.001% Club

[sharkbarf]

#6
Dec 11.
32 x 31 1/2 cm
9:00 - 11:00 pm

My GF set up the still life tonight. We decided that if I had to build a composition we might as well clean and organize the section of the studio where it would be. Killing two birds with one stone. Having her set it up will give me less control, therefor I'll learn things I wouldn't have normally come to on my own.

I got two new additions to my setup today.
1. An apothecary jar for preparing and storing my new 50/50 medium.
2. A tube wringer. Brand - Dr. Hauschka Skin care

Here's what I learned;
1. Paint in day light for different psychological feel.
2. Don't under-paint in black! As I painted the the large black areas first, there was too much black leftover on the under-painting so when I went over it the value shifted what I had mixed on my pallet to at least one value darker.
3. Paint out windows more. It adds a whole extra level to perspective.
4. Because this painting was more dull or neutral this painting feels the most realistic.
5. Middle window brings an abstract balance. Then directly below, there is an apparent misplaced beige chunk in the tabletop which gives rise to abstract representationalism.
6. I drew for a whole hour! The windowpane geometry made it easy to calculate the other sizes of objects (comparison) yet it was time consuming to keep it proportional. IDK Y?
7. When I"ve finished painting my 1000 paintings I'll buy myself a badge to signify a high ranking official.
8. I felt like I was studying a Bosch while painting the far distance.
9. There is a hint of the smallest shapes on the table. I didn't have time to paint Budda-groundchuck fractal or my pretzel cube. Need to focus on more detail.
10. I was bummed because it didn't feel finished so I started my next one immediately.

[sharkbarf]

PVS - not as good as #5
RE - Doesn't really show what I'm going for. I used a full rag efficiently and didn't take a picture. I really don't need to show these anymore

My tube wringer to take stress off the hands/wrists.

My apothecary jar which holds my unused turpentine. I want to get several more for my other mediums.

[sharkbarf]

#7
Dec 12
22 1/2 X 18 1/2 cm
12:00 - 2:00 am

I got the idea to do this painting bcuz I couldn't finish my last one. So I zoomed in on the part I didn't have time for. This is a Buddah Sculpture and "Ground Chuck" - a super ninja turtles action figure.

Here's what I learned;
1. Everything is proportion. Mixing value. Mixing color. Volume of paint. Length of lines. Angle of lines. Every thing is a ratio.
2. When I paint more, I learn more (duh).
3. Remember to use Mal stick.
4. Dull colors more than necessary on purpose: Exaggerate "non-saturation".
5. Even though I wrote a small amount on a step by step plan, I still missed a step - Buddah wasn't even blocked in with only 15 mins. left.
6. I painted for 4 hours, instead of two. Good job!
7. I would have painted lights/highlights if I had more time.
8. Start composing 10 hours study for after #50.
9. I enjoyed painting small this time bcuz I was more practiced (from last time).

[sharkbarf]

#8
Dec 12
27 1/2 X 32 cm
8:15 - 10:15 pm

After setting up the composition, getting my tools together, and making a value scale, I was too excited to paint to spend time on one more task - preparing my 50/50 medium. So I painted without medium today (except turpentine).

I got another helpful tool today. A handheld digital record so that I don't need to stop to take notes, I can just say them. Saves time.

Here's what I learned:
1. No hangnails. Paint is toxic and can get in the blood stream through open wounds.
2. Study Jim McVicker. He was influential during my earliest years : he is primarily a landscape painter.
3. Make a timesheet to showcase what exactly I spend my time doing, that way I can see how to make more time for painting.
4. Under-painting should be as light as lightest color (maybe, not perfected yet) and initial drawing should be only one value step darker.
5. I think this was my most successful in the series so far.
6. To save space on my pallet I made my value scale on paper and hung it off the end.
7. The value scale was more clear when I looked through ipad.
8. First color I mix should be closest to the bottom of the pallet to reference value scale, then work my way up.
9. Build/make a place to keep recorder on easel for easy access.
10. When painting fast (2 hour limit) I only get one chance to find right color. So far this is the only drawback I've found for this challenge. It can be looked at as a positive bcuz mistakes are the best teacher.
11. Question: What is the purpose/uses for the multiple whites?

[Singular]

You are definitely learning a lot. Your last one (#8) is the best so far. This is a painting that you could make very realistic if you wanted to go back to it and refine. But I know that is not your goal with the studies.

Different whites act differently. For example, titanium white dries true and is a good stand alone paint. It is also good for highlighting. Zinc white has a bit of yellow undertone. You canot realy see it, but over time, when dry, it starts to yellow slightly. It is a good mixing paint. There are cool whites and warm whites. Depending on what the paint is made from, it will have different characteristics.

all the best,
Joe

[sharkbarf]

Joe -
I agree this is the best so far. Because the under-painting was light it didn't skew my colors or tones like #6. Maybe for my next 100 I'll do 3-4 hours to go a lot deeper. In a way I feel like I"m kinda cheating my self from learning about the top layers because I usually don't have enough time to make additions and tweaks. This series is all about learning, not what the painting looks like, although I admit it is really tempting to put a couple more hours into this one.

As far as whites; it looks like I know about as much as you do. What I'm really wondering is would flake, or lead white help my setup at all? (I know nothing of there properties) I'm already using titanium and zinc.

Now I"m off to paint.

[sharkbarf]

#9
Dec 13
26 X 28 cm
1:10 - 3:10 pm (Daylight)

What I learned;
1. I'd like to start another .001% for value studies or monochromatic painting.
2. Larger brush for initial block in.
3. Smallest canvas I'd like is 9 X9 inches so it fits between pegs on easel.
4. I need to print out the Step by Step process to use as a checklist
5. Good under drawing.
6. Success!
7. Practice straight lines.
8. I'm getting faster
9. I've always like really smooth painting, but I like broken up brush work now.
10. IDK why but my Titanium white feels thicker.
11. I need all different types and sizes of brushes.
12. Bottom line, I'd like more than 2 hours even though they're studies.
13. RE is complete. I have a working system to rotate rags to maximize efficiency.
14. Need to use a variety of values or use more of the 10 tones. (I jump too many steps)
15. Scorpio - I'm one step closer to organized paint pants.
16. Need to utilize daylight!

[sharkbarf]

Critiques are Welcome.

#10
Dec 13
25 X 28 cm
8:30 - 10:30 pm

After watching the McVicker documentary, http://www.jimmcvickerpaints.com/ I saw he uses red for the initial drawing. I tried this, but like #6, when the under-painting is too dark (or in this case wrong color) it mixes with the next layer creating undesired effects. I think it works for McVicker because he is putting mostly greens on top: the red acts as an obvious boundary intermediary and is used to neutralize greens anyway.


1. Digital recorder is super helpful. Time saver.
2. Liquin seems to add body, 50/50 mix makes paint have a more liquid consistency.
3. Stand oil is malodorous.
4. Space is just as important as objects in the space.
5. Use two small lines of white so there is less contamination.
6. Make a styrofoam piece that fits in my vegetable oil jars so that brush tips won't touch bottom.

[sharkbarf]

#11
Dec 14
18 X 21 cm
1:00 - 3:00 pm

Its great when I can start painting as soon as I wake up. I am going to try to do two more today, although I also am going to start working on color theory.

What I learned:

1. Again, use large square brush brush for a monotonous one directional application of base color.
2. How do you darken colors without using black?
3. I'm finding myself fall back into an old style which is - when there is a darker value already on my brush I start applying a thinner transparent paint layer for lighter values. I need to learn to stop doing this and to mix the correct value before application.
4. This is the first painting that I purposely thought about the color as well as composition.
5. PVS is progressively getting better but not perfected yet.

[sharkbarf]

#12
Dec 15
26 X 26 cm
2:30 - 4:30 pm

Not much to say today. I think because I've gotten my routine down I'll be able to focus more on the actual painting process and not how to be efficient while painting. For some reason I was really bored while painting today. Near the end it became fun though. IDK?

Here's what I learned:

1. There was a dramatic shift in the natural lighting as a storm formed.
2. Opps - I'm not too sure how useful this would be actually. No doubt it can be done (I'm still doing it) but I haven't really found it beneficial. The two ways I can see it helping are; it will help me understand local color relationships better and it will be a visual reminder of what colors I tend to use more/less. If I'm favoring one color over others continuously I'll be able to notice this pigeonholing and change it.
3. I need more fun pieces of cloth.

[sharkbarf]

#13
Dec. 16
31 X 31 1/2
12:30 - 2:30 pm

Although my composition is becoming the similar every time, I'm sticking to what works. Now I'm focusing on color theory which I think is apparent and much more aesthetic.

1. Cadmium Yellow is quite transparent. Is that the color itself, or just my (cheap) brand?
2. With only 2 hours and all my paintings looking unfinished - I started to paint much faster. At the cost of accuracy (obvious with the disproportionate bottle) I'm "speed paintin". I got the idea after listening to Busta Rhymes
3. What would I use another apothecary jar for? (Rhetorical)
4. The reason why I have so many "in between color" (like Naples Yellow, Cadmium Yellow, and Cadmium Red light) is so that I can neutralize quicker.
5. It was unfortunate to have to stop because I would have liked to finish this. Rules are rules.

[sharkbarf]

#14
Dec.16
33 X 29 1/2 cm
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Title:
Finding a quarter on the floor of a North Korea Restaurant after a tornado in a dream


Disaster!
Twice!
Or actually Three times including the title. lol. Somehow my easel fell on top of me today. I think because when I moved it earlier on of the leg clamps got loose. It was crazy though; My whole turpentine container spilled on my lap and the painting fell into the whole right side of my pallet. Luckily I had to cover that part with black.
Later the painting fell off the pegs and just missed the palette!
I haven't had a single problem in the past two weeks. Weird.
After that I had to change clothes, clean the floor and redo the underpainting. oh well.
I like the end result.
If I had more time I would have like to paint in the hanging cloth behind the table.

[Singular]

I see you have made much progress since my last visit. So when you are finished with the studies, are you going to do a detailed work with no time limit to try to put it all together?

[sharkbarf]

Singular-
Yes. I'm working on the composition for a self portrait in my studio. I'm going to do a 10 hour study after painting #50. Then after #100 I'll take as long as I need to do the final piece.

[sharkbarf]

PLEASE CRITIQUE
There is no point to post these if I don't get feed back.

#15
Dec. 19
12:40 - 2:40
22 X 31cm
Title:
Compositional study for self portrait in studio

Had to take a couple days off. I've been working myself pretty hard!
This is my second study for my final painting of a self portrait in my studio.

1. Eventually make a .001% thread for every issue (that is important to me).
2. Call landlord about florescent lights.
3. Burning inscents is a physiological reminder for a psychological trigger (meditational).
4. Toys add vibrant synthetic color not normally found in nature.
5. Try to paint in the knee chair with no back.
6. Design a Dunny for final painting
7. Find a phone book for wiping paint off of brushes
8. Painting white (mostly shades of grey) cloth helps me establish value scale without having to worry about chroma.
9. Add baby wipes to rag types.
10. I exaggerate the color of the floor so that it was a little closer to complementing the maroon.
11. With the light coming from behind me, it was difficult to see the colors I was mixing. I may need to change angles for my next study.
12. Opps update - I don't think I'll have much organization above the knees due to accidents.
13. @ half way point (1 hour) re-evaluate what needs to be completed still
14. Winsor Yellow is always dry before any other on my palette.
15. I should be working more on detail to perfect my craft, but this painting is more about comp.

[sharkbarf]

#16
Dec. 19
7:30-9:30
24 X 23 cm
Title: Bloated sack of protoplasm!


1. I got a file!
2. Figure out when to post on the forum, so that I'm not distracted with non-painting related activities. Yet, everything I do on the forum is painting related? Not sure how that works.
3. Wrong Yellow. Try Azo
4. After underpainting and initial drawing are done, set turp aside so as a reminder not to use it. Which leads me to my next point;
5. Experiment with other medium mixture ratios. Maybe 1:5 Stand/Turp. I need a more fluid medium for crisp lines.
6. I needed to wipe off the excess underpainting were the rough drawing was. The first layer mixed with the next layer too much, creating unwanted colors.
7. Don't fill in drawing like a coloring book! Each brushstroke should be different. Otherwise I'll need to go over the blocked in colors with variety, thus creating extra work (would be ok if I were glazing).
8. Buy better quality brushes.
9. Test Ivory Black against Lamp black and Zinc white against Titanium white specifically for tinting strength.

[sharkbarf]

#17
Dec 20
8:00-10:00pm
30 X 25 cm
Title:
Hawaiian kitchen design

I wanted to retry the yellow cloth I used for #16. I got it much closer.

Here's what I learned:

1. When I'm done painting put up the "stoppers"(little hooks on easel to prevent painting from falling).

Note*
I rearaged my whole studio to make the composition better for the self portrait.
Then I setup my next composition. It took me over an hour to get the composition to my liking. Now, I'm much more perceptive about color and specifically for this one I wanted balance. What I noticed (unfortunatly) is that the natural lighting changed drastically. It feel too dark to paint after I setup, so I'll wait untill tomorrow to paint this. Now I know to setup even earlier in the day. Or setup the night before, then wake up early to get more natural light.

[sharkbarf]

#18
Dec 21
11:00am-1:00pm
35 X 22.5 cm
Title:
Softy

Here's what I learned:

1. See note* from last post.
2. Because I gave myself an hour to setup the composition, let me explain why I think it works well. Starting on the right side; The stuffed animal's tail leads your eye over the edge of the table, then the shadow pulls you back towards the center. The upward pink/purple cloth leads you back up the left side to the candle which helps balance the piece becuase it is nearly the same height as the point of the folded cloth's point below. By this time your eye also feels the balance the negative space in the top middle brings. This shows the 3 dimensional aspect with the books, and then your back to the stuffed animal.
3. I'm starting to show the subtly of slight differentiations of colors and specifically feel confident in neutralizing now.
4. This is making me ever so excited to get back to my original, "out of my head" paintings.

[sharkbarf]

#19
Dec 21
2:00-4:00pm
32.5 X 30cm
Title:
Quantity Vs. quality

I just wish I had more time. When I do my next 100, it'll probably be two- 2 hour sittings.

[sharkbarf]

#20
Dec 22
2:30-4:30pm
24 X 23cm
Title:
Physicality

I'm just going to curb my tongue for a while...no one is commenting.