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JuniperCake
Jan 26, 2013

al-azad posted:

What kind of paper do you recommend for acrylics? I use heavy, rough watercolor paper for watercolors but I find when using acrylics I can't build up layers. I think it's because the paper is absorbing the paint and causing it to blend instead of layer.

This is really thirsty paper. I have about 20 seconds to do wet-in-wet before it's bone dry.

Take this with a grain of salt as I don't use acrylic often but I've had some success with Bristol board for it. I've been able to build up layers on it and while it still dries pretty quick (without a medium at least), it'll give you more than 20 seconds to work with it. Not confident its the best solution but I think it would produce better results than watercolor paper.

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dupersaurus
Aug 1, 2012

Futurism was an art movement where dudes were all 'CARS ARE COOL AND THE PAST IS FOR CHUMPS. LET'S DRAW SOME CARS.'

al-azad posted:

What kind of paper do you recommend for acrylics? I use heavy, rough watercolor paper for watercolors but I find when using acrylics I can't build up layers. I think it's because the paper is absorbing the paint and causing it to blend instead of layer.

This is really thirsty paper. I have about 20 seconds to do wet-in-wet before it's bone dry.

Could you put some gesso down, or is what you're going for need the paper absorption? Either that or use hot press; you'll lose the texture but I think it's supposed to be less absorbing.

al-azad
May 28, 2009



Never worked with gesso. I've read that some people prime their surface with multiple layers of white in lieu of gesso.

I'll try with bristol board. My only concern is I have a tendency to do a lot of wet work for the background.

neonnoodle
Mar 20, 2008

by exmarx

al-azad posted:

What kind of paper do you recommend for acrylics? I use heavy, rough watercolor paper for watercolors but I find when using acrylics I can't build up layers. I think it's because the paper is absorbing the paint and causing it to blend instead of layer.

This is really thirsty paper. I have about 20 seconds to do wet-in-wet before it's bone dry.
Get yourself some acrylic medium and pre-seal the paper. Acrylic medium is basically glue. It goes on white and dries clear. One of the side benefits is that you can take any paper and use medium to glue it down to a board (masonite, wood, whatever). Donato Giancola guy shows you how.

If you do it like this, most of the texture of the paper will remain intact so it'll show up if you do drybrush or things like that. The downside is that you're impregnating the whole thing with plastic, so it won't be porous at all. If you want to get the nice wet-into-wet effects that you get with watercolor, I suggest doing an underpainting in watercolor and then sealing down the paper with acrylic medium onto a support. Then you can build up your acrylics without a problem.

al-azad
May 28, 2009



I'll do some shopping tomorrow. What I'm trying to accomplish are flat, opaque washes. I can do this as an under painting but anything that goes on top will come out semi transparent or streak. I'm using good paint so it's not an issue with the binder. Bristol board works very well but again, anything that goes on top isn't opaque unless I apply it heavily but at that point it forms peaks like impasto and that's not what I want.

neonnoodle
Mar 20, 2008

by exmarx

al-azad posted:

I'll do some shopping tomorrow. What I'm trying to accomplish are flat, opaque washes. I can do this as an under painting but anything that goes on top will come out semi transparent or streak. I'm using good paint so it's not an issue with the binder. Bristol board works very well but again, anything that goes on top isn't opaque unless I apply it heavily but at that point it forms peaks like impasto and that's not what I want.
You might want to consider either liquid acrylic, or gouache. Liquid acrylic won't give you impasto peaks even at full concentration. Gouache is as flat as it gets. There's also Acryla Gouache, which I've never used but supposedly it's got the texture of gouache but it doesn't reactivate after it dries.

al-azad
May 28, 2009



Yeah, I want to achieve the flat "cel" style of old cartoons. Something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JeE5M2Mn38

These guys use cel vinyl which is acrylic based but I've also seen the same effect with tempera which a lot of Japanese studios like Ghibli use. Unfortunately most tempera sold in America is junk.

neonnoodle
Mar 20, 2008

by exmarx
gouache gouache gouache

dupersaurus
Aug 1, 2012

Futurism was an art movement where dudes were all 'CARS ARE COOL AND THE PAST IS FOR CHUMPS. LET'S DRAW SOME CARS.'

al-azad posted:

These guys use cel vinyl which is acrylic based but I've also seen the same effect with tempera which a lot of Japanese studios like Ghibli use. Unfortunately most tempera sold in America is junk.

What we generally call "tempera" here in the states isn't really the classically-known tempera. If you want the real stuff, look for egg tempera.

Shnooks
Mar 24, 2007

I'M BEING BORN D:

neonnoodle posted:

You might want to consider either liquid acrylic, or gouache. Liquid acrylic won't give you impasto peaks even at full concentration. Gouache is as flat as it gets. There's also Acryla Gouache, which I've never used but supposedly it's got the texture of gouache but it doesn't reactivate after it dries.

I use Acryla Gouache and absolutely love it. I initially bought it because it was a bit cheaper than regular gouache and I've never had any problems with it.

Angrymog
Jan 30, 2012

Really Madcats

A tiny canvas picture. Acrylic.

parthenocarpy
Dec 18, 2003

What kind of waterproof paint can I use on glass without changing the opacity of the glass?

twoday
May 4, 2005



C-SPAM Times best-selling author

Friends Are Evil posted:



New ink wash. Trying for something kind of different.

Jesus Christ, everything you post is amazing. I really love ink. Wow.

Ok, so I put away the Dehumanize Yourself painting, it's insanely depressing to have lying around and it started to influence the moods of everyone who spent time in my house in a very negative way. I tried to redeem my message to humanity with this one:





It looks good in real life, but for some reason it looks really terrible when photographed, it's either the gloss of the original print or the contrast of the green. :confused:

I almost passed it up at the thrift shop, but it's so great. An old man with a rifle in one hand and a glass of wine in the other locking eyes with a child as an empty bird cage hangs off in the background... Pretty great for an obscure print. And it came with a frame! And the frame came with a desiccated pouch of spider eggs!

twoday fucked around with this message at 23:35 on Feb 5, 2014

eggyolk
Nov 8, 2007


Big post coming up.


One of my old coworkers

Long story short, I used to work as a commercial sign painter. It was a cool, life destroying job, so now I'm making a painting about it.


The initial sketch


Sketch fleshed out


Transfered to wood panel and painted


Bit more progress


Beginning variegated loose leafing


Border leaf on, figure nearly done


Close up of current stage

So I was wondering if anyone has any experience painting over metal leaf. I've read that painting over imitation leaf is fine with oils except for minor adhesion issues. Most likely I'll seal the leaf before doing a second coat just to be safe. Plan is to put imitation gold over the black lettering, and genuine copper behind the figure for the setting sun. Then a sealing coat, then Mucha-esque line work. Any recommendations for safe ways to go about this?

Friends Are Evil
Oct 25, 2010

cats cats cats



Haven't posted in this thread for a while.

Let's change that.

Chip McFuck
Jul 24, 2007

We droppin' like a comet and this Vulcan tried to Spock it/These Martians tried to do it, but knew they couldn't cop it

I made a painting of my hand the other day.

Stroszek
Apr 3, 2007

Ceci n'est pas un paresseux
This didn't turn out like I'd hoped. I also didn't have lighting that didn't take all the green out of the background for the photo.

Arthus
Nov 11, 2011

SansUnicorn

eggyolk posted:

Big post coming up.

So I was wondering if anyone has any experience painting over metal leaf. I've read that painting over imitation leaf is fine with oils except for minor adhesion issues. Most likely I'll seal the leaf before doing a second coat just to be safe. Plan is to put imitation gold over the black lettering, and genuine copper behind the figure for the setting sun. Then a sealing coat, then Mucha-esque line work. Any recommendations for safe ways to go about this?

Really nice stuff! I actually think keeping the black lettering black for the contrast, you otherwise might end up with too much faux-gold/copper. (with some super-gloss black it will pop just as good)

Not sure as well if you need a lot more ornamentation (in shape of the line work) it could be too much together with the already quite detailed robot.

Tardigrade
Jul 13, 2012

Half arthropod, half marshmallow, all cute.
Anyone have experience with water-soluble coloring pencils? I recently splurged on a bunch of materials and picked up a box of Prismacolors since I've never tried using them before. Anything they do particularly well?

Autechresaint
Jan 25, 2012
I've been in the video game industry as a 3d artist for the past 14 years but I am currently unemployed and bored. I've always had a love for watercolors, ever since high school, and have started doing pet portraits for my friends and commission. Here are a few examples of my recent works.

eggyolk
Nov 8, 2007


Tardigrade posted:

Anyone have experience with water-soluble coloring pencils? I recently splurged on a bunch of materials and picked up a box of Prismacolors since I've never tried using them before. Anything they do particularly well?

They're pretty awesome tools. Pair them with a water brush like this and you can get really cool effects in a really portable package. They don't do big flat washes too well but they're ace when you want to soften line work.

Bubbacub
Apr 17, 2001

Tardigrade posted:

Anyone have experience with water-soluble coloring pencils? I recently splurged on a bunch of materials and picked up a box of Prismacolors since I've never tried using them before. Anything they do particularly well?

Yeah, get a water brush. They're awesome for using in museums that have a no-paints policy in the galleries. It looks like you're drawing with pencils.

eggyolk
Nov 8, 2007


Autechresaint posted:

I've been in the video game industry as a 3d artist for the past 14 years but I am currently unemployed and bored. I've always had a love for watercolors, ever since high school, and have started doing pet portraits for my friends and commission. Here are a few examples of my recent works.



These are really well done and especially precise. What's your process like?

Autechresaint
Jan 25, 2012

eggyolk posted:

These are really well done and especially precise. What's your process like?

Thanks.
I feel more comfortable sketching in watercolor and brush than I do pencils, so I don't draw these in pencil.
It saves me time and I like the look of watercolors without pencil lines underneath them. Since you can't erase pencil once it's been painted over, I measure out an 8x8 grid and put dots down where the axis meet. Once I've painted a basic underpainting, I erase the dots.

It's a pretty easy process, I've been using it since high school. Eventually I'd like to do these without using a grid, but it's been ~9 years since I last painted and I need to build up my skills again.

If nudes are not forbidden, here are some of the last things I painted back in 2003-2005. I have a whole sketchbook of figure paintings from live models like this. The top three are watercolors, the lower left is acrylic, and the lower right I brought my laptop and did it on Wacom. (tiny imaged just in case)

twoday
May 4, 2005



C-SPAM Times best-selling author

Tardigrade posted:

Anyone have experience with water-soluble coloring pencils? I recently splurged on a bunch of materials and picked up a box of Prismacolors since I've never tried using them before. Anything they do particularly well?

I just found out these exist a few weeks ago and bought a pack and tried to draw a self-portrait, they were pretty cool. It looked like a lovely sketch till i applied water, then it looked like a painting.

Tardigrade
Jul 13, 2012

Half arthropod, half marshmallow, all cute.
The water pen idea sounds great, I had never seen that before. Will definitely go and find one. Thanks for the tips!

Zoben
Oct 3, 2001
Thought I'd post some stuff here. I like me some lines, most of the time with a crowquill and ink, sometimes with a plain ol' ballpoint. All of these are colored digitally but I always start traditional so these are the B+W versions.





zwdzk
Dec 12, 2012

smug

HungryMedusa posted:

Friends Are Evil: I never watched Twin Peaks, but that drawing makes me want to.

This is my latest - colored pencil and Neocolor II on Stonehenge paper. I am not super happy with the leaves, but this was my first time experimenting with the Neocolors, so I call it a success.



I have nothing to add other than the fact that this is such an amazingly cool idea. You've inspired me. The only thing I guess I could comment on is the texture of the snake skin. Well done, no doubt, but lessening the focus on that specific detail might make for a stronger piece of work. It looks busy.

TheGreekOwl
Mar 1, 2014

THUNDERDOME LOSER



Yeah, so these are some relativaly recent pieces I did, studies all and all. I am posting the two best here, I have some other six I didn't post because I didn't think they were that good.

I did this in thick cardboard that I painted white with acrylic as a foundation. After that I simply painted with acrylics and a bit of gouache at a few points. Not too happy about these either, I need to get back to making studies like these.

the
Jul 18, 2004

by Cowcaster
C/P from business thread:

Is Etsy the best place to sell prints of my paintings? Also, how much should I expect to pay a photographer to take photos that I can use for print production?

Stroszek
Apr 3, 2007

Ceci n'est pas un paresseux


From a photo by Vivian Maier.

Dead Pikachu
Mar 25, 2007

I wish you were real.

Autechresaint posted:

I've been in the video game industry as a 3d artist for the past 14 years but I am currently unemployed and bored. I've always had a love for watercolors, ever since high school, and have started doing pet portraits for my friends and commission. Here are a few examples of my recent works.



I love these! I've tried watercolor pet portraits, but I'm always so scared of adding too much color/shading. I wish I could do bold ones like yours!

I've recently started using Sculpey and here's my first finished piece:

Autechresaint
Jan 25, 2012

Dead Pikachu posted:

I love these! I've tried watercolor pet portraits, but I'm always so scared of adding too much color/shading. I wish I could do bold ones like yours!

I've recently started using Sculpey and here's my first finished piece:


Hey thanks! I like your sculpey, the face has a lot of personality and character.

Quick question for anyone who sells paintings here, what would you charge for a watercolor portrait like this? The paintings themselves are usually around 5" x 5" with some variation, and I include free matting, so the final work ends up being 8" x 8".

I have been charging friends and family a cheap rate so far, but I am trying to expand my business.

eggyolk
Nov 8, 2007


Autechresaint posted:

Quick question for anyone who sells paintings here, what would you charge for a watercolor portrait like this?

It really depends on your market, material costs, time, and audience, but what matters most is building a network of clients. Then you can charge based on the demand your work garners, or just be so spectacularly good that clients are willing to bid on your service. Do some stuff of friends for free, paint surprise pieces from social media photos, do practice pieces of celebrities and popular figures, build up a portfolio that can back up your asking price.

It also helps immensely to have a rock solid structure to your painting approach. When people see consistency in your art they're more likely to throw some bills your way for it. If your portfolio is a few completely disparate pieces then no body can really be sure what they're paying for.

eggyolk
Nov 8, 2007


Stroszek posted:



From a photo by Vivian Maier.

What material is this? Seems like you're losing a lot of information from the source, particularly the depth of the scene and the form of the figures. Could just be your photo though.

Stroszek
Apr 3, 2007

Ceci n'est pas un paresseux

eggyolk posted:

What material is this? Seems like you're losing a lot of information from the source, particularly the depth of the scene and the form of the figures. Could just be your photo though.

It's acrylic paint. Looking back at where the old lady in the foreground cuts off the view of the man it definitely looks like there's not enough visual contrast to make the man's body distinct from the shoulder and arm of the old woman in the photo. In the painting as the paint has settled now, the figure in the right foreground is more distinct from the man.

The man in the center still looks that way, I had meant for him to be ghostly like the other figures, but the lack of 'outline' for his shoulders does throw some ambiguity in there that doesn't need to be there.

Do you have any quick suggestions or have I covered the basics? I'll hopefully get around to working on this a bit more this weekend.

eggyolk
Nov 8, 2007


Keep cross checking your reference. Maybe look at it in a mirror or flip it digitally to keep it fresh. For a first pass it's mostly there. Better photos of the painting would help a bunch of course.

moerketid
Jul 3, 2012

Autechresaint posted:

Hey thanks! I like your sculpey, the face has a lot of personality and character.

Quick question for anyone who sells paintings here, what would you charge for a watercolor portrait like this? The paintings themselves are usually around 5" x 5" with some variation, and I include free matting, so the final work ends up being 8" x 8".

I have been charging friends and family a cheap rate so far, but I am trying to expand my business.

A solid base is always to work out an hourly rate. Keep close track of your hours spent on a typical piece. If you're building a portfolio start at min wage, or you may have to go lower if you're a slow worker (you can speed up with practice on the same time on work). Check out what other people in your area and online are charging for a similar quality of work too and you may be able to bump the price up more than you think.

sigma 6
Nov 27, 2004

the mirror would do well to reflect further

eggyolk posted:

Big post coming up.


One of my old coworkers

Long story short, I used to work as a commercial sign painter. It was a cool, life destroying job, so now I'm making a painting about it.


The initial sketch


Sketch fleshed out


Transfered to wood panel and painted


Bit more progress


Beginning variegated loose leafing


Border leaf on, figure nearly done


Close up of current stage

So I was wondering if anyone has any experience painting over metal leaf. I've read that painting over imitation leaf is fine with oils except for minor adhesion issues. Most likely I'll seal the leaf before doing a second coat just to be safe. Plan is to put imitation gold over the black lettering, and genuine copper behind the figure for the setting sun. Then a sealing coat, then Mucha-esque line work. Any recommendations for safe ways to go about this?

This is fantastic!

I would say cover the metal leaf in a matte medium (or if this is huge, maybe Floetrol because it is cheap) or perhaps a lacquer first (?)


I am having a show next week. It is only my second show and I was hoping for some sage advice. Does anyone have any professional practice tips or a laundry list of things they like to do before each show?

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dupersaurus
Aug 1, 2012

Futurism was an art movement where dudes were all 'CARS ARE COOL AND THE PAST IS FOR CHUMPS. LET'S DRAW SOME CARS.'
My fencing club holds a yearly fundraising auction, and, as usual, I'm doing for it. Since I've never done painting for real (and because I hate myself), I decided now would be a good time to give it a try. So I've been working on this today


Acrylic on canvas, 18x24

It's a little less intense in real life (and the greys are less red), but the pic gets the point across. I don't think it's terrible for what's really a first try, but it's not really sale quality, and I'm not quite sure where to go with it, particularly with the glove. I guess I should really force the shading, but should I use the same blue?

I kinda want to make this a series with the two other weapons with different colors (thinking a magenta-ish red, and maybe the green from the image below, or a golden yellow).



I'm also playing around with this. I like the basic idea better but, again, I'm stumped on where to go. I want to do a dark shadow/motion thing following the figure, and maybe some piping on the figure, but I am a little fond of the stencil quality as it is.

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