This piece is the beginning of a custom painting I am doing for a friend. I attached four suminagashi painted papers to a canvas, all within the same color palettes, and will next be adding a quote across the top. I am more than pleased about how this piece turned out. The paper added structure to the canvas, which was a little loose to begin with. Now the canvas is taught, and ready to be finished.
I am nicknaming this my leftover bits painting. Sometimes I end up with too much premixed paint, or slightly off color gesso or ink, that cannot be put back into the bottles. This painting was made entirely with those leftovers, in three separate layers. The first was a suminagshi ink remains, then black ink left on my palette. The last was part of the gesso I had also left over from my current texture piece in progress.
I did some more suminagshi papers with my new art supplies as well. These turned out brighter and more effective, because of the new paper I used. I used newsprint paper, which is made to absorb ink more effectively. I also used some of my new iridescent inks, which add a nice dimension to the prints. I think I am going to attach these pieces to a canvas, and make a full painting from multiple suminagashi prints.
I did some more suminagashi marbled papers, this time adding crushed charcoal to the water before dipping the papers. It added a cool textural element, that looks similar to coffee grounds. I just need to get some spray fixative, so I can adhere the charcoal powder and continue with the pieces. I think I may start offering these papers to collage artists and other artists who use designed papers in their work. I would like to collaborate with multiple artists, to combine the talents of two or more artists in a single piece.
More suminagashi marbled papers. What do you think? Should I keep these as is, or should I add something on top and use them as a background?
I spent a few hours making more suminagashi marbled papers. I had so much fun with it, and it didn't use as much ink as I initially thought it would. If you have any inks and blank papers, give this technique a try, it is a blast. I can't wait to figure out what to put on top of some of these awesome papers. I need a little more practice getting the inks to appear bright and saturated, like some of them turned out. I think the trick is to create the marbling and dip the paper quickly, before the ink starts to sink into the water.
This new technique I tried today is fantastic. It is called suminagashi, also known as water marbeling. Ink is dropped onto the surface of a water bath, and then paper is dipped into it to pick up the patterns. It is beautiful and completely abstract. I am working on a bunch tonight and post more soon.
This abstract piece was done with a layer of acrylic paint first. The texture was achieved with paper towels pressed into the wet paint. I liked how it looked, but it just didn't seem finished. After some contemplation, I added some rings with acrylic ink. They didn't stand out enough, so I filled them in with drops and swirls of more acrylic ink.
I took a bunch of pictures of this painting to try and capture the iridescence. I used similar techniques to the last galaxy painting, with a lot more of each medium. It turned into a swirling black hole in the center of the painting.
This painting was done with with a crackle medium. The cracks were filled in with acrylic ink, then they were sealed over with matte medium. The top layers were glazes of thinned acrylic inks.
This abstract flower painting was done for my mother's birthday. The texture is done with tissue paper. The flowers are made with cut up paper towel rolls.
The texture of this painting was achieved with gesso. The coloring is done with layers of acrylic ink, and alcohol. The drips are done by tilting the canvas while the ink is still wet.
This painting was done in an abstract style using three mediums and a multitude of tools. Acrylic inks, rubbing alcohol and pouring medium used with spray bottles, droppers, paper towels and more created the pattern.
This piece was done using ink and watercolor on aquaboard. It is titled Explosive Thought.
This was also done with pouring medium and ink. I am having trouble keeping the pouring medium from overflowing off the canvas
This painting was created with pouring medium and ink, and the colors are vivid and beautiful. I think I prefer using the ink with pouring medium, as it is more fluid and seems to float on the surface. Now that I have a gallon of pouring medium, I am going to be using it more often. That and spending more time peeling it off my skin, it is a mess to clean up.
This piece is titled Tummy ache, and was inspired by the show Monsters inside me. It is painted with watercolor and ink. Poor guy, looks like he had a rough day.
I am using bottle inks I just ordered for the first time in quite awhile and I love the color intensity. These paintings are done on canvas board, and texture was added with rubbing alcohol.
I just got all my new supplies today, I now own over a gallon of pouring medium and a half gallon of gesso. I am stocked up, and ready for some late nights painting. I ordered some new watercolors as well, which I love. I have started sketching monsters again, like I used to in high school, and now I am watercolor painting them as well. Stay tuned for a bunch of monster pieces in this style.
This painting was done with self leveling gel, computer ink and block printing ink. It was sold to a fellow artist at an art show.
