Making a Gouache Pocket Box

I have a pochade box that I can use for the gouache as tube paint.

But gouache can also be dried and re-wet like a pan watercolor. The paint will not be as thick or as opaque. 
I wanted a small box that I can try using for “pan gouache”.

I had an extra Koi Pocket Box of 24 watercolors. I took the insert out.

Using bake-able polymer clay, I rolled out and flatten some clay. I pressed Altoid mints into the clay for the paint wells. (I read this somewhere on the web. It keeps the cavities in the clay open and dissolves easily to come out. Plus the kitchen smells minty fresh!)

After baking, I coated the clay with Golden’s GAC100 (basically fluid acrylic paint without pigment) to seal.

                        

I cut down a small plastic cup for a water tray.

I bought a set of mini brushes for $9 and kept the Koi water brush & sponge.

Here are the paint colors I put into this box.

Back row:

Cadmium Yellow

Ultramarine

Light Purple

Permanent Green Deep

Cadmium Orange

Front row:

Lemon Yellow

Cobalt blue

Permanent Rose

Lamp Black

Permanent White

I can’t wait to try this pocket box this weekend.

My Matisse Painting invited to a National Juried Show

Batter Up

I was at a Cubs game last week and had the good fortune to have really good seats.

I used one of the photos I took as a reference for this painting.

Although the Cubs lost in the 9^th,it was still great fun to see the action up this close.

“Batter Up”, 8x10”, gouache (opaquewatercolor)

Copying a Master, my way

A while ago, I saw a Matisse exhibit at themuseum. Though his style is not how I prefer to paint, there was something thatintrigued me. I wanted to try copying one of his masters but in a way that wasstill mine. I decided to create my copy in a museum setting.

I was intrigued by how much people werestudying each painting. That was part of the inspiration for this painting.Also I wanted to try copying the style to see if I could get any betterunderstanding for his work.

I was proud of myself for thinking of theidea. Then as I sifted thru images of Matisse’s work. I found that he had doneit himself! He did a scene of the inside of his studio with one of his ownpaintings leaning against the wall!

I had to combine several references as phototaking was not allowed in the exhibit. 

And the two painting I wanted to use did notappear together in the exhibit.

The two paintings "on the wall" areBathers by the River & The Dance. The composition took a lot of playing around. It seemedthat for all the busy-ness of the “museum wall” that the “viewer” needed to besimpler.

I analyzed the reference a lot before paintingeach shape. I'm not looking to make an exact duplicate. But I do want itrecognized as a reference to Matisse's painting.



”Museum Series- Matisse”, Acrylics.30"x40"

I’m happy with the finished painting. I finished it with 2 days to spare before theshow entry cutoff. Yeah!

Fingers crossed that the judge likes mypainting and it gets into the show!

Canoe Shed

Finally on Monday (our last full day at Dillman's) we had a sunny, summer day. What a difference! The scenery went from nice to beautiful.

They have canoes & kayaks available for the resort guest to use. We didn't take them out but I was intrigued by their shapes and colors and the shed that had all the life vests hanging on it and paddles resting against it.

I'm very pleased with how this painting is progressing. I think it is about halfway done. After two hours, the sun had changed the light too much on me so I had to stop working on this painting on site. I like this one enough that I will continue working on it in the studio.

Canoe Shed, 8x10", oils

Birch at Lakeside

In addition to my oils, I brought a watercolor & gouache kit on our mini vacation. Gouache is an opaque watercolor. In my search for the perfect sketch setup, I tried a sample set of gouache I was given recently.  With regular transparent watercolor if you want light colors you have to plan ahead and reserve them. Since gouache is opaque, I could add the light colors at any time including near the end of the painting. Since I am used to working dark to light in oil pastels, I like that I can do the same with the gouache. And as with watercolors, it dilutes and cleans with water.

I had a small sample set of Windsor-Newton gouache I was given recently.  I used it with my Koi watercolor set to give me a larger variety of color in the gouache.

This painting was done in early evening after a day of rain. The sky was still filled with heavy rain clouds. But since I was in a happier mood than the clouds, I took some artistic license and painted as if it were a sunny day. 

This was painted while sitting on a bench on a dock and listening to the birds and chipmunks. 

Very peaceful...

Birch at Lakeside, 5x4", watercolor & gouache

Gloomy Day at the Lake

We just came back from spending 4 days at Dillman's Bay Resort in the North Woods of Wisconsin. Dillman's is a nice, well-run place on a quiet lake. We were greeted when we opened the car door by a very laid-back Golden Retriever who escorted us to the check in desk. He took his job as official greeter very seriously!

I had heard about Dillman's because they run week long artist workshops all summer. We weren't there for a workshop but were invited to the welcoming reception they had for the students. During the reception, a brief rundown of the week's schedule gave the impression that they put a lot of effort into making sure the workshop students have a good week.

Although we weren't there for classes, we were there for the artist friendly atmosphere. Despite the rain which kept trying to dampen our vacation, I was able to do 3 plein air paintings. And when it was raining, I spent my time reading some of their large library of art instruction books.

This first was done during a few hour break in the rain. The sky was filled with large gray clouds.

Gloomy Day at the Lake, 8x10", oil