Excess Paint Abstract Paintings

I can't stand to waste paint, so when I finish, or rest, on a project, I either brush the leftover paint onto a mixed media sketchbook page or take my palette paper and stamp it on the page, sometimes both. Here are the last two I called finished. I kind of like them! I love seeing all the images within the paint come forth! Sometimes I enhance the images with pencils, markers, pens, etc. for added interest. In any case, I saved the paint! Acrylic paints left over from painting the class clay characters I've been working on.

Self Portrait Painting Resumed!

So, I started this self portrait in Tracy Verdugo's course, "Mini Mojo: Textures, Marks, and Color" (see side bar for link). about four, or five, years ago in open media acrylics on a 20" x 20" gallery wrapped canvas. This class was on painting a self portrait in bright vibrant shapes and colors.  Unfortunately, I got sidetracked off onto other classes, projects, and life, and only recently, after binge watching BBC's Portrait Artist of the Year 2020, picked it back up again.

Selfie with a wig for reference before starting the painting

How I left it 4-5 years ago. barely started. If I made any photos of the sketch I started with, I didn't find them to re-post, so this is with the first paint layers.

In November I tried to tilt the facial features (mistake!) more and added some paint layers. I know, it's awful! This was the first time I tried to rework it. Several days passed before I tried again!

I tried to straighten the features back up, adding more layers of paint all over the canvas. This is how it is for now (Dec. 17). Still very much a WIP! Better than before, but still needing a LOT of work, and I see now that the hand is too small. 😒 Not the best photo, but you get the idea that it still needs a lot of work. Will I be able to save this painting? I don't know, but, if not, I'll just cover it up with something else! The canvas and paint won't go to waste, because I learned from it!

I doubt that I will work on it any more this year, as I have not done anything at all creative in several weeks now. I get depressed during the holidays anyway, and this year is worse because of Covid19. The holidays are hard for everybody this year, for a number of reasons, but there is still much to be thankful for. I try to remain grateful, especially for the things I tend to take for granted.

Prayers that we all stay safe and well, and that we remember what is truly important during this holiday season. 

Watercolor Landscape Study-Road Trip-OK

A small watercolor, 6" x 6" top left, that I started on our trip in Sept. I was inspired by the Oklahoma landscapes, which no painting or photo can possibly do justice.

I finished it at home last week. I love it! Brings back a lot of memories for me! Watercolor pan set and water brush pen directly on paper, no drawing or sketching.

Hoping to do some more from photos that I took along the way!

Mini Mojo: Textures, Marks, Colors/Self Portrait

These are hideous stages of a large 20" x 20" gallery wrap canvas acrylic painting inspired by Tracy Verdugo's Mini Mojo class on textures, marks, and colors (see sidebar for link). I'm in the middle of the class and this part is a self portrait in living color, so I snapped a few pics and began the adventure!

Painting the negative space in the first layer of color...

Adding a second layer of colors and shapes; I know it's plumb scary looking!

More paint layers and shaping! Looks a little better, but still have a long long way to go! This is where it's at for now. Praying that it will look much better when it's done! My muse took off on me for several months, then the holidays came and life got busy, so I haven't painted, or created anything else, for that matter, in a while. Hopefully, I'll have more creative time and energy this year and get a lot done. I'll share the finished portrait as soon as it's done, ugly or not!

I have a lot of unfinished paintings and journals, plus several unfinished classes and workshops, and one that I haven't started yet that I'm dying to get started on. Too many things to try and do and too little time to do them! Maybe I will get some of them finished this year and I can share with you the good, the bad, and the downright ugly! Fingers crossed!

Mini Mojo: Textures, Marks, Color/Oils and cold wax

I forgot that I had finished this painting inspired by Tracy Verdugo's class on textures (see sidebar link). I've had the pictures loaded on here for a while, but forgot to post them. I have lots of interruptions and Senior moments anymore! Ha!

I think this is on an 8"x 8" wooden cradled panel, and it's mixed media...Collage,

Paint,

Marks and Text, plus oil paint and cold wax,

Finished! LOTS of texture and marks! The upper text says, "My heart has taught me", and the lower text says, "My scars were my face".

I am still relatively new to mixed median and not very good at it, but I am loving the learning process!