The Painting Process
Whenever I begin a painting, I usually have some kind of pictorial reference to start from, such as a photograph that I have taken or a sketch. The next stage, is to execute the underpainting, which essentially means painting a base layer of colour onto the canvas.
Painting a picture can take me many sessions. I like my paintings to have a certain realism about them - especially my marine, landscapes and architectural pictures. My paintings usually have several layers applied to them before I am ready to add the final detail; and that is why I prefer to paint using acrylic or oil paints: as these paints, when dry, lock permanently, layer upon layer.
Once a painting has been completed, I allow it to dry for about two to three weeks (in the case of an acrylic) before preparing it for varnishing, which is the final part of the process. However, if I am using fast-drying alkyd oil paints, then I have to wait at least three months before I can varnish the painting. With traditional oils, it can take six months or longer before the painting is completely dry. Once varnished, my paintings are then ready to be professionally framed.
Information about acrylic paints:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylic_paint
Art Materials
Below is a list of the art materials and equipment I have used.
Easel
Loxley Essex Studio Easel
Winsor & Newton Arun Easel
Canvas
Winsor & Newton Fine Detail cotton canvas 14" x 10" (sized and double primed)
Reeves Artists' Gallery deep edge panoramic canvas 32" x 12" / 16" x 12" (sized and triple primed)
Loxley standard stretched canvas 36" x 24" / 20" x 8" / 24" x 12" (sized and triple primed)
Canvas boards
Winsor & Newton Artists' canvas boards (sized and primed)
Loxley canvas boards (sized and primed)
Paints
Winsor & Newton Griffin Alkyd oil paints (fast drying oils in 37ml tubes).
Winsor & Newton Artists' acrylic paints (60ml tubes).
Liquitex soft body acrylic paints (59ml tubes).
Liquitex heavy body acrylic paints (59ml tubes).
New Masters by Old Holland acrylic paints.
Mediums
Liquin (used with oil paints)
Liquitex slow-drying blending fluid medium (used with acrylic paints)
Liquitex Iridescent Tinting Medium (for acrylic paintings)
Solvents
Winsor & Newton Sansodor (low odour solvent in 250ml bottle)
West mixing metal pots (for storing solvent and Liquin medium)
Brushes
Pro Arte White Nylon Polar (sizes 1, 3/8, 4, 6)
Pro Arte Series B Hog Long Flat (size 12)
Pro Arte Series B Hog Long Flat (size 2)
Pro Arte Series B Hog Round (size 1)
Pro Arte Sterling 201 Oil/Acrylic Round (size 0)
Acrylix Series 202 Round (size 0)
Acrylix Series 202 Round (size 00)
Acrylix Series 202 Round (size 000)
Acrylix Series 201 Round (size 0)
Winsor & Newton Monarch Fan (size 1)
Winsor & Newton Monarch Filbert (size 14)
Winsor & Newton Winton Round Fine Hog (size 4)
Winsor & Newton Winton Round Fine Hog (size 2)
Monarch Glazing brush 1" (for varnishing) x2
Varnishes
Galeria Matt removable varnish 500ml plastic bottle (for acrylic paintings)
Galeria Gloss removable varnish 500ml plastic bottle (for acrylic paintings)
Winsor & Newton Artists' Matt removable varnish 250ml bottle (for oil paintings)
Palette
Perspex type
Other materials
Masking tape (12mm wide)
Pencils
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