Victorian Home

This is my latest in acrylic as a part of DSFDF challenge. I am doing this painting on a canvas panel for the first time. I am not so crazy about using canvas for acrylic painting. I find that the canvas surface is a bit rough on the brushes. I also find that since I am cleaning and scrubbing the brushes more often, I find that I am rough-handling the brushes too. Maybe because I am so spoiled with using watercolor brushes.

As for the painting, I feel that the outcome is so and so. I originally intended to paint the house in orange; but when I mixed a bit of black to the orange paint, it turned peachy. So I had to use up that color. I am pretty impressed with my sky painting.  It came out as good as I expected. I took the risk of drawing the outline without resorting to any ruler. So the perspective looks okay at a glance but sometimes I talk myself into “seeing” that it looks crooked. Uugh…I guess I am beating myself up. After painting two buildings in a row, now I am hankering to paint something that is not acrylic. As I have mentioned before, I am still working on a pencil portrait. It is about ¾th done. I believe now I can go back and finish it off.

Victorian Home
Acrylic on 9 x 12 inches Canvas Panel
January 2009
Reference Photo by Karin Jurick

Jefferson Memorial

This is my very first acrylic night painting. I did this as a part of the challenge in the blog “Different Strokes From Different Folks” hosted by Karin Jurick. It was nerve-wracking to paint in acrylic and my total lack of experience is evident in the painting. Acrylic painting technique is totally different from watercolor. I had trouble putting on the paint on the masonite surface. I felt the surface was too smooth. I did not know if you are supposed to sand the surface before you start painting. Once you know how the paint behave, it is easy to paint.

Jefferson Memorial at Washington D.C
Acrylics on 11 by 14 inches Panel
Reference Photo by Karin Jurick

Thank you!

Thank you Ms.Dee Toms for painting my portrait as a part of DSFDF year-end challenge!

Happy New Year!

My first post in 2009 and let me start blogging this year by wishing you a Happy New Year! I am quite happy with my progress I have made last year. I have taken up drawing and painting after years and years of neglect. This is one skill that I do not want to see go wasted and lose my heart for. I hope to improve my skills through this year and many many more years to come.  

My first project for this year will be a pencil drawing in a large format. I am doing this as a gift to my former classmate. I emailed my former classmates, who I keep in touch through an online network, by offering to draw a portrait of him/her or his/her loved ones. The first one to respond would be the lucky person. I did not have to wait long to get a response. Yeah I love to spoil my near and dear ones with pleasant surprises… 😀

Now the problem is I need a better surface to draw on. That means going to an art supply store. I may do that this weekend.