Rabbit skin varnish
Today I went to an informational discussion by a painter who uses the techniques of the old masters. He's studied how they did their paintings, what their methods were and how they got the effects that they did with what they used. It was interesting. It was worth it just to find out how to use rabbit skin sizing, which I remember seeing in Utrecht years ago when I went into Boston and having no idea what is would so. It actually seems pretty easy to use. It replaces acrylic gesso.
This painter uses a lot of varnishes and mixes them with his paints. It creates a glowing look. I've only ever used linseed oil to create a more blacker looking black, but he used the example of Sargent's paintings, which if you recall I was drooling over after our trip to the MFA a number of months ago.
I don't know if I'll use any of his ideas or techniques, he is offering a class but I'm not going to take it right now. It might be fun in the future though. He did talk about surfaces to paint on, and he recommended Masonite as probably one of the best surfaces. He said that cotton canvas was the least permanent, susceptible to moisture. I can vouch for that since some of my paintings that have been in the attic have mold developing on the backs of them. Which isn't really hard to believe since mold seems to grow on everything in this house. Bleck!
I have to pick something for tomorrow's oil class. Not sure what to paint. I think I'm going to do something from the cemetery. I have had a week to think of this, but of course I put it off. I just don't have anything that I feel I really want to paint right now.
In other news, my mother is turning 70 this week, and I would have forgotten it. Good thing I called. I can never remember my mother's birthday, I don't know why. Probably because she is the only one not on or right next to a holiday.
I also have to send the mason his money. He's going to be taking down and rebuilding the chimney at my father/brother/my house next weekend. Its badly in need of it, as it's literally been falling apart for many years now. Next spring sometime we'll have the roof done. What else can I spend my money on I wonder? I'm just waiting for the hot water heater to go, it's about 10 years old, it's due.
Mrs. Moose posted something on her myspace that you can actually call in and record a message on. As I expected, no one seems to have used it yet, except the courtesy call from the company itself. I guess her non PC attitude and her vivid anti-hippy disclaimer has scared everyone away. Yeah, I want to call in, but at the same time, I know I wouldn't, esp. not before she goes to get whatever she's going to get done for her back (which I do take with a grain of salt). I expect if she isn't already, that she will eventually turn into a pain killer drug addict. Why? I don't know, just because. Maybe it will be god's will and all. Maybe it will give her a chance to 'find god again' or something. She should have been a Buddhist, what with all her reincarnations.
Well, it's off to Facebook to let my brother know not to forget my Mom's birthday, and then dig out the card I bought months ago. I always try to get cards that I like when I see them, because good cards today are so hard to find.
This painter uses a lot of varnishes and mixes them with his paints. It creates a glowing look. I've only ever used linseed oil to create a more blacker looking black, but he used the example of Sargent's paintings, which if you recall I was drooling over after our trip to the MFA a number of months ago.
I don't know if I'll use any of his ideas or techniques, he is offering a class but I'm not going to take it right now. It might be fun in the future though. He did talk about surfaces to paint on, and he recommended Masonite as probably one of the best surfaces. He said that cotton canvas was the least permanent, susceptible to moisture. I can vouch for that since some of my paintings that have been in the attic have mold developing on the backs of them. Which isn't really hard to believe since mold seems to grow on everything in this house. Bleck!
I have to pick something for tomorrow's oil class. Not sure what to paint. I think I'm going to do something from the cemetery. I have had a week to think of this, but of course I put it off. I just don't have anything that I feel I really want to paint right now.
In other news, my mother is turning 70 this week, and I would have forgotten it. Good thing I called. I can never remember my mother's birthday, I don't know why. Probably because she is the only one not on or right next to a holiday.
I also have to send the mason his money. He's going to be taking down and rebuilding the chimney at my father/brother/my house next weekend. Its badly in need of it, as it's literally been falling apart for many years now. Next spring sometime we'll have the roof done. What else can I spend my money on I wonder? I'm just waiting for the hot water heater to go, it's about 10 years old, it's due.
Mrs. Moose posted something on her myspace that you can actually call in and record a message on. As I expected, no one seems to have used it yet, except the courtesy call from the company itself. I guess her non PC attitude and her vivid anti-hippy disclaimer has scared everyone away. Yeah, I want to call in, but at the same time, I know I wouldn't, esp. not before she goes to get whatever she's going to get done for her back (which I do take with a grain of salt). I expect if she isn't already, that she will eventually turn into a pain killer drug addict. Why? I don't know, just because. Maybe it will be god's will and all. Maybe it will give her a chance to 'find god again' or something. She should have been a Buddhist, what with all her reincarnations.
Well, it's off to Facebook to let my brother know not to forget my Mom's birthday, and then dig out the card I bought months ago. I always try to get cards that I like when I see them, because good cards today are so hard to find.