Meadow Walk. Painting #53
Date Painted: January 13, 2019
Size: 11 x 14 canvas
Meadow Walk is painting #53 and the first painting of 2019. It is painted with acrylics and gesso. At the time of this painting I was still living away from my house. I was staying in an AirBnb about 45 minutes away. Since it was relatively close, I decided to bring some of my art supplies to the place so I could paint. This place had a detached garage and an unused easel. It was like it was welcoming me to paint.
Being able to paint while away was a great morale boost. They say painting and art is relaxing. I’d have to say whoever they are, they are right. It has done wonders for my mental health throughout all this recovery.
I started 2019 painting this one since it didn’t require a lot of materials and I wasn’t painting at home so I didn’t want to go all in just yet. It is based off of a photo someone I know took. I had a lot of fun with this one. What I like about doing these types is using the different brushes. Each one gives a different effect. I also use things like sponges and paper towels. It’s really neat seeing what each one can do. Then in the end, if you do it right, it sort of looks like a high contrast photo. I have some more ideas saved up. I’ll have to do them soon.
Though you don’t need a lot of materials, these black and white acrylic paintings take a bit of time. These are layers upon layers so you need to let each layer dry before adding the next. Now, acrylic paint doesn’t take long to dry but it still takes patience.
If you want to paint something like this, all you need is a black and white photo to reference, mainly to have different values to refer to. This is assuming you’re not already a talented artist that doesn’t need a photo reference. You also will need:
You could get gray gesso but mixing the black and white will give you greater control of the value you want. Also, you don’t necessarily need the gesso but it’s goo to use for the sky and background/base color. And that’s it. Just mix the black and white to the values you need. It’s not as easy as it seems but it’s a lot of fun figuring it out. For blending, I find that it’s best to let the first layer dry a little bit so the colors don’t mix so easily when you put one on top of the other yet allows you to still blend what you need. It’s all trial and error if you’re not experienced.
Find a black and white photo you like and give it a try. Let me know how it turns out. It’s a lot of fun stepping away from the traditional wet on wet techniques.
Happy painting!