roots#1

As noted months ago, I was working on some "new techniques". That was in this painting, slated to be completed by my best friends 30th birthday. I just finished it this week - not only because I've been a slacker, but also because I just didn't want to lay the color brown down on this canvas! This piece is symbolic for Kim and I, as over the past number of years we've talked about growing deep roots before a large tree. Do you know that Aspen trees have interconnecting root systems? There could be hundreds of trees spreading out over miles and they're all connected. Pretty cool. Anyhow(the biologist in me peeps its head out)...



The new technique I was playing with was stenciling out parts of the painting. On this painting, I painted the entire background including the green of the roots. Next I stenciled off what would become the roots, using tape directly on the canvas. This is where I stopped. The green of the ground with the dawn colors of the sky was just to pretty to cover up! But...the roots are no good unless they're under ground. So that's what I finally did this week. Also used in this painting is some "interference" paint. It's more then just metallic - it actually changes appearance depending on what colors are by it and what light is on it. The close up shows the dots surrounding the sprout painted with the interference acrylic (by Golden).



I've used interference paint a little before, but seem to be liking it as of late. Liking that and this bird...I can't stop drawing/painting it. I'm working on a piece with numerous birds in it right now and did this first single bird as a study - I really love it all by itself. Interference paint is also used on it, as can be seen by the added flash in the second picture from the left - I love that it looks very different in the morning and at night.