ITS 2015!!!

Are you all sleeping in?  with critters, that is something that doesn't happen.   Kind of a trade off, you get to have the milk, ride the horse, gather the eggs, but you have to do so timely, daily, no matter what.  I think its a pretty fair trade tho.!

I did not party as I did days past, I didn't even have anyone over.   In fact, my midnight kiss wasn't even offered with much enthusiasm as he was chewing on a rawhide.   Some date.

My New Year's Eve date.

I did do what has become my normal Eve event--clean and oil my easel, then paint.   Somehow this is a very soothing thing for me, like a promise to myself to honor my art spirit.   I love the smells of the murphy's soap and the lemon oil, and the fresh start on day one of the new year.

For my last piece of 2014, I chose a scene I've had stored on my camera card a few months now, and it wasn't so much about painting the place, but about the color.   I was riding my horse Copper, heading home and it was getting cold and some weather was setting in.   I only use a smaller point-n-shoot camera as its easy to tote, and the photos aren't so perfect, leaving me room to add my own voice. 

Lucas Farm House, 10x15 pastel, copyright CM Cernetisch   $165.

This is 10x15 on a piece of Wallis Belgium Mist I found last week when repainting the frame room.    the warm grey color felt right for this idea.   I also worked quite a bit without the photo at all, once I had the block in done.  Then I returned the the photo, on my laptop, for finishing details.  That is a really fun way to work.  

So that concludes this year of art, horses and farmlife.  Stay tuned for scenes from the upcoming year!

Happy New Year!!!

Many people are kicking around the 'whatcha doing New Year's?' question.    So I'll just put it out here.  

First, I really don't make any plans, and staying home is just a fine idea.    And with no plan, that's usually the way it goes.  

One of my personal highlights on this night home is oiling my easel.  Oh, the excitement you say!    Ok, its not the crazy party of my past, but somehow its a thing that has evolved into a tradition for me and it makes me happy.   Starting a new year with my equipment ready says I am planning to be painting and working on my art.   Some years I even did a painting as well, what a wild night!

  Pretty simple really.   My plan for this new year isn't much different than last year's, just that I want to do more of it....and by it, I mean art and riding both.  

I have gotten a couple new books on drawing, as I would like to use these cold winter days for study, and improve my skills.   I plan to do lots of exercises, so I had the local print shop bind up some big newsprint pads into smaller, more useable sizes.  The first book I'm working on is by James Gurney and Thomas Kinkade.   (took forever to find an affordable one!)  I must say, wow, this book is fantastic!   Highly suggested, full of good stuff.

So I guess that's as far as I've gotten.   Not any big wild party or major happening, but it makes me happy, and that's what counts, right!?  

mounting pastel paper

Hello!   I am not able to show what I'm working on, as they are Christmas gifts and I'm not going to be the one who blows the surprise!   But, I thought today would be a good time to post how I mount sanded paper to a support board. 

Mounting it isn't something that has to be done, as sanded papers are usually heavy enough to stand alone.  I get mine in rolls, which lead to the problem of curled paper.  Not good!   I am currently using UART in 600 grit, and I very much like this paper.  Has lots of grit but doesn't seem to eat my pastels as badly as papers with heavier grit.   It handles wet underpainting well and getting a roll was more economical than sheets.   And, its just fun to have a half acre of paper, just waiting for me! 

First, figure out what you want to mount to.  I won't use products that aren't acid free, so I won't mention that at every turn today, just know, its all acid free.   So that said, you can use foam board, mat board, or mount board.   I chose foam board today.   I also chose to use grafix double tack film.   I also got my brayer and some black tape.

This piece will be 16x20, so I cut my UART to a size a bit larger, so I have space to scribble, try out colors, edges of sticks, etc.  I must have scribble space!   Then I cut the tack film to size of the UART, and the foam board is a tad larger on all sides.    I start by making pencil lines where the paper will go, then peel up one corner of the tack film, (its got slick papers on either side of the film). and smooth-smooth-smooth all the way across the foam board, rubbing with my hand, only peeling as much as I can smooth at one time.   At this point, I have a foam board with a tacky sheet on it, with a slick sheet still on top.   I now peel the top slick sheet, just a corner, and line up the UART and start peeling and rubbing down just like before.   Ta-da!   A mounted piece of sanded paper.

Next, I have started using that black tape to mark my borders.   It makes it easier for me to judge the composition this way, otherwise I seem to just keep going, then when I trim the paper to frame later, sometimes the design suffers as I now have cut off part of the painting.    This black tape fixes that problem.   I can take it off or leave it as its acid free.   (yes, I said it again!)   I run the tape about 1/4 inch outside my border.   

Ready to paint!    I put it on my main easel, using some cheapo (not acid free!) wide masking tape at the top corners, and a small clamp at the bottom.   The large white board is my drawing board, I made that with foam board on top of luan board, then painted it with floor finish poly so tape won't rip it.   I did this so I dont' have to keep adjusting my easel height--now I just tape/clip where I want the paper.  and sometimes I work big enough to cover that whole drawing board.   I also like my little quotes where I can see them.    Have a Great week!