New Painting Started: Over Her Shoulder

Okay, I finally got around to working up a new painting on that stretched paper I showed in my previous post. This will be taken from an old life drawing sketch I made a few years back.

I first sketched out the outline on the paper with a conte crayon, then used a wash of thin yellow ochre casein. I darkened that up by adding a little cadmium red. This cardstock paper is too thin for anything substantial. The water is really breaking it up, but not too badly to use for sketching. The paint layers from here on will have to be less wet.

Stretching Light Weight Watercolor Paper

Not too long ago I picked up a package of light weight cardstock paper. It’s sold by Neenah, and I got it at a local Office Depot, $12 for 50 sheets. It works well for drawing, but I thought I’d see how well I could wrap it to a wood frame to use for watercolor, or actually water-based casein paint, and do some sketching on it.

Since it was 11×17″, I used a small 9×12″ wood stretcher instead of my custom built frame. A large plastic storage bin worked well for soaking the paper instead of the bathtub to use less water. It’s only 80-lb. paper, so small pieces tore off fairly easily as I pulled it around the frame. There are no tears on the front, so no problem there. I used thumbtacks to hold the paper in place as it dried, and will leave them there as I paint on the front. It dried as tight as a drum, so this should work fine.

A Couple of New Sketches

I felt like I needed some time at the library today. It’s my favorite place to sketch people, and I understand I can even look at books while I’m there. First I drew my friend, Cathy, who joined me for brunch. Later, I found a nice fellow snoozing in a chair at the library, listening to music.

A Drawing in Imagine 2018 Exhibit

Tonight was the opening event of a local art show, Imagine 2018, where one of my recent drawings was entered, “Lashonda Florescent.” This was the 10th year of the show, and I’ve been pleased to have work of mine accepted into each of them. It is always a big event for this area, and tonight was no exception. Here are a few photos I took this evening. I wish Lashonda could have been there, but she’s moved back to England. The show will be up at the Texas State Extension campus in Round Rock until May 4th, so please drop by if you can.