French - Expressive painting in mixed media

S ORAYA F RENCH

THE CROWOOD PRESS

S ORAYA F RENCH

First published in 2014

by The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2014

Soraya French 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 84797 799 1

Frontispiece: Pink Sensation

My sincere thanks and gratitude to Golden Artist Colors along with Sandy and Jason Mackie at Global Art Supplies for their continued support over many years. Special thanks to Patti Brady for organizing the supplies for this book. I would also like to extend my great appreciation and thanks to St Cuthberts Mill for their generous supply of Saunders Waterford paper over the last few years.

My deepest gratitude to my special daughter for her patient and meticulous help with photography, layout and text reviews, you are so clever and the most gentle and wonderful teacher, it was pure joy working with you.

I am so glad that I had the insight all those years ago as an eighteen-year-old to choose a husband with so much practical and technological knowhow. Your love and support throughout our life together has enabled me to follow my dream and for that there are no words to thank you enough.

This book is dedicated to Tim, Yasmin and Saasha.

The author in her studio.

If you are reading this book, the chances are that you are ready to take the challenge of delving into the exhilarating world of painting in mixed media. This genre of painting is by far the most liberating form of expression for artists. Each mediums individual characteristics bring something fresh to the table and broaden your artistic horizons with a myriad of possible techniques. You can set aside many of the anxieties associated with the limitations of working in a single medium and push the creative boundaries by the many different and exciting combinations. Incorporating gels, pastes and paper collage as well as a whole host of mark making materials widens the margin for experimentation and will help you create exciting visual and tactile textural effects in your paintings.

However, thinking creatively and the ability to process your creative ideas in a cohesive manner are just as important as your expertise in applying the materials and the elements and principles of design. I am hoping that this book will help you develop your understanding of a variety of possible painting techniques with mixed media, as well as address some of the behind-the-scenes psychological factors that go hand in hand with the technical aspects to help you create better paintings and, most importantly, increase your enjoyment of the process.

A word of advice: ensure that you take time to get to know the attributes of each medium so that you can make informed decisions about its contribution to your painting. This simple step will help you avoid producing paintings overladen with incompatible layers of discordant materials.

To get the most out of this book be prepared to step out of your comfort zone and start experimenting with some new and challenging ideas to help you progress with your painting.

The City Beyond detail.

French Irises(watercolour, acrylic inks, oil pastels and collage).

The craft aspect of painting deals with the ability to apply the materials in the most creative and dynamic way using all the elements and principles of design. However, in any creative pursuit, and painting is no exception, there are also psychological barriers that may get in the way of the artist achieving their full artistic potential. Sometimes these factors are caused by external influences such as lack of encouragement in childhood, or they can be due to internal limitations: setting ourselves unrealistic goals, having high expectations, aiming for perfection and above all, the fear of failure.

In this chapter, as well as exploring practical matters such as some of the essential equipment you need, we will also be looking at the ways in which you can gain confidence, by putting aside the fear of failure and building a positive, creative frame of mind. Learning the best way to format and compose your painting, being prepared to experiment without expecting a masterpiece at the end of each session and recognizing your level of ability to avoid disappointment these are just a few of the steps you can take to begin your journey. Discovering your sources of inspiration will help you find your ideal subject matter and keep you motivated so that you make time for your painting.

Learning to paint is no different from learning to play a musical instrument; it needs time, effort, patience and plenty of practice. Taking things one step at a time and setting realistic and achievable goals will help you progress so much more in the long run. Painting in mixed media offers you the freedom of experimenting and applying the materials in any sequence until you find your own natural rhythm.

Purple Rain(acrylic, collage and aquarelle pencils).

I am often asked by my students if I have a clear idea of the image I wish to achieve before I start a painting. The answer to that is both yes and no. As is the case in many aspects of painting there is not a clear-cut answer or solution. But the best way I can describe my personal approach is that I usually have a subject in mind but mostly I paint my reaction to a scene rather than what I actually see. I try to visualize the end result loosely while keeping an open mind and let the painting take its natural course and guide me along the way. In other words I find that by being too strict with my ideas I may lose the magic and the spontaneity. Laboured and forced brush marks applied through desperation and boredom can do no end of harm to the finished result, and on balance I am happier with a lively image even though it may not be exactly what I had in mind in the first place. Once in a while, however, one can get rewarded when not only does the visualized image come to fruition but the process is organic, enjoyable and fun. Inevitably there are some failures along the way; they are not only great teachers but make the successes taste even sweeter. Accepting the unpredictable nature of painting in a loose and free style is a step towards getting tougher in the face of the inevitable failures and celebrating the successes.