Some of you have asked me to tell a little more about myself, so I am
going to try to do that a little more. Today I am going to discuss my thought processes and what "painting intuitively" means to me.


Firstly, I tend to think a lot, and am a person with many and varied interests.
I do a lot of research on religious ideas, world events and history,
and anything else that interests me. I also read and write a lot, and
have hobbies like cooking and fishing. I can typically read a 300 page
novel in one sitting, usually an afternoon, and I tend to have several
books on various subjects open at any given time. That amount of brain
activity can result in a lot of mental clutter, and I believe that
painting meditative landscapes helps me organize my thoughts.



When I paint meditatively, I am on a completely different level of
thought- that "little voice" in my head is often silent. I can't really
explain it except that color, line, shape, etc. become their own
"language". I don't think things like, "Gee, wouldn't a little more
blue here work better". Usually it is more like my eye sees something
that stimulates it, and my hand does something in response almost by
itself. I am often surprised by what happens. The interaction happens
so fast that to "verbalize" it in my head would belabor it and slow it
down too much. As a result, I have started paintings only to have them
turn out completely different than what I have imagined I was going to
paint. It just sort of happens. I prefer to paint my meditative pieces
either digitally or in traditional oil, and I prefer to paint in
complete silence, when no one else is around. I drag the paint around
on the surface and allow my eye to control my hand as a reflexive
action, without the process going to the mental monologue level.



On the other hand, when I paint portraits or commissions, my brain acts
similarly, but it feeds off the reference materials instead of an inner
connection. I can be painting, and someone can speak to me, and I
sometimes find that I really cannot comprehend what they have said to
me- it is like they are speaking a language I don't understand. I stare
blankly at them for a minute until my mind "switches gears" and then I
ask them to repeat themselves so I can get what they have said. That is
another reason I don't like music or people noise in the background
because it tends to keep my mind on the "mental monologue" level where
the 'little voice" is chattering away. It is hard for me to paint when
my brain is creating a new recipe, or mulling over some issue I have
studied, or thinking about the grocery list, and I find that is where
my brain wants to go when I am painting with a lot of sound or visual
distractions. That is probably why I find it difficult to do more than
reference studies on location.



When I paint in watercolor, since it requires so much prior planning, I
find that I have to work out all my colors and ideas ahead of painting
each passage, instead of as I go along. Then, once I actually start
painting, it is never smooth going. In fact, it is usually a series of
"fits and starts" where I plan a long while, and then paint a passage.
I used to paint watercolors in an open gazebo at my parents' horse
farm, and frequently people would come up and see me staring at the
paper. They would notice that I stared a long time and did very little
painting. My eyes had to see and record what was on the paper and then
my brain somehow figured out what was still missing, and my hands added
in the colors in the right places. I have never really thought in
terms of "add a little more red" or "this shape here needs to be
larger"- again there is no mental monologue- it just sort of happens.



Pastel works in a similar way as watercolor, and that is why I find the
computer such an aid to my work. I can create freely and intuitively on
the "virtual canvas" and then print out a "reference" that has all the
bugs worked out. I can then paint automatically and intuitively using
my printed image as my preliminary or thumbnail sketch.

Once an intuitive painting session is over, I find that my mind has organized itself and there is less "chatter" from the voice in my head. I am relaxed and ready to pursue other interests.



I would be interested to hear if any of you have unusual painting
styles, or unusual creative habits- maybe you don't paint, but you sew,
create your own recipes, design things, or whatever. Everyone is
creative in some way, and creative styles interest me, so please email me or comment here about your own creative styles or rituals.

Thanks,
Misty

Once upon a time, there were legitimate choices to be made regarding archival quality vs. artistic expression. For example, at one time there was no orange like genuine vermilion, but it had this nasty habit of changing color to brown. Or there was no red that even came close to alizarin crimson for clarity and amazing color, but it tended to fade away with time. Artists had to decide, "do I stay true to my artistic vision and use fugitive pigments, or supports that may not last, or do I sacrifice my vision on the altar of permanence?" Now, however, with the technological advances we have made in pigment creation,  and the advancements in our understanding of art conservation, there really is no longer an excuse for not  using  archival quality materials, and I believe that most artists do try to use the best materials possible. However sometimes it is out of our hands.     I can well remember purchasing "artist quality" paints and supports from well known manufacturers, only to find out later that they were not archival! I have thrown out many paints, and stopped using some favorite convenience mixtures because they were made with one or more colors that would either fade or change dramatically from what had originally come out of the tube, but yet the tube indicated that the paint was "artist quality" and rated well for permanence! This type of subterfuge went on with abandon until artists started asking questions, and refusing to accept inferior paints! As a result, many of the leading manufacturers have revised their product lines and incorporated permanent pigments to replace the old fugitive ones, and have phased out paints that for whatever reason did not perform up to a high standard. Some of them have even actually begun calling pigments by their real names, such as "phthalocyanine green" instead of some brand name or historical name that is now meaningless. Thus, paints that are labeled "artist quality" today are more likely to actually be artist quality than they were even just a decade ago, but I still shudder when I think of all the paintings out there for which collectors have paid top dollar that will eventually fade away to a mere shadow of their former beauty.     In addition to the subterfuge described above, paintings can often be ruined by the very items that are meant to protect them! Consider this: an artist paints a lovely watercolor which he mats with a white museum quality 100% rag mat, and frames  it to show in an art show.  A collector comes along, loves the painting and buys it. The collector takes the painting to have it re-framed at a frame shop near his home. While there, the collector sees many matting and framing options. Some are more expensive than others, but he really doesn't understand enough about the process to ask relevant questions, and the young lady behind the counter doesn't volunteer any relevant information, so he ends up with something that is not acid free, but it matches his sofa and the painting. The acid begins to eat away at the work, and in a decade or two, unbeknownst to the collector, the painting has brown acid stains forming, and is becoming brittle. Unfortunately, the major warning sign that the collector could have detected is something that he probably would never notice- the cores of the mats begin to turn from a pristine white to a "nicotine yellow". The damage to the art is irreversible, and the painting will eventually crumble if left that way. This happens very frequently, especially with the advent of the big box stores that offer framing as one of their many services, and who employ people who know little about conservation of art.     As you can see, conservation is of prime importance when dealing with art, and it is up to us artists to make good conservation decisions and to inform our patrons about  what to look for in framing and matting materials. Here are some steps to take to incorporate good conservation  strategies into your art.     1. Find a good book on pigments and learn what is permanent, and what is not. I recommend the books by Michael Wilcox, available from North Light Book Club. Even though the books may focus on watercolor pigment, many of those same pigments are used in other media.     2. Go through your paints and discard anything that is not from a well documented company (off brands), or that seems suspicious. You can automatically start with any flourescent colors, as these are all fugitive. Then carefully scrutinize really bright colors, such as "peacock blue", and screaming pinks and reds such as "Opera" or "vermilion", as these tend to be fugitive. You want to look on the paint container and find the color index name of the actual pigment(s) used and check it(them) for permanency- you are looking for something that  starts with a P, like PY101 or PBr6. Compare this pigment color index code to the pigments listed in the reference books you have selected. You will soon know if it is permanent.     If there is no color index name, then you can either contact the manufacturer to get the information, or simply discard the paint. Pay careful attention to convenience mixes such as "VanDyck Brown"  "Paynes Grey", "Hooker's Green", "Sap Green" and the like. Do not be misled by names that have "permanent" in them, such as "Permanent Red" or "Permanent Yellow"   because they may or may not live up to the name, and only the information  about actual pigments used will tell you for sure.  Also beware of  meaningless names, like  Ox Blood, London Fog, or Mermaid Blue. These are fanciful names that have no place in serious artist materials, but are nevertheless used frequently by manufacturers who want to lend an aura of romance to the paints. Don't worry about what the paint is named, concern yourself with exactly what pigments it contains, and if there is even one fugitive pigment, discard it! Finally, don't depend on the words "Artist quality" or "professional" - always seek out the color index name.     3. Attach a card to the back of your frame, or write directly on the back of your work with pencil or archival ink, exactly what pigments you used, and anything else that you think might be of interest to conservators in the future.Use the color index names, and don't forget to include mediums, such as turpentine, honey, egg emulsion, linseed oil, etc. If you painted oil over acrylic, say so. If you used traditional gesso instead of acrylic gesso, say so.     4. Create and distribute a hand out to clients about archival framing and matting practices, and how to ask the right questions of their framer in order to get archival materials.     5. When you deliver work that was either purchased, or is on trial, offer to look over mats on your clients' existing artwork to see if they are obviously not archival. Remember, black core mats are frequently not archival, so always be suspicious of them. Tell them that, while you cannot guarantee that something they already have IS archival, you  can spot obviously  deteriorating mats for them. Remind them that if they have any doubt, they should consider getting the work reframed at a reputable place and ask for archival framing.     6. If you frame using standard glass or acrylic,tell your clients what you use, and remind them that there are better grades of acrylic or glass available that will help to protect the work long term. Let them know that you use what you use because most clients re-frame their purchases, and a good framer will discard the old glass or plastic as a matter of course because he can't tell  if the old glazing is archival, and can't guarantee it.     7. If you are selling giclees on either paper or canvas, be sure that the inks used are archival. Don't print giclees off your desktop printer and expect that they will last, because they won't. Have them professionally done by a reputable printer.     8. Familiarize yourself with your chosen media, and learn about acceptable practices. If you paint with oil, don't gesso over an old oil and use that canvas to paint something else- acrylic over oil will not stick. Don't paint acrylics over oils. Don't paint oils or acrylics over giclees on canvas and sell them as oils or acrylics. No one knows if that will work long term, and you don't want someone to come looking for you in 20 years when it falls off the canvas, or discolors, or whatever. If you do experiment, make sure that your client knows exactly what they are getting, and that it is experimental.   9. Oils may be touch dry in days, but it requires about 6 months to a year for paint films of normal thickness to oxidize and cure, and heavy impasto works may require many years before curing completely. This matters because oils need to be varnished after they are dry, but not before. I personally varnish my oils with a spray on removable varnish after six months. I also remind clients that their work needs varnishing in six months and I will be contacting them to perform the service, or in cases where the work has been shipped, to remind them to have it done. This varnishing appointment is also an excellent opportunity to reestablish contact and see if there is anything else my client might need from me. Also, don't forget to varnish acrylics- they are quite porous and sticky, and they attract dust and grunge. 10. If you work in pastel, please, pleeeeeze don't (and I know this from experience) give a client an unframed soft pastel and depend on them to get it framed. I did this once against my better judgment, and about two years later I was called out to "touch up" the art. When I got there, the art, which was a pastel on panel and not cheap, had been stored behind a dresser in a room adjacent to the kitchen and forgotten about. The airborne grease from the kitchen had settled on the top three to four inches of the painting, which had been left uncovered, and it was a mess. It took me longer to fix the painting than it did to paint it originally, because I had to remove pastel layers, clean the support of grease, and then repaint, matching colors as I went.    These are a few suggestions to help you conserve your artwork, and to help familiarize you with archival materials and practices.  If you follow these few simple steps, your art, your clients and your reputation will benefit.

View

Edit

Delete

---

Records 1 to 1 of 1

(c) Clint Watson - All Rights Rese

Many artists are of the opinion that artists should use their artwork as a forum for political or social commentary. Many of them believe that people who view the artwork will begin to think about what the artist is "saying" through the artwork, and will then change their minds to the artist's point of view, or will at least be more receptive to the artist's point of view. While the artists might be making very valid points with their art, and are completely entitled to create and display whatever they feel moves them, I personally do not use art as a forum for social change or political commentary, and here is why:

Firstly, prior to the advent of CNN, movies, and the internet news, it could have been reasonably argued that artists, playwrights, motion picture actors/directors/producers and musicians who commented on social or political ills filled a necessary niche. Now, however, anytime of the day or night in virtually any corner of the world, headline news is available in several formats. In a word, we are hammered with the news 24/7 ad nauseum. We can hear about, read about, or actually see footage of wars, famines, murders, assaults, drug and alcohol excesses etc. every time we flip on the TV or radio or computer. Thus, to my mind, unless art can offer a fresh point of view that might actually bring about change instead of feeling like something a news anchor would show to sell stories, it is better to leave the reporting to the news agencies.

Secondly, much of this art, especially political art, is petulant or belittling to the opposing point of view. I seriously doubt that anyone ever changed someone's mind by ridiculing or belittling his or her beliefs. Instead this approach tends to foment hatred and anger. Thus, art that takes this low road is either created by people who do not understand that one catches more flies with honey than vinegar, or worse, they actually intend to belittle another's point of view. Since I think that everyone has an intrinsic right to believe whatever they wish, and that everyone's opinion has value whether or not they agree with me, I don't engage in the kind of art that trashes others' beliefs. In the same vein, I believe that when one chooses to promote a particular point of view on a controversial subject, one is also choosing to alienate those in one's viewing audience who  disagree. Personally I am in the art business as a business, not as an independently wealthy artist who can afford to thumb my nose at my potential customers while pushing my point of view down their throats.Therefore, I will keep my politics and my social commentary to myself.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I believe that every person, as a being created in the image of the Creator, has the power to bring about whatever they mentally dwell on, whether good or bad. I also believe that groups of people united in their purpose will bring it about even faster and more thoroughly through their collective imaginations. What we envision, we give body and life. Thus, people who think and imagine peace help to create a climate of peace. Conversely those who think in terms of "anti war" help to bring about their focus, which is, surprisingly, war! It doesn't matter if you don't want what you imagine, the very fact that you are imagining it helps to bring it into existence in the natural world.

Whether you agree with me about using art as a personal forum to promote your political or social views is not important. You need to do what is best for you. I am merely offering my reasons for not focusing on negative, depressing, or demeaning subject matter. I deeply believe that when one addresses or calls attention to a problem without offering a solution, one becomes part of the problem, and one perpetuates the problem. Of course some people thrive on sowing discord and creating controversy, and for them it is less about solving an issue and more about the "buzz" they can create around it.  It seems as if they live to stir up strife. I am not one of those people. I have no need to add ugliness to the world. I believe my job is to add beauty to the world, and help people escape, if only for a short while, to a quiet place of tranquility and harmony. Because of this, I do not make work that is negatively political or deals with social ills, because one only has to consult the evening news to be depressed or angry enough without my help!

Lately, I have been looking at a  great deal of artwork, and I am noticing that the light values in some artists' work is chalky looking or not realistic. While some of this is intended, I am certain that the undesirable results many are seeing is because use of white in many of the oils and acrylics is misunderstood. If you  want to see examples of this problem, simply begin to peruse paintings on the internet. You will see a lot of good work, but you will also see examples of "death by white" - chalky unrealistic lights and flesh tones.

 Much has been made about being cautious with the use of black in paintings, but I have seldom if ever seen the use of white addressed. Perhaps it is my background as a transparent watercolorist, where white is rarely used, that helps me see the problems inherent in white. White is a very dangerous color, and if not used judiciously it will quickly overpower and ruin a painting.

 I will be addressing this issue more in depth in my January 2008 email newsletter, so if you are an artist and would like some tips on getting light  values without overusing white, or if you are just interested, subscribe to my newsletter  now. If you miss this newsletter, you can email me and request it after you subscribe. You may also email me at misty@mistybeauchamp.com and send me your mailing address, and I will send you a printed version. Please know that I do not sell, trade, or otherwise distribute my email address list or my regular mail address list to anyone. This list is maintained strictly for my collectors and interested people to keep up with what I am doing, and to get information about art techniques.