Varnish Adventures

Today I varnished my most recent work. I started it a while ago and got stuck, put it away for a few months and finished it last week.

After the ‘30 Paintings in 30 Days-challenge’ from last September I finally knew how to continue.

Since I started working in colour more and more I also like using lots of different materials (bistre, pigmentedink, water soluble (ink) pencils, soft pastels by Schmincke) at the same time, just mixing them up.

Varnishing is possible because I work on aquabord by Ampersand and can be a problem using all these different materials. I start by putting on different layers of fixative letting them dry for 24 hours in between layering. After that I put on a layer of matt acrylics varnish. This is the tricky part because if not fixated well enough the varnish can partly dissolve the fixative and make the materials run.

All went well today.

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days – Lessons Learned

This was the second time I participated in Leslie Saeta’s ’30 Paintings in 30 Days’ challenge. This September was very different from last January, both the set-up and also the lessons learned.

In January I painted at home, used pictures I made and flowers I bought to make the flower portraits I did.

This past September I got my sketchpad, my painting- and drawing materials, my drawing stool and went on my way to the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest) by bike and then went on by foot.

Being on my way to ‘the spot’ was very much part of the process but also took time. Posting my blog and pictures with it, took more time. So a lot of time went into this project which was hard sometimes. But I did it, I could manage the busy schedule for a whole month!

So in one way I’m glad it’s finished and on the other I’m sad because it also felt very good to spend my days painting and drawing in the forest.

When the weather is good I will probably go back there to draw. This felt too good to quit!

My plan was to spend my time drawing plein air, drawing nature. I love nature but drawing or painting it was a horror to me with all its chaos. During this month I think I moved in the right directing to finding order in this chaos and putting it to paper.

Along the way I added more colour which I think turned out to be a good move. Adding colour gave my work more depth.

Also just sitting down at a nice spot doesn’t make a nice painting/ drawing. I need to pick a subject within the image I want to create and love it! This is wat happened on day 21 where I fell in love with this tree stooping over the path. From that day on I tried to find a tree like that again and again.

Spending more time (love) on one drawing also worked out for the better I think or at least it added to the joy I experienced in making.

These trees still live in my brain, especially the ones that had fallen over. They probably will find their way back as a subject.

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 30

Deciding to draw outside every day in the month of September in The Netherlands is quite risky. Usually it’s 18°C/ 64,4°F with occasional rain, so not the best circumstances for drawing outside.

That’s why I decided to draw ahead. Every week the weather forecast said: rain! And every week the rain was pushed back with a week until September 29th! So I’m really happy I finished the challenge two days ago!!

I loved doing this last one. When I sat down next to these tree roots all kinds of animals and faces kept popping up. Amazingly beautiful.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 29

Another go at the fallen tree from day 26.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 28

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 27

A very different view of the birch tree I drew multiple times.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 26

During previous drawings I would bring my drawing stool and sit on a grassy field or a path, but last few drawings I let myself wonder off the yellow brick road and into the woods.

After the blackbird has stopped it’s alarm all gets quiet again, or actually very noisy because when I sit there very quietly the birds don’t take notice anymore and let me be a true observer.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 25

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 24

Back at my new spot and back at this fallen birch tree. This time from the other side with a close-up of the roots.

Fallen Birch tree, Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 23

A new spot to draw, again the Amsterdam Forest but this area has a more woodsy scenery.

During this drawing I was surrounded by the sound of beech nuts falling from the trees, sounding like rain. They kept falling on my drawing pad and ended up being a nice little snack.

Fallen Birch tree, Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 22

Yesterday was the first day I felt a little cold drawing outside, in the shades. After a while I had to  move to a sunnier spot.

Temperatures had been way too high for the time of the year in the Netherlands but when I rode my bike into the Amsterdam Forest this week all of a sudden the paths were yellow with leaves and the leaden summer air had changed to a cool autumn air. How I love the change of seasons.

Fallen Birch tree, Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 21

Did I ever mention I love trees? I love trees! Today I stumbled on this lady leaning forward and I had to draw her.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 20

For some reason this one felt really good to do and I think it depicts the amazing sunny and peaceful atmosphere of that day really well.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 19

With this one I started with the background in ecoline saving the light areas like the birch trees. Then I slowly moved to the foreground adding bistre for the darker areas.

Adding pencil last I worked the other way around, starting at the foreground and adding the background last.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 18

Another revisit at the spot I drew on day 8 and 9. They are all so different!

In the middle of this drawing my three legged fishing stool broke which forced me to sit on the floor (not comfortable) and changed my perspective a bit.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 17

Berries!!

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

16-09-2016 Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 16

In my previous drawing I decided to add more colour. Next to my usual (brown) bistre I added ecoline (burnt umber) and red ink. I also had to switch the colour of my pencil because I ran out of Derwent Graphitint ‘autumn brown’ and replaced it with ‘port’. But the ‘port’ one ended up really soft and broke all the time.

For this drawing I switched from ‘port’ to ‘juniper’, continued with the burnt umber ecoline and brown bistre and added green bistre.
This one was really fun!

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 15

Do over of yesterday’s drawing.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 14

Pushing yourself doesn’t always work out…

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 13

Thus far I’m very lucky the Dutch weather is cooperating with my plans to draw outside. Sun shining, temperatures around 27°C (80,6°F), it’s amazing!

Next week will be around 19°C (66,2°F) with possibly rain so I feel a bit pressured to push myself these last days of summer…

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm