. Is that so you can combine them with the WSO's? I would be interested to know. It might also be a good topic to put in Mixable Mixups under Painting Discussions.

Judy

Yes, by all means transfer this Open/WSO discussion to Mixups (love that title!!).

I use it because I combine them. They simply become ONE. It is amazing! I like the clearness of the Open Acrylic gloss medium and was so amazed that it works with the Holbein WSO.

Donna,

We've talked about several things in the past few posts. I think it would be better if you could go to HOME, scroll down to Painting Discussions and then click on Water Mixable Mix-up (Callie thought of that name) and the click on the New Topic Button in the top left and your are all set. Title it something like "Mixing Holbein WS Oils with Open Acrylics". That way people can ask you questions and you could answer them directly.

If you have a problem doing it just email me and I'll help you. It really shouldn't be a problem for you.

Judy

done, and thanks so much for once again nudging me in yet another direction.

Ah! 2010, a new year for new challenges!

(Here's the link for people who want to follow this new discussion...Judy)

https://watersolubleoils.forumotion.com/water-mixable-mix-up-f14/golden-open-acrylics-and-holbein-water-mixable-oils-t134.htm#1656

OK Back on topic now that I finally felt up to pianting.



I debated about the contrails going across the center, but they were what first attracted me to take a photograph. The saguaros are only at the first stage of painting, but I have to let them dry.

The more I look at this painting, the more I am tempted to keep it just cobalt blue and white. I've never been so "abstract" before so I keep feeling unsure about .

Anybody have any any opinions about whether to just keep it with two colors or make it more realistic with it's colors?

Judy

Judy, I'm all for adding other colors. You don't need to go realistic if you don't want to but you could think more in terms of complementary colors.

That is what I would normally use to darken up areas which has been my second thought since there really won't be much color with everything back lit.
Judy

I love the sky and I think if everything is blue, the sky won't be as dramatic. I'm
finding all that blue on the bottom is drawing my attention away from the main subject. The cacti need to get darker to give that sense of looking into the sun. Some deep, rusty oranges would be good to pick out a few lighter areas in the foreground.

I love it, love, love it!!!

Thanks Callie,
That is pretty much what my plan was. I just keep fluctuating as I progress. The saguaros will definitely be darkened and have highlights coming from the sun. I figure I can get everything in the blues done and then do glazing over them with the orange if I still don't feel comfortable with just the blues. the good thing is if I let the blues and white dry enough, I can always wipe off the oranges...maybe.

Donna,
What do you think..all blues or add the oranges?

Judy