....which paint?

...a lovely-jubbly stash of new paint ...

I've had a couple of emails recently asking which paint I use and what is my

studio set-up for storing my paint.

I use Professional Artist-quality Acrylic paints....usually Matisse Structure

and also some Atelier brand tubes. I buy the large tubs and buckets for my

'favourite' colours, although I can't resist a good 'sale' price!  ....see above!

I found most of my studio furniture in kerbside clearances, so it's

not terribly flash! (A computer desk was such a good find, that in exchange

I left a surprise gift of a framed drawing of mine of blue-and-white bowls

on the verandah!)

(the plastic bottles are just three  colours I don't like, but am too stingey to toss them out!... tomorrow! )

New tubes of paint and tubes 'not in use' are kept in biscuit tins on the top

of a chest of drawers...warm colours left, cool colours on the right.

The paint tubs I keep in the drawers, organised by colour family...

earth tones, blues-and-greens, reds-and-yellows, neutrals and lastly

background /gesso colours.

I put dabs of colour , sometimes mixed with a little white, on the lids

of these tubs because I'm always looking for the 'right' colour in a hurry

and because I want to make sure  the correct lid is returned to its

rightful owner.

...the colours I'm using
for a painting move onto
a metal-shelfed taboret.....



.....this is how it looks before I get started.....

......and this is how it looks once I get going......

....tubes are kept in containers on top....warm colours left....

...cool colours on the right.....I'm not terribly complicated!

 My water containers sit on top of my glass palette.

I have a smaller bucket inside a large icecream container....the theory being

I can wash first in the large container, then rinse again in the smaller

container.....but usually both get so dirty anyway that I'm regularly

emptying and refilling with clean water...

....a trip to the sink probably every 15 minutes or so!

I'm a pretty messy creature when I paint!

I wipe my hands and brushes on my clothes and apron, I use a lot of rags,

a lot of water and a lot of paint!

But I do clean up my water and brushes every night, so that I can

arrive the next day and jump right in without distractions or excuses.....

.....well that's the theory!

I hope you liked this brief peek at my set-up.....

...everyone is different but this is what works for me     :)


                                             Jo  

.

'Mates' no 2......

For a change of pace , I'm posting a painting from 2011..... a small one.

I sometimes do these just to give me a jolt,

to keep my hand and eye 'in the groove', or to recharge my batteries.

I first wrote about the reasons behind my 'Small Works' series 

back in July, 2012.

'Mates'  no 2
detail

You can see some of my other 'Small Works' by clicking on the Headings

 link at the left  under 'Topics and Other Babble'

Painting on a large scale is demanding.....the constant pacing up to the easel,

back to the wall, to the palette, to the canvas, back to the wall.

I walk miles!

There are a lot more brushstrokes in a large painting, and because

I paint intuitively, without much planning or detailed forethought,

there are a million decisions to be made on the go.

Truthfully I find it quite mentally exhausting!

so to vary my routine......and they say 'a change is as good as a holiday'

.....I sometimes 'paint small'

Not always is bigger better!

'Mates'  no 2
Jo-Ann Hunt ©
'Small Works ' Series....Summer
H30x30cm
H12x12ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2011
sold

looking tired!

                                               

'Nippers on Holiday'

This is a painting from 2010...(apologies for the badly edited  gawdy colours!)

'Nippers on Holiday'......nippers in wetsuits.... obviously Victorian!

'Nippers on Holidays'
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within' Series
H122x122cm
H48x48ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2010
sold

I don't often paint kids in wetsuits though that is most definitely

the weapon-of-choice when dealing with the cold southern waters

of our surf beaches.... fresh and frosty straight from the Antarctic!

....we breed them tough down here!  I'm posting it because even though

my subject matter hasn't changed, my technique has.

2010 work in progress

I'm trying something new...soon I will be able to let you see how they  turn out.

That's IF they work out!

                  I'll let you know :)

                                          Jo x


.

'out and about'......

'Out and About'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

Every now and then I like to experiment and try something different

with my techniques.

Lately I've been using brush and minimal texture....but in this painting

I really wanted the texture to be thick and obvious over the entire canvas.

'Out and About'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

The background I painted black..... to emphasize the luscious blues

and skin tones....

'Out and About'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

but I didn't want that 'outlined'  or 'colour-inside-the-lines' look

....so I made sure there were lots of soft, indistinct edges.

And to apply the paint I used brushes, rags, palette knives and my fingers.

'Out and About'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

'Out and About'
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within-Summer'Series
H62x122cm
H24x48ins
Acrylic on Canvas
xxxx

I have a habit of getting home from the studio, and finding that I've been

to the shops and supermarket with a smear  of blue and red paint

on my cheek....or chin....or forehead.... or all three!

Now I try to remember to check in a mirror before I leave the studio

....finger-painting might be quick and tactile but it does have its down-side!

Yep, I'm often 'out and about' and speckled with paint!

fingers are for painting with....I need 20!

........if you spot me and I'm 'spotted'....for goodness sake let me know!!


                         Jo  :)





.

'Ready, Willing and Able'

paintings in progress
Jo-Ann Hunt ©

It was good weather today and a perfect day for varnishing.

Because I paint in acrylics which dry to a matt finish, 

I like to apply a final coat of varnish to protect the painting, 

and importantly to re-establish the depth of colour, 

and to return the painting to a gloss finish.....my personal preference.....

(only occasionally will I use a satin blend)

I give the painting at least two coats, usually three, 

with a day to dry between each coat....so it's a lengthy process.

For optimum results I need a a non-humid, non-windy, 

insect-and-bug-free day !...and this week we had some great days to varnish.

varnishing paintings in progress
Jo-Ann Hunt ©

Here you can see the area outside my studio....just perfect for this job.....

with the painting on the little table in progress, the others drying  on an angle

 to a non-tack finish, and there were another four inside 

drying before their third coat.....leaving not much room to move!

It was a good day....very gratifying to finally see the finishing touches 

to eight paintings.

'Ready, Willing and Able'
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within - Summer' Series
H102x102cm
H40x40ins
Acrylic on Canvas
xxxx

           ... next job....cataloging, brochures, consignment notes, wrapping 

                               and delivery to the galleries.....pronto!

                                                                                        Jo   x

.

'The Beach Boyz'

detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

When I'm designing a painting, one of the minor details

that can add a lot to the personality of the child

is the placement of the nipper cap and the goggles.



one of the techniques I use to decide the placement of the eyewear

is to make  a 'cut-out'....I draw a pair of goggles on black paper,

cut them out, then try them in different positions on the painting.

detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

....over the eyes?

detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

....on the forehead?

detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

....around the neck?

detail
Jo-Ann Hunt ©

....or on the cap?

....for this little nipper, 'on the cap' won the toss!

it's a simple technique, 

and it works for me! 

detail
'The Beach Boyz'
Jo-Ann Hunt ©
H122x122cm
H48x48ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2011
commission / sold

 .

From 'Vision' to Canvas...

My painting process begins with assembling all sorts of visual ideas.



often I know what 'look' I want for the painting....
if it's to be abstracted, intimate, detailed, monochromatic, bold, calming....etc



then I start 'to gather'....
like a Satin Bower Bird ....
collecting all sorts of 'stuff' to inspire me, to flesh out my ideas.
I love this part! 



visual stimuli, visual inspiration, visual 'stuff'.
stuff such as photos....

  

and sketches from my sketchbooks.

 then I do some more sketches of the details...

for the overall composition, I may do a series of rough....VERY rough.... thumbnails....

then I mess around with some colour schemes....'mess' being the operative word here!

then.... 'prep' over....

I just dive right in....








'The Trattoria'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt






'The Trattoria'
Jo-ann Hunt
'Travels with my Paintbrush' Series
H102x102cm
H40x40ins
Acrylic on Canvas
sold





 before the 'vision' evaporates!








for more on the fabulous Bower Bird,  just click here..... with Sir David.....

and here, for some funny, very determined 'pilfering' in the Top End.



enjoy.....

Jo  x