News From the Artist: (June 2006 Issue)
FAQs - Frequently Asked Art Questions
Artists never fail to fascinate other mere mortals. However, few realize
that artists can be born but not necessarily made!
All it takes is technique, which can be taught. Then a thinking brain
completes the art product. A brilliant artist once remarked: So-and-so
is so skilled at painting and drawing; he needs to have his hands cut
off so he can USE his brain.
Q: I want to try acylics but found that these dry fast. I can't work them like oil.
A: A retarding medium can be used which delays drying time. It can be worked out like painting with oil. Some artists start with acrylic and finish with oil, for ease of transporting paintings done out of studio.
Q. Is it okay then to use acrylic to finish
or alter an oil work?
A: No. Oils can mix with water-based acrylics, as long as the oil is used OVER the dry acrylic painting. Some mixed media artists do not follow norms for materials, but then that is an artist's choice, to present their concept.
Have an Art Question? E-mail the artist. (The artist reserves the right to publish all Qs received)
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A student of mine once asked me: Where do you get your ideas to paint? You don't seem to ever run out of topics!
Creativity can be elusive and mysterious. This involves an intricate blending of ideas, imagination, experimentation and other factors, which can be very fleeting. Hence I believe it paramount to establish a foothold by developing a concept. This concept then becomes the springboard for an artistic creation.
From concept, I move on to connecting the fragments of ideas and imagination. Colors, shapes, gestures, other art materials come to fore when utilized to convert this idea into a visual image. Careful experimentation can produce some unexpected surprises. When combined with the proper techniques, all these fragments of creating come together to form a cohesive whole.