Some Finished Projects

I am happy with one of my finished Cold Wax paintings started in Mark Russells' workshop.  Mark suggested doing a series, so I am trying impressions of trees for my series.  Posting to Paint Party Friday.  Enjoy all the artists that Kristen and Eva host each week.

9 x 12 on Arches Oil Paper

In Karen Sako's Mixed media Collage Class we did two projects for Halloween.  Both use paper, transfers, and acrylic paint.

10 x 8" on Board

6 x 6" on Board

Cold Wax Projects Drying on my table.

Learning about Mark Russells' technique for using Cold Wax.

Good Morning!
Last weekend was  the Cold Wax and Oil Paint workshop with Mark Russell at Mainstreet Art Center in Lake Zurich, IL.  
Mark did a demo that showed us how to mix the wax, the paint and a medium to thin or thicken, and his method of always having a horizon line as someplace for the viewers' eye to rest. Then we all went back to our individual tables to try it on our own as he walked around to see how we were doing and answered any questions. He did a demo each morning and afternoon. 
He was most generous with sharing some of his supplies.  He had a gallon of cold wax and some scrapers/shapers if we cared to purchase them, and the mediums.  he also sometimes drops in some sprinkles of  soft pastel that comes in a powder.  He puts a fairly large quantity of the wax onto his palette-maybe 1/4 cup in amount,  He also put out three different mediums including Galkyd, Gamblin Neomegilp. and Gamblin Solvent Free gel.  He uses Gamblin's Chromatic Black because it is the only transparent black oil paint.  One of the demos he did was to show the difference in using a transparent black with another color and white, and using an opaque black with another color and black.  The difference was amazing, there was a beautiful glow with the transparent black, and we all ordered our Gamblin Chromatic Black right then!  In Mark's paintings he layers from 12 to 20 colors of grayed-down paint and put the layers on very transparently.  He makes random marks in each layer and puts on paint and rubs it off in some spots to show the layer beneath.  Each layer may take a couple of days to dry, so he has a dozen pieces going at one time.
Since our workshop was only 2 days our pieces had about 3 layers.  We had to be careful not to get some muddy looks that you avoid by letting the layers dry.  I discovered my layers were not as transparent, and would take longer to dry to the touch-three layers times two days to dry each equals about a week to dry...

Here are some examples of my work. I forgot about horizons in some, and mine are more colorful and abstract than his work.  I will do more layers over some.

I am posting to Paint Party Friday hosted by Kristine and Eva and a great spot for seeing the work of many other artists from around the world.  Have a good week making art-Gloria 

Gloria J Zucaro's "January First 2015"

Happy New Year to Everyone,

Today my post is some photographs I have taken lately and how I altered them in Photoshop Elements.

Here is a photo of the bench in my back yard and my pesky squirrels.  

It is called "Squirrel's Christmas Party"

Here it is after using Photoshop Elements Filters called Artistic Cutout

It looks abstract, which is kind of neat.

Then below I used Enhance-Adjust Color Curves.  I increased the highlights and shadows, it looks much more dramatic and rich.  So much fun.  You can click on the images to enlarge to see the full effect.

The next photograph captured some crystals I had hanging in the window. 

First the original photo and beneath it, the photo enhanced with a filter called Misc. Effects, Fluorescent Chalk.  People really liked it and I had a purchase offer, but they thought I had painted it!  I told them it was only in my computer...boo hoo!  Oh well, I had fun with these.

   

I am linking to Paint Party Friday, Twitter, Facebook and 

Pinterest.

Have a wonderful week,

Gloria

Gloria J Zucaro's "Better Late Than Never" Post

Our project on Tuesday afternoon was "Paint a mass of something".  We could either use Frankie's references or do a still life using our own "mass".  My friend Judy brought some vintage marbles, others used Frankie's reference photos as did I.  I chose a bowl of strawberries, with some berries scattered on the table.  We talked about varying the colors and edges from front to back and in the shadows.  Up front or in the light there was greater contrast and sharper edges.  In the shadows the color was toned down and the edges were softer.  Way to the back, the colors were even darker and the edges almost smeared to disappear into the background.  Below is my finished pastel painting.

On Wednesday we all cowered and cringed as we were told the project of the day!  We were to use the easy method learned on Monday morning of making figures.  With as few direct strokes as possible. The other part of the project was to combine two scenes of people into one composition.  All of these references were from scenes in various bars.  So people sitting or standing, waiters & waitresses, young couples, etc.  I chose as my reference a very cheerful young man lifting his beer glass in salutation.  The background was from the another bar scene that had three men in it, paintings or pictures on the wall(probably sports figures or celebrities) and some low hanging lights.  I left out the other men and the low hanging lights.  I used the colors in that reference for my background with my handsome young man.  Here is my finished piece.

Below is a fun little painting I did this afternoon using figures and a stair-step look.

Here are a couple more paintings in my "Marla" series.  All of this post will be shared with Paint Party Friday.                                                         !

Number Eleven

Number Twelve

Number Thirteen

Number Fourteen

Have a great weekend, and check the other artists work at PPF!   

 Gloria