Posts : 2685 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona
Subject: June 2010 Challenge Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:21 am
This month's challenge asks you to do a painting completely with palette or painting knives. I have never done one, so this is definitely a challenge for me. I have chosen four photos from our Reference Library (RIL). You can modify them as you want to accomplish the goal. You are also welcome to do the painting from another source if you choose.
A brief note about the RIL. We'd love to have it overflowing with photos from you. Please look through your collection and post what you would like to share. If you are unsure which category to put it in, post it anyway and I'll move it to where it will be found the most easily by our members. Only members have access to this library so you don't have to worry.
Photo by Janet
Photo by Judy
Photo by Callie
][/url] Photo by Dawn
Last edited by judyfilarecki on Tue Jun 01, 2010 12:56 pm; edited 2 times in total
Janet Moderator
Posts : 2050 Join date : 2009-11-15 Location : North Bay, Ontario Canada
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:10 am
Judy, I can't wait to get started. I've always wanted to try painting with a palette knife. This is going to be sooo much fun. Thank you for the great challenge.
Callie Moderator
Posts : 1233 Join date : 2009-11-21 Location : St. Louis, MO USA
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Tue Jun 01, 2010 9:25 am
Several months ago I bought a painting knife because I kept trying to do things with my palette knife that it wasn't made for. I have yet to try it out. I guess now is the time!
judyfilarecki Moderator
Posts : 2685 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Tue Jun 01, 2010 9:57 am
Callie, What is the difference between a painting knife and a palette knife? A picture of the two might be helpful. Judy
judyfilarecki Moderator
Posts : 2685 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Tue Jun 01, 2010 1:00 pm
Callie, I found painting knives at the University Book Store in the next town. We don't have any other place to get supplies around here and they always have the best for very reasonable prices.
They are so much more flexible than the palette knives I have from Bob Ross. Now I'm ready to paint that crazy bear that Janet photographed in Tortonto.
I'll keep you all posted. Judy
judyfilarecki Moderator
Posts : 2685 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Tue Jun 01, 2010 4:38 pm
Here are the painting knives I got . So far, I've only used the smallest one #2 , because the painting is only 9x12.
And here is what I've done with it so far. You may be able to recognize the head of a young bear in the right lower corner. Then again, maybe not.
I'm using burnt sienna, yellow ochre, zinc white and black on a bed of black gesso.
This is definitely a challenge. I keep wanting to pick up the paint brush to edge in some object. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with those two giant circles in the center. I may just make them all rock or make the bear giant to cover them. I'll have to see as it progresses. One problem I am having is scraping paint off accidentally when I'm trying to blend. It doesn't quite work like a paint brush.
Good luck to anyone else that tries this. If you have experience with painting knives, please give me some guidance and hints. I'll need all the help I can get to pull this off. Judy
Crystal1
Posts : 639 Join date : 2010-02-05 Location : Ft Worth, TX
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:10 pm
Judyfilarecki: I used to have a couple of painting knives, but they have bent, so I won't be trying this challenge. I painted once before with the knives, but mine had a much sharper point at the end. I think the easiest way is to paint something less complicated that you don't need to blend so much. If I was doing the challenge I would have chosen the waterlillies. Something with less detail and not needing a lot of accuracy. Good luck.
judyfilarecki Moderator
Posts : 2685 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:42 pm
thanks Dayle. My first thought had been the fall scene, but I just couldn't resist that bear. Maybe I'll try another one, too. I noticed that I was getting better as I worked so maybe there is hope.
Judy
Callie Moderator
Posts : 1233 Join date : 2009-11-21 Location : St. Louis, MO USA
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Tue Jun 01, 2010 10:16 pm
Here's a picture from the ASW site:
I've got one like the knife on the right edge of the photo. I'm hoping it will be good for lines as well as laying down "slabs" of paint. I may have to find a less complicated picture to start with since I've only done one knife painting and that was a very long time ago!
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Wed Jun 02, 2010 4:55 am
Interesting challenge! I've got one knife somewhere - I'll have to search it out. I painted a few paintings with a pallette knife back in '73 - think I'll remember how I did it?
Janet Moderator
Posts : 2050 Join date : 2009-11-15 Location : North Bay, Ontario Canada
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Wed Jun 02, 2010 7:27 am
Judy, Great start! I like the way you're getting texture in the fur. That must have been difficult to do.
Here's a palette knife demo from YouTube by tombrownartnotes:
Callie Moderator
Posts : 1233 Join date : 2009-11-21 Location : St. Louis, MO USA
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Wed Jun 02, 2010 10:24 pm
Just in the nick of time - thanks, Janet! I was wondering about backgrounds; whether to do the bkrnd first or not. I like the way the artist in your video worked from the center out. Probably easier with thick slabs of paint - less chance of making mud.
Judy, great start. I think making the bears more prominent would help take the focus off those drainage pipes. Thanks for the heads-up about scraping paint off. I think I'll try to mix on the palette and try not to disturb what goes on the board.
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Thu Jun 03, 2010 2:32 am
Thanks for posting the demo, Janet.
Judy, your bear looks cute. If I were you I'd just make those pipes into more rocks for the background so they don't detract from the bear.
I found my palette knife - now all I need is to find some time.
judyfilarecki Moderator
Posts : 2685 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Thu Jun 03, 2010 9:03 am
Thanks everyone. Those pipes are a distraction and the bears should be bigger.. I might just start all over again with this cropped version. I'll replace the pipes with rocks and move the second bear someplace more visible so I can keep the size at 9 x 12.
I'll just consider the first as a practice session. Maybe it will go into down the drain....Judy
judyfilarecki Moderator
Posts : 2685 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Thu Jun 03, 2010 4:22 pm
Well, I started all over again. The video really helped, Janet, realizing that a lot of the time you are just dabbing paint on not stroking it on like a brush. here's today's start.
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Thu Jun 03, 2010 8:51 pm
I decided to give this a go this afternoon. I only have one old palette knife that is larger than I'd have liked. I used a 6"x8" canvas and Prussian blue, cadmium yellow light, and white. I put it on quite thick.
It is from a picture I took of a horse chestnut in flower. (I had to tell you or you'd never have guessed )
Janet Moderator
Posts : 2050 Join date : 2009-11-15 Location : North Bay, Ontario Canada
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Fri Jun 04, 2010 7:15 am
Nice start on your bear Judy! I like the crop.
Sofie your painting looks wonderful! I love the variation in colors that you were able to get.
judyfilarecki Moderator
Posts : 2685 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Fri Jun 04, 2010 4:51 pm
Nice job Sofie. I wish I had picked on out that I could do more quickly. it is my old hangup with detail. Hopefully tonight I'll have it done.
Judy
judyfilarecki Moderator
Posts : 2685 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Fri Jun 04, 2010 8:45 pm
Here is the finished palette painting. Not one of my better works, but it was definitely a learning experience. i just wish I could have gotten that wonderful expression the bear had in the actual photo. It was just priceless.
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Sat Jun 05, 2010 2:34 am
I played with this a little more after I took the first picture. I moved one of the flowers and changed some of the leaves. With such thick paint it was quite easy to move things, like lower the flower. This way of painting, however, is not for me, though I had a fun 1/2 hour fooling around with it. I'm glad you issued this challenge, Judy. I scraped all the paint off and put it in a little sealed container to use when I need a mid-toned green.
judyfilarecki Moderator
Posts : 2685 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:29 am
Sofie,
It does look better. I'm glad you captured it in the photo. It does use a lot of paint and that was a smart move saving the paint. I tend to do the challenges on canvas paper from a pad which is a lot less expensive than canvas.
Thanks for joining the challenge. I feel the same way you do. It was interesting and eventually fun to paint this way, but not really for me on a regular basis.
Judy
Callie Moderator
Posts : 1233 Join date : 2009-11-21 Location : St. Louis, MO USA
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:19 am
Judy - Your bear came out great! Good idea to change the background. Sofie - Love the textures and movement in yours. Luscious greens.
I'm going to give this a try this morning, going over to the coffeeshop to paint in a little bit.
Callie Moderator
Posts : 1233 Join date : 2009-11-21 Location : St. Louis, MO USA
Subject: Re: June 2010 Challenge Sun Jun 06, 2010 4:11 pm
Here's today's results... Wiped it off and started over 2 times. This is not easy! Had to scrape the main tulips off again (in case you were wondering what those blobs are). So here it is, half-done (8 x 10):