Sue's Blog - Some assembly required.

Whine, whine, whine.

Firstly I am going to have a quick moan about the heat.
I know, I know.....it seems like just the other day I was complaining about how bloody cold it was.
I am still going to though.
Too blooming hot.
I was going to venture out to the mall until I ventured out as far as the dustbin and nearly wilted.
95F - 100F heat indices.........whatever that means.
That is what the weatherman said and he wasn't joking.
I suspect it means ' Crikey where's my thong it is chuffing hot'.
I am going to try to find a ride home from work tomorrow as it will be a nightmare in the afternoon.
Walking to and from bus stops and waiting for buses is no fun in this heat.
It shouldn't be so bad in the morning, as I go early before the heat has really kicked in.
We shall see.
I am glad I shall not be going to the Ska, Reggae & Hip Hop band at River Rhythms now.
I doubt they will have much energy to hippity hop at all.

I have been trying out a couple of different frames.
I personally do not think a picture is finished until it is framed.  They look sort of naked without one.
Just my opinion.  I know some people think they are fine left unadorned, but I think they look a bit neglected.
Funny how a frame can change the feel of a painting though.

I actually like the dark one for this.

This one I think I prefer the gold one.  It looks sort of older and more in line with a dragon's treasure.

Just my thoughts.

I am currently working on another portrait, which is a surprise, so I won't say anything here until I have finished it.
I also have lots of different ideas in my head for paintings.  Philip bought me some water colours, water colour paper and water colour brushes recently.
That was so kind of him.
I have never tried water colour painting.  I know it isn't easy, as the colours are transparent and you have to work backwards.  That is - in oil & acrylics you work from dark to light.
Dark tones first, then mid tones and finishing in the lightest tones - highlights.
Water colour is the reverse.
Light tones first, progressing through all the mid tones until you reach the darkest - shadows.
I know this doesn't sound very terrible but I think it will prove to be quite the task.
I hope I don't make a complete pig's ear of it after Philip bought me the stuff.
Actually, I can't start yet as I forgot to get masking fluid.
You use this to block out (mask) areas you have already drawn in but don't want the paint to touch.
Then when it is all dry you go back, rub it off and paint the areas it masked.
Oh....this is already sounding tricky.

posted by Sue Banks @ 2:37 PM