Unconventional Tools for Unexpected Results

*Important Crosspost – Please note my blog has MOVED to an integrated website/blog at http://www.jenniferprattartist.com/blog/   Unfortunately, I am not able to forward my followers and subscribers from this old blog to my new blog.  Traffic and subscriptions to the new site hasn’t been as great as what I still get here.  I am thinking you all haven’t found me there?!  I am cross posting this new message here and on the new blog, in hopes that my followers who got an alert and/or an email that this blog published something take a moment to subscribe at the new site! So mosey on over there and sign up for a subscription so you never miss another post.  THANK YOU!!

Pastry Chef Tool instead of Brushes

A few years ago I took a cold wax oil painting workshop.  The instructor had a tool that she considered to be indispensable to her cold wax process, a pastry chef’s dough scraper. We used it to spread layers of colored tinted wax smoothly. I have not tinkered with cold wax since, however I was experimenting in the studio with the pastry tool again.

Wildfire, 9×12, Oil on Canvas Panel

In my continued experimentation with lost edges,  I seem to have a hard time breaking the habit of defining the form. Wiping away an edge takes courage, so much so for me, it was seeming contrived when I tried to do so. I would overthink it, when ultimately the result I was looking for was one of spontaneity and unexpected.  In attempt to break my habit I chose to lose the brush and pick up something that wouldn’t give brush-like results.

I loosely worked in the form with my brushes, then picked up with dough scraper.  Without trying to overthink it, I dragged the scraper over the form and into the edges. Some edges, like the legs felt they needed more definition so I went back with brush and re-evaluated.  In the end, the painting was so different for me, I put it aside for a couple weeks before looking at it again. This way I could evaluate with less of a personal connection. I discovered areas within the painting that were truly intriguing. I especially love the soft colour shifts in the hindend area,  it’s quite pretty (for lack of a better word) and harmonious to the eye.

I plan to continue with these edge experiments and I am excited to see where I can go with this for future paintings.

To end,  I want to mention here as I have already posted on my Facebook page, I have a *sale* on four paintings I would love to see find homes by Christmas. They are listed HERE in my Etsy shop and are 25% off until 6pm PST December 13th.

~ Jennifer

New Website and Integrated Blog

It’s hard to believe that my last website redesign was over 10 years ago. In those days we were weren’t even thinking about mobile responsive designs for the devices we are using today.  However, I can finally say with the help of my web designer, I now have a new mobile friendly website. My blog is integrated into the website now, so no more separate sites! With the change comes some new links and I hope many of my blog followers (this means you!) will come hither!

My new domain address is http://www.jenniferprattartist.com. However, I will continue to redirect my old domain http://www.jennpratt.com indefinitely.

My new blog link is located at : http://www.jenniferprattartist.com/blog/ While I was able to import my old blog posts, I am unable, or haven’t figured out a way to import my current subscribers from this blog.  If you wish to follow my blog via email, I will politely ask you to take the link to the new blog and subscribe from the link in the sidebar.

The blog address http://www.jennprattequineartist.wordpress.com (the one you are reading this post on!) will be no longer…If you want to keep up and I’m hoping you do, mosey on over to the new link and subscribe there 🙂 thank you, and if anyone has any issues, please don’t hesitate to email me!

Harriet!

My latest endeavor is making changes in my daily routine. I am making great efforts to branch out and meet more people here. It’s hard to believe we’ve been here in Oregon for almost 2 years already! It’s hit me lately that after 2 years, I still have just a small community of friends and artist colleagues here that I connect and network with. I’ve put aside time over the last month to get out there and make my world here bigger and better. This pulls me away from the solitary painting time in the studio, but in the end I am hoping will make Portland a little more home when I do retreat there.

Time outside the studio is already proving to be well spent because I finally made a ‘horse friend’ 🙂 and did my first photo shoot here.  My models were some lovely warmbloods from a breeder in Yamhill.  Hurrah!! I finally have some new material and models to paint from!

Lovely mare from Spring Yamhill shoot