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Monday, January 5, 2009

Pictures - visual inspiration


Thought you might like to see the 'birth' of a painting ... this one is about longing, and is the painting I referred to several times last month. It still isn't finished, and it sits by my seat at the dining table so I see it all the time. It's almost taunting me, 'what is this longing that you can't bear to look at?' I will finish it soon though, I think it will be therapeutic for me. Anyway, I covered the canvas in a pink wash, because sometimes I find the white almost overwhelming in its brightness and it doesn't help the mood of the painting. Why pink? Think it was almost an intuitive thing; I do know I want to paint a sunset, and will be putting a yellow glaze and blue glaze over some parts of the painting to get my evening setting sun colours. Acrylics are brilliant for glazes (like a watery wash of colour) - you can put the colours one over the other as the paint dries for a very ethereal effect.

Yesterday I didn't write in my paper journal as planned if I wasn't blogging. Instead I sat and sorted a pile of old magazines and cut out pictures for my scrapbook. An activity reminiscent of childhood, but also one I enjoy because it's future inspiration for paintings and craftworks. I collect pictures whose colours I enjoy, fashions with unusual detail, pictures of antiques or vintage clothes, and house and gardens inspire me. Suppose I'm making a catalogue of sorts. It's very relaxing, and I'm getting rid of all those old magazines and becoming uncluttered. A very worthwhile past-time!

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