Friday 13 April 2012

Red phase tea inspired (?) wip

I LOVE my art journal. But the problem with my art journal is that it  tends to keep me away from easel and canvas. But during the Easter weekend, I finally found enough time and energy to tackle the 70x70cm canvas that has been waiting patently in the corner for weeks. I had a hundred ideas in my mind, and none of them included any red. But somehow, I ended up picking up the brighest reds in my paint box. And it felt fabulous and right.


Close-up/detail: I love the texture of the canvas and how building up layer after layer creates more texture.


I must admit that my water jar always fascinates me. How you start with fa jar of fresh clean water, which then slowly adopts all the beautiful colours (and turning into some muddy brown) until being washed down the drain. Isn't this just a beautiful lush red? Like freshly squeezed raspberries.


My palette is now covered in reds. The gorgeous Alizarin Crimson gives a beautiful lighter colour when mixed with white, without turning too pink. I still haven't cleaned my palette, and it is now rather bumpy. Not really ideal for working with a roller.


I added a layer, or rather a few layers, of white on top of it all at the end, because it was all getting a bit too much red. I like the aged, worn look this added.


Still a work in progress, but now I'm not quite sure yet how I want to proceed. I have a few ideas but I'll have to meditate on them and wait what'll come out at the end. I've also very briefly considered just leaving it as it is. But I don't think I have to heart to do so. Not because I don't like it, but because it makes me feel guilty. I always feel that if you want to create a piece of art, it needs a bit more to justify it as such than just slapping on one or two layers of paint on a canvas and scraping it around a bit. And all of that in less than a hour. I think that you have to "slave" at least a little bit over a piece to earn it the name of "artwork". And up till now, it has definitely been to much fun and not enough slaving.

So maybe something with white and light green. This combination just screams spring to me, and all I want to do at the moment is having everything around me in white and light green.

Hmmm, I really wonder where this "red phase" is coming from then. I have a slight feeling though that it might be the influence of a new tea I bought the other day. Pomegranate and Raspberry infusion. Delicious! And the colour is just irresistible. Or maybe it's the strawberry & raspberry sorbet I'm totally addicted to at the moment.


22 comments:

  1. I love how this is progressing. I know exactly what you mean about enjoying the process of just slapping the paint on and I also love the aged effect you've created with the white over the red. It does look like a great piece as it stands but it'll be interesting to see how you decide to progress with it. I'm also a huge fan of fruit tea - ever since I stopped drinking milk I didn't like the idea of black coffee so fruit teas were the way forward and I'm guessing they're a lot healthier too!

    thank you for your lovely comment on my blog. pricing is such a tricky thing but it's good to know what other artists think.

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  2. I love pomegranate and raspberry tea as well and raspberry sorbet is my absolute favourite... the colour alone gets me every time... I can't wait to see where the canvas goes and what it becomes... there is something so seductive about laying paint down like that isn't there... just makes me happy...xx

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  3. IF you left it the way it is then it would look fabulous as a modern interpretation, a kind of modern statemnt in colour. But I get the impression you want to work on it further. Either way I look forward to seeing your final decision. I love the colour:)
    xx

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  4. What a pleasure to visit you again at PPF! Your red was amazing but the white added on really does it, yep love that effect! Excited to see what the final outcome will be, just loving your whole art process and thanks for sharing all the little details too, such fun!

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  5. Thank you for showing your WIP, look forward to seeing where you go with it. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  6. vom Tee insoiriert...auch nicht schlecht!

    klasse.. na ich bin ja mal gespannt... das wird sicher noch dauern bis dieses ( für mich) riesige Format gefüllt ist ..so wie Du es haben willst!

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  7. Both your WIP and tea look so delicious! I think your painting would look fabulous as it is in a right interior, but I can relate to your wanting to "slave" a bit more... alltough I suppose art is allowed to come easily, too, sometimes? :)

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  8. I always love to soak up an artist's progress and process. The red is so lush. You made me laugh when you said the canvas had been sitting there for two weeks... I've got one here that's been waiting a year for the perfect inspiration!!

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  9. Wow I love this post! I know what you mean about leaving the canvas as is and feeling guilty...but I love it too!! Your red canvas makes me so happy and that cup of tea is so inviting! Thank you so much for sharing your process!!

    HAPPY PPF!

    Hugs Giggles

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  10. Delightful WIP ~ could go in many directions ~ great foundation or stand alone ~ I think ~ less or more is up to you ~ thanks, namaste, ^_^

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  11. The red is so rich. When you gave it the aged and worn look I was in heaven-so beautiful!

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  12. Gorgeous WIP, it will be really interesting to see where you go with this. Mmmm, raspberry and pomegranate...two of the best flavors ever.

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  13. So fun to see a work in progress and to hear about the artist's thoughts and how it developed. All the reds and the white are great...can't wait to see what you do next!

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  14. Amazing start!
    I love the surface...rich and red and weathered!!
    Thanks for the inspiring pics!
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  15. You are awesome! and I love red and all the reds mixed and layered are divine!

    Can't wait to see what you do with this,

    Happy PPF!

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  16. OOh, I love this, I wanted to wrap myself up in that raspberry color. When I scrolled down and saw the added white I wanted to yell "ADD DARK TEAL NEXT!!" I can just see it splashed across the canvas. Are you using acrylics?
    Thanks for adding yourself to my linky tool, that's how I ended up here, and I added myself to YOUR linky!
    How did I not discover your before? We go to and know so many of the same artists, I totally recognize dozens of names, lol.
    Glad to meet you finally. Hope to see you around my blog again, and please, feel free to join up every week with my Artist's Play Room Challenge, added every Saturday!
    Best,
    Jenn of www.JustAddWaterSilly.com

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  17. Such a deep, beautiful color... i love the textures already. And the color of that tea is so yummy. :-) Happy PPF! xoxo

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  18. Wow... this is so beautiful!! Very original, can't wait to see more. :)
    Have a wonderful weekend xxx

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  19. tHis is great I love how you take us through your process, really appreciate it- looks great! Happy PPF!

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  20. tHis is great I love how you take us through your process, really appreciate it- looks great! Happy PPF!

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  21. Awesome WIP pictures!!!!! Lovely! I want to see what will come next. The tea looks beautiful to hehehe
    happy PPF!

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  22. die Fotos sind so schön und ich bin gespannt mit was Du das Bild füllen wirst...

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