How to choose a Painting Surface.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been debating about which painting surface is best for me to paint with. I have been using canvas boards forever. They are light and durable and the best part is that they even hold up in a torrential downpour, (as experienced at Easton one time). Linen boards are very nice too, but the cost is nearly triple the amount. They have a finer tooth to the surface than common canvas and seem to be the choice for most painters. Then there is a gessoed board of Masonite otherwise known as MDF. Super slick surface, especially if you buy it pre-primed. The nice thing I like about MDF is that you can mount linen or canvas to it with an adhesive like Mighty Muck, (which is non acidic). I do like prepping my boards on these. The surface is really good, but it does take some time. I tried primed paper or paper that handles oil has been for me the most disappointing experience. The worst experience however was using a cradle board birchwood surface with pine substrate. Most of them are fine and great, but having a defect that I thought I could sand and fix before painting over turned out to be a disaster. Should have returned it as soon as I discovered it, but I didn’t and painted something I really liked that I can’t sell. EVER. Best cradleboard that I have experienced to day is going to HomeDepot, buying a interior door blank, (a door with no holes or hinge indentions). Cut it to your preferred size and cut a 1.5 inch wood to fill in the side you cut. Glue it with Tightbond III Wood Glue. So far, it is light, sturdy and no warping or flexing. Best of all is that it’s already pre-primed all over and you just need to sand and gesso your painting surface and the side you filled in with the 1.5 wood. If anyone is interested, I can post a video about what I’ve done to make them.

If money were no object and I have no time, these linen panels from Jerry’s Artarama are great!

Some might look at this as cheap, but I have been in a torrential downpour painting on these and they hold up really well. But they are inexpensive and very durable. And probably the best to use when starting out painting.

If you want to paint big, this is something worth trying out. Masonite 30 in. x 80 in. Primed Smooth Flush Hardboard Hollow Core from Home Depot $40 bucks.

Latest Digital Paintings with Procreate

I have to say that with creating new brushes using Procreate has allowed me to bring my digital painting closer in line with my traditional oil painting. All of the standard brushes are nice, but going beyond those and customizing and creating new brushes has really allowed my work to evolve in new and exciting ways. That said, I am happy to say that my new digital paintings will be available to purchase very soon. Below are a few that I hope you will enjoy with some time-lapse videos to see the a little into the creative process.

My first digital portrait of Heather using my new newsprint brush I created to use in Procreate.

A digital portrait painting using Procreate with custom brushes.

Getting my act together with goals and time management.

So it's been a week and I wanted to let you know what I've been up to this past few days.  With my new goal, I’ve been thinking about what direction to go with my painting.  So far here’s the list.

1. Painting bigger studio works, smaller plein air and still life.
2. Marketing and promoting better
3. Exploring avenues in which to sell and reach more collectors

If you read my previous blog entry, I’m setting myself on the projected path to painting full time.  It’s something I feel I’m ready to take on.  With that said, it will take a lot of time management skills on my part.  So I started researching what are good resources to become better at managing my time.  For those that know me, if you had to describe a characteristic about me, I’m guessing you would say that I look tired.  It usually is followed with I drink lots of coffee.  It’s true I’m always tired, staying up late to paint is tough, but I recognize that I need to manage my time better so that I can squeeze in more time to sleep.  

This is where I have my lunchtime siesta.

One thing I have adopted early on is bringing my lunch to work so I can eat and sleep in my truck.  It helps that I park in a garage, so finding a dark spot to park in is easy.  I tune in to an iPhone app called Nosili that allows me to create custom nature sounds to provide a white noise to block out the car alarms, delivery trucks and other distractions one would hear in a parking garage.  I try to stick to a routine in the car by listening to NPR instead of being on my iPhone while I eat and then switch to Noisli and power nap for 20min.  Believe it or not, I can hit R.E.M. in this amount of time.  This leaves me refreshed and ready for the rest of the day.  I also have a second canister of coffee in the truck to drink when I wake up too.

My Nosili App

As for managing my time more efficiently, I’ve done my research and the first book recommended to read is “Getting Things Done” by David Allen.  The reviews are really good, so I’m hoping that I can get some groundwork laid to be more productive with my painting.

So, I’ll leave you with my photo dump of past things from last week.

Birthday Plein Air Session at Turtle Pond.

I found an amazing place to paint to keep me busy for a while.  Here's from my first session painting here during the snow, which of course was on my birthday!  Very rewarding to also have several inquiries for the paintings.  As of this blog post, the top painting, "Winter Turtle Pond" is available.  But "Turtle Pond Tree" has sold.

Winter Turtle Pond

Turtle Pond Tree - SOLD

My latest time-lapse video, "Diesel by Moonlight".

Time-lapse painting from my live painting demo on U-Stream. "Untitled" song is by my friend, Daniel Harner, from his Armory Sessions. https://soundcloud.com/daniel-harner

Time-lapse painting from my live painting demo on U-Stream. "Untitled" song is by my friend, Daniel Harner, from his Armory Sessions. https://soundcloud.com/daniel-harner

Old painting demo from way back.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have some events coming up!

I was accepted to exhbit at this spring's Stockley Gardens.  I’ll have a booth this weekend featuring all original work for sale.  This will include my recent plein air paintings. 

Stockley Gardens Art Festival in Norfolk

MAY 19 & 20

Participating artist in the 

“I Like Soup” Andy Warhol Exhibit

Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art

MAY 26 TO AUGUST 19

Featured in Charles H. Taylor Art Center's

"100 Paintings by 100 Hampton Roads Artists" Invitational Exhibition

JUNE 2 to JULY 8

I'll be teaching a “Beginner's Intro to Plein Air Workshop" this Sunday

Short notice, I know! But just got clarification that it's open to everyone.  I'll be teaching a “Beginner's Intro to Plein Air Workshop" this Sunday, April 29th at Red Wing Park presented by the Artists Gallery in Virginia Beach! It's $75 and you can still sign up as there are 6 spots left.  This should be an awesome workshop for those that are looking to start painting outdoors.  Contact the Artists Gallery at (757) 425-6671 http://www.theartistsgallery.org/ for reservations.  You can download my workshop supply list here: http://liquidmethod.squarespace.com/storage/PleinAirWorkshop.pdf .  There is a possibility for rain that day, so the make up date for that will be May 6th.

Final Plein Air of "Oceanview Fishing Pier" 9x12: Oil on board: Available.

Final Plein Air of "Oceanview Fishing Pier" 9x12: Oil on board: Available., originally uploaded by Liquidmethod.

Saturday Morning Painting, my son Cole from life: 9x12 Oil on board: 3hrs

Saturday Morning Painting, my son Cole from life: 9x12 Oil on board: 3hrs, originally uploaded by Liquidmethod.

Porcelain : Final

Porcelain : Final, originally uploaded by Liquidmethod.

Eastern Shore Plein Air up for bid on Ebay.

Click link below to make a bid!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=120605835160&Category=60437&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26its%3DI%26otn%3D1#ht_6500wt_1139