Barbara Pagani's Tresor Cache 101

After posting this picture of a 10 minute painting challenge, a good friend of mine told me that she felt that I was bragging and it made me rethink about the descriptions that I put on my post and also to elaborate about what the post was really intended for. These mini paintings are a challenge for me to get out of going back and repainting. I am trying to keep the intended idea that I had in the very first sitting. It is hard for me not to repeatedly go back and change colours in a painting. Since these mini canvases are inexpensive, I am going to put a bunch to the test and sell them on my etsy store. March 6th 2015 A little update: Since I started working on the 10 minute challenge I have done at least 10 mini paintings and I am loving each and everyone of them. I am allowing myself to second guess what colours I have decided or what the subject is and I am pretty happy with the outcome. It is also a little warmer up for some of the bigger commissioned painting that I have ...

I couldn't resist and added some gold leaf and then some pearl gel paint

Here is a painting that I started before I left for Texas (and lost my MOJO) and when I came back worked on it for a bit but landed up going to dark, as usual. I have been trying to lighten it up a bit while trying to get back my MOJO and have gone completely somewhere else. Maybe it's time to leave it alone for a bit

While I was on vacation in Texas with my brother in law and sister in law, Barb, we did a lot of painting her and I. I am really happy that she is painting again but I came home with her cleaning MOJO and left my painting MOJO there. She has since completed 5 paintings and I am really proud of her because she is a very creative person. But now I want my painting MOJO back. I thought maybe cleaning up the studio would help....it sure looks nice but I don't have that urge......where is it? Anyhow here are some of my sister in law's paintings that she has done. This one is in the works for David but not completed yet 

Sometimes it just takes patience with a painting that doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I started it over 3 years ago and dropped it like a hot potato and put it in the back of the studio. While cleaning up and I have been doing more of that than painting lately, I came across this little guy and pulled it out. Later, while discussing the conclusion of a bigger painting with a client, he spotted it sitting around and asked me if he could buy it. I told him it wasn't finished and he said he would buy it when it was, so here it is now finished. I may do a bigger one in the new year. I wanted to finish it with some pouring medium to give it that glass like effect, but realized that I am almost out of pouring medium, so I finished it with a triple thick varnish instead. I will have to wait for some specials at the art store when the gallons go on special for some more pouring medium. 

Here we go again with another test. This time it is on crackle paste made by Kroma. I bought this one because the other products that was available by Golden didn't have any directions on the container. Shame on you Golden this is the least you could do. Not the first time I have seen this on Golden's products either. Anyhow the product spreads very well. I added on top of a painting I had done a while ago which I didn't really like. You have to apply it quite thick. It takes up to 3 days to dry depending on the temperature. After 2 days, it did dry and the cracks weren't that big but I applied some fluid medium on top and proceeded to add some layers of paint to see what it would look like. I wasn't really all that happy with the results so I kept on applying more colour. I still wasn't happy with the results so I let it dry and then added even more crackle this time even thicker than the last. It is now only the second day so further comments to follow.  ...

Wow I was so excited to try the new water based Spray Paints by Liquitex. They are inter mixable with acrylic paint. Last week I attended a demo hosted by Francoise Issaly who in my opinion does a wonderful  demo as she is very enthusiastic about working with different mediums, anyhow she did a 2 hour demo on various products and processes, one being image transfer (which has been a fascination of mine for the last couple of years), Pouring medium and also the new spray paints. I called Omer Deserres the following day to find out they had them in stock. I bought 4 of my favourite colours, Red, Yellow, Blue and Gold. All transparent except for the Gold. I played around with them on some old grunge boards I had and was quite happy with them, considering that I do Airbrush, it was a lot simpler to use this than pull out the compressor and have to clean my airbrush. I did as advised and removed the nozzles and cleaned them after turning the cans up...

                                      These were done with plaster and a pen to make the relief This one I used a potato masher in the center. 

I started 4 new mini 6 x 12" paintings today, same idea 2 different mediums. 2 are done with flow aid and then heavy gel is applied after it dried. The other's two are with acrylic medium and then coated with high gloss medium. the high gloss medium is still curing after 8 hrs. The flow aid gave wonderful soft results.  The acrylic medium extended the colors  I like both results but not sure if the heavy gel is the way to go.  Next test will be with pouring mediums.

Before and after. The customer is very happy with the end results Before....in the line up of work to do for the weekend I gessoed the whole black ground and then added a soft body " Titan Buff" by Golden paints over. End result the customer is very happy with this older piece. I will add photo when it is framed.

Inspiration:   my version: I'll let it dry and play around a little with some of my Liquitex markers Painting completed and then added pouring medium to give the glass like look

Boy I sure am loving the spray paints.....especially the little splatters. I started this painting yesterday. Today I did some detailing and just added some gloss medium. I will let it dry for a day or two before I touch it again

Okay I wrote my first review about the spray paints and I wasn't too pleased with the fact that one of the cans clogged up after my first application. I called Omer Desseres where I purchased them and they were willing to do an exchange....cool. Normally they are sticklers on their return policy especially since it clearly states no returns for spray paint on the receipt. Anyhow I played around a bit with the paints, spraying random colours and dragging some of the colour with my paint brush and some of my palette knives....real cool how the colour underneath a fresh spray comes through. I love how the different colours pop on this part.  The first painting which I played with has already been sold. I need to do a little more detailing with the white. I am using a Liquitex concentrated titanium white, so it is quite bright. I like it and so does Nathalie (who bought it) I will then let it sit for a week and add the final varnish and do the edges so that ...

I was so excited to try the new water based Spray Paints by Liquitex. They are inter mixable with acrylic paint. Last week I attended a demo hosted by Francoise Issaly who in my opinion does a wonderful  demo as she is very enthusiastic about working with different mediums, anyhow she did a 2 hour demo on various products and processes, one being image transfer (which has been a fascination of mine for the last couple of years), Pouring medium and also the new spray paints. I called Omer Deserres the following day to find out they had them in stock. I bought 4 of my favourite colours, Red, Yellow, Blue and Gold. All transparent except for the Gold. I played around with them on some old grunge boards I had and was quite happy with them, considering that I do Airbrush, it was a lot simpler to use this than pull out the compressor and have to clean my airbrush. I did as advised and removed the nozzles and cleaned them after turning the cans up...

I came across this statement via blog: http://www.sandraduranwilson.blogspot.ca/  just when I was having a little fear of a couple of new mediums; Pouring liquid and the new Paint Sprays by Liquitex Sometimes creating art is like looking into another dimension. Sometimes fear can keep one from jumping into that dimension. To be successful as an artist we must step into that fear. When you focus on your doubts, fears and perceived inadequacies, you will be haunted by fear of failure. When you bring your focus to your strengths and talents you will find your courage. What you think, is more important than anything else in finding your courage. Practice stepping into the fear and embracing your confidence, it will become easier. Make a daily habit of jumping into your altered dimension where you are brave, successful and able to leap over tall buildings. May the force be with you. So tomorrow I will pull out some grunge boards and just experiment until I no longer have a ...

This painting started off with randomly added layers of acrylic paints and inks then sprayed with water and left to dry. sections were gessoed out and then I highligted areas with black paint.  Modelling paste was added around the areas of black paint More paint and inks were added layer by layer and gloss medium added between each layer. Some sections were wiped off to show the existing paint underneath.  Feb 18th, 2013, so here is where I am after many layers of paint and gloss medium varnish. I just found out at a demo from Liquitex on Monday night that I should be using the light modelling paste instead of the heavy one that I am using. It makes sense because after a while the weight will pull on the canvas and cause it to sag. I may purchase the spray that I saw at curry's art store to apply to the backing to prevent it from sagging. 

I've been busy lately doing alot of things other than painting. I made strawberry jam and went raspberry picking with my middle daughter and picked 1 litre of raspberries but of course ate just about as much while picking last week. I flash froze the raspberries as we were at our cottage and all my jars and pectin were in the city. I will make the jam this week because the weather has just been way too hot. I worked on 2 paintings last week, one for my brother and one for my sister in law. This one is 12 x 16 acrylic soft body paints with gloss medium gel. "Colour explosion"  I also have 2 encaustic paintings in the works and I will post them as soon as they are completed. 

Here is a link with a great article on acrylic texture mediums http://www.art-is-fun.com/acrylic-texture-mediums.html

One of my good friends gave me  fusible web many years ago. Being the pack rat that I am, I held on to it for at least 20 years now not knowing what to do with it but knowing it had some value. Lo and behold I finally will be able to use it for something because I am not a sewer or quilter although I must admit that I would love to get into it but just not right now...who know's maybe when I retire....as if Source from  Cloth Paper Scissors newsletter regarding  Rebekah Meier slated for the March/April issue   Rebekah has developed a technique for fusing delicate papers onto the web and then layering on paint, stamping, and stenciling to create an interesting surface that's durable enough to stitch through. The double-sided nature of the fusible web allows you to merge the layers on one side and then remove the backing and fuse the piece onto another substrate. Here's the technique. You'll need double-sided fusible web, acrylic paint, lightweigh...