Storm Tossed Coast

Storm Tossed Coast
Acrylic
12" x 16" canvas

 

The acrylic painting above is an excellent example of a subject in which to use a palette knife instead of a brush.  The texture the palette knife provides enhances the storm tossed look of the scene.  The painting above can be painted using a brush; however, in this case, the painting instructions will be given using a palette knife. 

 

Supplies Needed:

Canvas panel – I used a stretched canvas on my painting; however, a canvas panel with a harder surface may be easier for a beginner.  A canvas will have some “give” and a canvas panel will be a hard, non-moving surface.

Palette knife:  one or more – your choice

Palette or disposable palette paper

Acrylic Paint:

• Cerulean Blue
• Cobalt Blue
• Ultramarine Blue
• White
• Orange
• Crimson
• Sepia
• Burnt Umber
• VanDyke Brown
• Sap Green
• Yellow Ochre
  

 

Painting Instructions:

Lightly sketch in the painting with very little detail.  Sketch the placement of the rocky cliffs, rocks in the foreground and the horizon.  Other details are not necessary and will be covered up when the top layer of paint is applied.

 

Sky and Clouds:

Using the palette knife, paint in the sky by spreading Cobalt Blue and Cerulean Blue across the canvas from left to right at a slight angle towards the cliffs and the horizon.  Work the colors together with the palette knife.  Allow to dry.

 

Swirl in the clouds with white paint using sweeping strokes of the palette knife.   Additional clouds will be added later.  See photo below for reference.

 

 

Cliffs:

Spread in a base coat of Burnt Umber and VanDyke Brown on the cliffs.  Pull and drag the palette knife to apply the paint.   Add Yellow Ochre on the flat area at the top of the cliffs.  Dot in some areas of green to indicate foliage.    

 

Water and Waves:

Using the same colors as the sky, work in the water using the palette knife in a pulling motion to indicate movement of the water.  Deepen the color of the water where it meets the rocks in the foreground.  Work carefully around the rocks in the water.  However, white spray will be pulled over parts of the rocks and the cliff.    Refer to photo below.  Allow water to dry.

 

Apply white paint in small amounts with the edge of the palette knife on the tops of some of the waves.  Using your finger pull some white paint up on the cliff and the rocks.  Allow the rock to show through. 

 

Add additional white to the clouds at this time as well using your finger as well as the palette knife.  See photo below.

 

 

Foreground Rocks:

Using Crimson and Orange, paint in the foreground rocks mixing with VanDyke Brown and Burnt Umber.  Ultramarine is added to deepen the color.  Allow the Crimson and Orange paint to dry, then drag the darker browns over the top scraping to allow some of the Crimson and Orange to show through.    Refer to painting above.  Allow to dry.

 

Details:

Add some spray where the water hits the rocks on the shore and in the water with white paint and your finger.  Use just a small amount of paint.  A finger is perfect for this affect as a palette knife can apply too much paint and the finger adds texture. 

 

Review your painting – step back to see the overall painting and add any additional paint as needed.

 

Sign your painting!  Congratulations!

 

Happy Painting!

Karen

Palette Knives and How to Use Them

Storm Tossed Shore
Acrylic
12" x 16" canvas

 The subject of your painting and the results you would like to achieve determine whether or not to use a palette knife or a brush to execute your painting.  If details are what you desire, than a palette knife would not be the better choice.

 

I enjoy palette knife painting because I like the Impressionist feeling a palette knife can provide.  The painting above was executed using a variety of shapes of palette knives.  In this post, I will provide the basics of using a palette knife;  and in my next post, I will provide directions to use a palette knife to paint the picture above. 

 

Painting with a knife is a lot like spreading peanut butter on bread.  A palette knife produces a much different result than a brush.  Palette knives can produce a range of different effects from textured work to sweeping areas of color to even tiny shapes, dots and straight lines. 

 

What is a palette knife or painting knife?

Palette knife and painting knife are terms often used synonymously with one another.     I will use the term in the post to mean the painting tool. 

 

Generally a palette knife is a long, straight blade or spatula used for mixing paints and scraping clean a palette – not for painting. 

 

A painting knife has a large bend in the handle to take your hand away from the painting canvas to keep your hand out of your wet paint.  The blade is somewhat flexible and can be found in various shapes; i.e. diamond shaped, pear shaped, etc. 

 

Although these tools are called knives they are not designed to have a sharp cutting edge.  It has a blunt edge with the exception of ones with a sharp point on the ends. 

 

How to paint using the palette knife:

If you are able to fix a peanut butter sandwich, you can paint with a palette knife.  There is no magic trick – only practice to learn what will work for you. 

 

Techniques involved:

• Scrap the knife across the surface of the paint on the palette so that it picks up some of the paint.
• Dip the knife into the paint to get a bit of the paint on the point or one edge. 
• Palette knife painting is easier when the paint is thick, so don’t add any water or other medium to the paint to thin it down. 
• Hold the handle firmly in a good grip.  Put your fingers on the knife where they are most comfortable for you.  However, a good way to start would be to hold the knife as if you were fencing with your thumb on top. 
• Your grip can be adjusted.
• Use your wrist to change the angle and direction of your knife in relation to your painting and your paint on the palette. 
• The knife can be used in any direction; there is no right side, wrong side or upside down. 
• Palette knife painting can feel unusual at first, as it is very different from painting with a brush.
   
  What’s next?

• Pick up some paint from your palette using the tip or the side of your knife depending on what shape is needed in your painting.
• Use the long side of the blade to spread the paint across the canvas.
• Create texture by pressing the blade into the paint on the canvas.
• The tip can be used to produce dots of various sizes.
• Use the edge of the knife to produce lines.
• Press the blade flat to make ridges.
• Scrape the blade across a dried paint surface to reveal underlying layers of paint.  (This is called sgraffito.)

 

Practice!  It is a good idea to purchase a book of inexpensive sheets of canvas paper to use to practice your technique before executing a painting for the first time with a palette knife.

 

How to clean the palette knife:

Cleaning a palette knife is so much easier than cleaning a brush!

Simply wipe the paint off of the knife with a cloth and then wipe the palette knife again with a clean cloth to remove any remaining paint.    This is usually all that will be needed and it is advisable to clean your knife when using different colors of paint to keep the paint from mixing…..unless that is your goal.

 

If the paint dries on the palette knife, it can be scraped off with no damage to the knife.  Brushes are not as forgiving. 

 

Practice your palette knife techniques and get ready for a palette knife painting in my next blog.

 

Happy Painting!

Karen

 

 

Loose Watercolor Painting

Abstract Coneflowers
Watercolor
3" x 5" bound watercolor journal

          

The painting above is another one of my paintings in my a watercolor journal.  Watercolor journals are a great way to be portable when painting or to just work on a small painting without the usual setup.   The paper in this journal is handmade paper and paints quite differently than my usual Arches watercolor paper.    This painting was done plein air on my deck overlooking  my flower garden.

 

This abstraction was executed to show the use of “loose” watercolor painting.  Loose painting can be difficult for many painters because they basically turn control of the painting over to the water.  However, the artist does still have some control…..one just has to remember how water works! 

 

Before we start painting, I wanted to provide a few tips to waiting “loose.”

 

• Prepare a simple sketch.  Draw good shapes with no detail.
• Paint from large to small areas of the painting.
• Determine where a hard edge may need to be, if any, and where your soft edges can be found.
• Paint quickly.
• Don’t overwork the painting.  Put the paint down and then stop. 
• A large brush is usually better.
• Use fewer colors.
• Use a spray bottle to keep the paint flowing.
• Pick up your paper to aid in paint movement.
• Don’t worry about messing up – it’s only paper.
• All paintings do not have to be perfect – have fun.
• Interpret what you see….don’t expect a photograph.
• Let the painting happen – let the water, the paint and the brush do the work.
• Paint the same subject numerous times – make a series.  You will get better with each painting.
• Paint and have fun…..remember, it is ONLY paper!

Supplies Needed:

Watercolor paper or watercolor journal – your choice of size. 

Masking Tape

Watercolor board

Brushes:  flat and round (large brushes work better for loose paintings)

Paint:

Yellow ocher

Sap Green

Ultramarine Blue

Medium Yellow

Burnt Umber

Crimson

Payne’s Gray

 

Painting Instructions:

I used masking tape around the outside edges of my journal to make a straight edge.  However, masking tape is not necessary in a journal.  Taping watercolor paper to a board is necessary if you are not using a journal to keep the painting flat. 

 

Lightly sketch in the shape of the flowers.  It is not necessary to sketch in the shape of the stems or leaves.    

 

Background:

Wet the sky area of the painting – approximately ¼ of the way down the piece of paper.  Using a wash of Ultramarine Blue, drop in your sky allowing the lighter shade of blue to flow into the area of your flowers.  Allow to dry.

 

Flowers:

Using Crimson, paint  the flower petals. While still wet, deepen area of the petals with a bit of Ultramarine blue.    Allow the paint to flow and the colors to mingle.    Drop in a shade of orange mixed from Crimson and yellow into the center of the flowers.  At the very center of the larger flower, drop in some Sap Green and Payne’s Gray.  Allow the colors to mix.  When dry, add a few dots of orange/crimson for the very center. 

 

Stems and Leaves:

Using a round brush and various shades of green made from Sap Green and Yellow for the lighter shades and Sap Green and Ultramarine for the deeper shades of green.  Paint the stems and leaves.  While still wet, drag in some Payne’s Gray and Burnt Umber along one side of the stems. 

 

Sign your painting!  Congratulations!

 

Is loose painting for you?  It is not for everyone, but it can be enjoyable and some beautiful paintings can be created.  Be patient and keep trying!

Happy Painting!

Karen

 

How to Paint Filtered Light

Forest Light
Watercolor
3" x 5" bound watercolor journal

The painting above is one of many that I have painted in a watercolor journal.  Watercolor journals are a great way to be portable when painting or to just work on a small painting without the usual setup.   The paper in this journal is handmade paper and paints quite differently than my usual Arches watercolor paper.    This painting was done plein air on my deck overlooking a small “forest of trees” with light filtering through. 

Supplies Needed:
Watercolor paper or watercolor journal – your choice of size. 
Masking Tape
Watercolor board
Brushes:  flat and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)

White wax candle or white crayon (resist)
Paint:

Yellow ocher

Sap Green

Ultramarine Blue

Medium Yellow

Sepia

Burnt Umber

Payne’s Gray

VanDyke Brown

Painting Instructions:
I used masking tape around the outside edges of my journal to make a straight edge.  However, masking tape is not necessary in a journal.  Taping watercolor paper to a board is necessary if you are not using a journal to keep the painting flat. 

Lightly sketch in the shape of the trees and the horizon. 

 

Area of filtered sunlight:

Using the white crayon or wax candle, “color” a line of light across the trees starting on the upper left side of the paper and moving diagonally cross the page to the lower right.  Refer to painting above for the location of this highlight and other highlights in the painting. 

 

Note:  The crayon or candle will act as a resist or mask to keep the paint from being absorbed by the paper.  My paper was rough and the crayon stayed on the top of the paper, not in the crevices of the rough surface.  This allowed for the filtered look of the sunlight…..most areas are light with only some of the areas being allowed to absorb the paint.    This method can be used anytime  you would like to mask some areas of a painting.  The wax from either the crayon or the candle keeps the paper from absorbing the paint.  Note:  This will NOT provide complete coverage.  If complete coverage is needed, use masking fluid or tape.

Background:
Using a wash of yellow paint across the trees.  While this is still wet, drop in varying shades of green created by adding yellow to Sap Green for the lighter areas of green and adding Ultramarine to Sap Green for the darker areas of the background.      Be certain to leave most of the background a light yellow green.  Notice how the paint is not absorbed in the areas where the wax was applied.  Allow to dry.

 

Forest Floor/Ground:

Using Burnt Umber, Payne’s Gray and VanDyke Brown and a round brush, paint in the areas of the forest floor leaving some areas lighter and/or darker than others. 

 

Trees:

Wet each tree with clean water.  While still wet paint the trees with Burnt Umber, Payne’s Gray and VanDyke Brown.  Vary the colors and keep the colors light on the left side of the tree trunks. 

Use darker shades of these colors to  paint in tree limbs using a round brush. 

 

Leaves/Shrubs and Undergrowth:

Use Sap Green deepened with Ultramarine and Burnt Umber in varying amounts to paint in the background foliage and leaves.   Allow to dry.

 

Details:

I prefer to paint with few details.  However, review the paintings and add any details you would like such as smaller branches and details on the tree trunks or ground roots.  Allow to dry.

Sign your painting!  Congratulations!

Happy Painting!
Karen