I paint on several surfaces, including various boards, canvas, paper and my current favorite, wood. I thought this bunny was a perfect one to share, since Easter is on the way. I added some iridescent gold to a stain I made that helped bring out the grain. The shimmer is much nicer in person, but you get the idea.
Not all wood is created equal. This was painted on MDO - Medium Density Overlay Panel, which is made of plywood then coated with weather-resistant resin. It's popular with sign painters. It took me a little time to get used to the smoothness of this surface, but I like it. I'm fortunate that I can occasionally take home wood from a TV show or commercial I may be working on. I paint built sets when I'm not working on commissions. If there happens to be extra wood and some free time, a nice carpenter will cut some of those pieces down to be put to good use :)
And now back to the more traditional. I think what I'm most drawn to when painting on wood, is that it conjures up thoughts about craftsmanship and a handmade quality that appeals to me. I feel more comfortable using a limited palette on wood, something I wanted to do because I'm interested in making simplified scenes that maintain the charm of the material.
I love the way paint will sometimes catch on a rough area, adding dimension, enhancing the painterly quality.
This piece, above, was painted on 4 separate wood panels and I decided to give each one a different background color wash. It's subtle, but different. Lately, I've been thinking about 'Home' what that means to people - comfort, family, a place in which you return, a memory or a place to build.
Years ago, I dry mounted prints to wood panels. More on that some other time. When I stopped making those, there were some left over. These came in handy when I took Lilla Rogers' MATS Bootcamp last Spring and one of our assignments required that we create art on wood. I think that's when I 1st started to paint on it again and I'm so glad I did. This circle and the crabs, below were made during class.
Why am I thinking about my reasons for using wood more regularly? Funny you should ask. Uppercase Magazine is offering a chance to be included in it's 30th issue. You have 3 shots; One - share your experience about your creative heritage Two - share work that could be described as rustic or Three - share your products/projects made using, you got it, wood! Uppercase is a wonderful magazine and the opportunity to be in it is thrilling to me. It might be of interest to you, too. So, go take a look. The deadline is March 31st.
Beep beep - Spring is upon us, Let's take a trip!
Here's a little peek at a process pic. Sometimes I paint directly into the wood grain with bright colors and in this one, the animals are part of the grain.
This portrait is one of my favorites. I've shared it here before, but this photo shows her right before I painted the shirt and polka dot background. I sometimes wish I'd left the grain in her blouse. Oh well, maybe next time.
I hope you've enjoyed seeing these paintings. Most of my work is currently painted on birch plywood and on maple panels by Art Boards.
I often adjust work in photoshop, but I love having a finished piece, a stand alone object, in the end.
Plus, it feels great when someone purchases an original painting and gives it a nice home.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week :) xo, A