Acrylic Experiments on Fredrix Canvas Can-Tone Panels
In the years I’ve been sponsored by Fredrix Canvas I’ve been lucky enough to try out so many amazing surfaces to paint on. Their canvas has revolutionized my process and has given my paint life in a way that I simply haven’t found elsewhere. I’m grateful to be sponsored by them currently, but I also know that if there were to come a time when I’m no longer sponsored - I will always continue to buy their canvas. (Which is the reason I agreed in the first place, it’s seriously my favorite to work with.)
So recently I’ve been toning my own canvas in various shades, and have been super curious to try out these pre-toned canvas panels. I love the shade range, but was immediately drawn to Tara Gray and Georgia Peach first.
I started with a thinned acrylic titanium white, (for info on how I thin my paints check out this post) using a few different brushes to play with the spread of paint and the marks I could leave behind. After that had dried, I applied a layer of thinned indigo.
I love how the thinned paint dries on the panels - and how very different the paint looks from one to the other. I’ve got more layers planned for tomorrow once these are dry and I’m excited to see where they go!
Have you tried working on a toned surface before?
The Scrap Box; my childhood paradise, my artist playground
The Scrap Box has been a staple in Ann Arbor since the early 80s, and was my absolute favorite place to go as a kid. Whenever there was a special event to celebrate, or I had a few extra bucks from chores - this is where I begged my parents to take me.
The Scrap Box is is a donation-based creative reuse PARADISE, filled with all sorts of odds and ends, like thin-chopped white tubing, fantastic spongy shapes, nylon in every color of the rainbow, green nettings, yarns, papers, pieces of wood…. I couldn’t attempt to name everything they have! It’s all been donated by area businesses/individuals and provides kids/artists/educators/explorers with access to neat materials for very cost.
The bulk room; my favorite place.
As a child I would make 3D paintings, sculptures and scenes out of these bits and pieces - now as a working artist it is my haven for still life supplies. Especially when I’m teaching a class or breaking down my process, having access to all this weird stuff is amazing.
And if I’m setting up a still life for just me, I really appreciate having a cache of items that I don’t necessarily understand (or know what they are!) to scatter on a table. It keeps me from assigning meaning to their placement and sketch.
I usually combine the Scrapbox treasures with a few vases/cups I picked up at our thrift store add some crumpled paper, then get to work.
This is one of my favorite exercises to start the day with, or if I’m feeling just a little stuck - making some interesting (not necessarily pretty!) arrangements and sketching from these tends to yield some results that beg other questions, that warrant more sketching and exploration.
On Saturday I’ll be taking these supplies with me up to the MSU Broad Art Lab - where I’ll be setting up a few of these still lifes and teaching a little workshop on my contour drawing process. There’s still a few spaces left if you are in the area!
It was so wonderful to walk into the Scrap Box this week and gather a few extra items for Saturday’s class. This is the first I’ve been in since we moved back and I already have plans for more of the materials I saw there. Walking through the barrels in the bulk room gave me the same feeling as way back when; (except that now I am tall enough to actually see into the barrels!) endless inspiration, limitless possibility and knowing that I’m about to need A LOT more glue.
<3
What's in My Art Bag; Hawaii Edition
Tomorrow we head out for a little Hawaiian adventure. We’ll stay on the big island this time, rent a car and just sort of explore and venture out as the winds take us.
I’ve packed a slightly condensed bag because of this - mobility will be key and I don’t want to drag behind because I’ve overloaded my bag with supplies I won’t use.
This is the paired down collection;
Supplies for Hawaii
1.) Plastic tube.
Surfaces;
2.) Pre-stretched and gessoed canvases.
3.) Strathmore 9 x 12 Acrylic pad
4.) Fredrix 9 x 12 Watercolor Canvas
5.) Strathmore 9 x 12 Toned Mixed Media pad
6.) Moleskine Watercolor sketchbook
7.) Canson lay-flat sketchbook
Media;
8.) Fredricks and Mae circle watercolor palette
9.) Golden hi-flo in White
10.) Winsor and Newton Indigo
11.) Winsor and Newton Burnt Sienna
12.) Winsor and Newton sketching pencils
13.) Derwent graphitone watersoluble pencil
14.) Caran d’Ache watercolor pastels
Brushes;
15.) Rubber wedges
16.) Long-handled hake
17.) Niji waterbrush
And - it all fits!
So we’re off - I’ll check back in when we’re in Hawaii!
(Orders placed between today and the 13th won’t ship until the 15th, just FYI)
<3
Paper Tests; My usual materials on sample cards
** (Disclaimer) I was a bit on the fence about putting this post together. Experimentation (and actually doing it on your own) is such an incredibly important part of the process that I wondered if this piece was doing anyone any favors. And it really may not be - so please, don’t take these images and this text as your truth - GO GO DO YOUR OWN EXPERIMENTATION! Everyone’s process is different, and what works for me may not for you - and vice versa. **
That said, here’s an intro to surfaces!
Terms:
Acid-free: Acids leftover from the processing phase can yellow papers with age. It’s always a good idea to make sure whatever you are using (not limited to paper, check your tapes too!) is noted as “Acid-free” for archival purposes.
GSM/LB: These numbers refer to the weight (in pounds) of 500 sheets of 22 x 30 paper. The heavier the paper, the more sturdy it will be. I tend not to purchase anything below 140lb, as I use a lot of water in my work and anything with a weight less than that is likely to buckle and need several rounds of stretching. My favorite papers are in the 300lb range, these do not require the same amount of stretching and can hold lots of watery applications.
Surface Type:
Cotton vs. Cellulose: Artist-grade papers are 100% cotton, Cellulose papers are a little more affordable (student-grade) but use fillers instead of the natural pulp.
Hot Press: The paper is smooth and not incredibly absorbent. Colors tend to stay more vibrant on the paper, but at the sacrifice of texture.
Cold press: Slightly more texture than hot. Medium absorbency, great for washes and heavy paints.
Rough: Lots of texture, very pebbled like appearance. Can be harder to create exact details as the heavy texture can distort lines, but excellent for large stains and washes.
Fredrix Watercolor Canvas: Nice heavy cotton, medium texture, great absorbency.
Strathmore Mixed Media (toned): Heavy, smooth paper - low absorbency, so lots of opportunity to move paint around.
Strathmore Acrylic: canvas-like texture, heavy weight and great absorbency.
Sometimes the paper weights will vary company to company, so again - experimentation is key! Occasionally there are deals on sample packs of paper, so keep your eyes peeled at local art shops and online!
Materials Used:
(Top to bottom on each sample card)
Derwent Graphite Wash Pencil
Caran d’Ache water soluble pastel
Daniel Smith Watercolor Stick
Winsor and Newton watercolor (tube)
Golden hi-flow acrylic
Brands Used: I picked the materials I use the most frequently to demonstrate the paint’s behavior on each surface - but definitely do your own tests before committing to an expensive product!
Results:
140 lb Hot and Cold Press on Cellulose:
140 lb Hot and Cold Press on 100% Cotton:
300 lb Cold Press Cotton:
Additional Papers/Canvas:
Rough (Handmade):
Rough, heavy rag with great texture. Takes heavy water techniques really well.
Strathmore Acrylic:
Visible texture, great absorbancy - a little hard to get details into the texture.
Strathmore Mixed Media:
Excellent for multiple types of materials, my go-to for mixed media techniques. Available in non-toned colors as well!
Fredrix Watercolor Canvas:
Great absorbancy, not too fast in that I can still move pigment around - but not too slow in that it takes too long to dry. Holds mixed media great and has a nice canvas texture. Warping is to be expected (it is real canvas after all!) but is removed by stretching the back, ironing the back or dry-mounting. My go-to for travel watercolor work.
I had a lot of fun playing with all these papers and I hope this might be handy if you find yourself in a pickle choosing a surface! But again, it’s definitely so, so worth it to do your own tests as well, I never leave a pile of paper tests without learning something!
<3
My Brush Story
If you follow me on instagram you know how long this first segment has been in the works. Originally I assumed I would get a few neat stories and maybe a picture or two in response to my post (see here) - but I was blown away by the multitude of thoughtful, heartfelt stories - and I’m still receiving them! I couldn’t simply do one small post and capture the depth, breadth and journey of paintbrush experiences.
So I’m introducing the first of a monthly series: My Brush Stories. Each month I’ll pull a few stories from the collection I’ve been assembling and share them on my blog here, my instagram and other media (still in the works, more information soon!).
So without further ado, here is the first of what I hope will be an exploration into other artist’s practices, their work and how it’s made - starting with our favorite tools.
(To submit yours, head over to the My Brush Story page!)
Katrin Bauck | @katrinbauck
At first glance, there's nothing special about my favorite brush - it's a usual bristle brush, natural wooden handle (light brown), which I think I have bought for my son's school equipment years ago.
When I started painting in 2016 I tried out every brush I could find in our house so also this one went into my toolbox. :-) Immediately I fell in love with the shape and softness of the handle, the broadness of the bristles and their wildness.
In summer 2017 I took a small selection of brushes with me to our family vacation trip to the Baltic Sea, including that brush. After days of lovely laziness, long walks at the beach, collecting shells and stones and taking countless pictures, one afternoon back “home” at the lovely Danish cottage I took out my brushes and was stunned by their beauty, especially by this one’s paint splattered handle.
Inspired, I googled for a lovely quote on brushes and found this one, which is still one of my favorites, by Henry Ward Beecher:
“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
I wrote it into my sketchbook and took two pictures, one with the quote and the brush and one just a close-up of the handle (see both attached). And somehow then, in the soft afternoon light in the Danish cottage, I connected that lovely slow summer feeling and that quote with this brush and whenever I hold it now, it inspires me to slow down, to watch for the beauty and when I paint, to dip my brushes in my soul. :-)
Katrin Bauck
Katrin Bauck
Julia Cusworth | @juliacusworth
I have had this thick, flat brush for about 5 years. Once I decided to start pursuing art in my spare time, I delved back into my old supplies from college and university but found myself lacking in the brush department. I ordered a pack of iconic yellow Daler Rowleys and although I love them all, this is my favourite. It creates the most beautiful thick, fat strokes; stripes, swirls and ink splatters. It is bold and obvious - much like my art. It is the brush I reach for first and the one I know I could never replace. It helps guide my work when I don't know where to go next and it understands me. Not breaking or giving up when I don't always wash out the ink or glue but instead developing it's own unique texture, making it even more personal to me.
Julia Cusworth
Julia Cusworth
Sabrina Cottrill | @sabrina.cottrill.art
My brushes are definitely not fancy or expensive and yet I realized a large chunk of my brushes have been with me a really long time. To some of the first ones I purchased back in high school for my first painting class. (Hello early 2000s) To then my college art days picking some up here and there when I could afford. Eyeing up the clearance ones working part time at an art store. They've moved from home to home and I got used to being a new mom and have finally found their way up from the basement and into my studio.
Sabrina Cottrill
There is just something so magical about seeing into other artist's creative worlds.
Thanks to everyone for sharing the stories thus far, I am so looking forward to sharing more next month in Volume 2.
Have a favorite brush you want to share? Tell me about it in the comments, use the hashtag over on instagram or head over to the page and submit there . Can't wait to read them!
<3