Thursday, August 5, 2010



White Shore 9

Mixed media on paper, 6" x 6"
$125 plus $6 shipping in U.S.



To pay by check or make other payment arrangements, email don@dailyartwest.com


Sometimes the best thing you can do is ruin a painting. Why? Because the pressure's off. The work is already toast, why not mess around with it a little more and experiment--maybe try an approach or technique you haven't tried before?

This painting began as a watercolor on heavyweight Fabriano paper. I wasn't happy with it, so I sprayed it heavily with fixative to isolate the paper surface, then overpainted with oil. The watercolor acts as an underpainting and the oil allows a range of subtle color and value that better captures the beautiful porcelain-like quality of the shell. I'm much happier with it now. I just hope nobody heard the cussing earlier.

14 comments:

Ruth Andre said...

I love this one. Thanks for sharing the work in progress story. Beautiful.

Don Gray said...

Hi Ruth--thank you.

RUDHI RĂ¼scher said...

Looks so wet also, important to a shell... And nice experiment describing for technique! (Did you see my cherries?)

Donald Diddams said...

Really lovely how you put that shine on the shell. Using watercolor as sort of an underpainting might be something to work with?

Suzanne McDermott said...

Nice, Don. You really nailed that creamy, smooth reflective surface with little fuss. Hope you're well!

SamArtDog said...

I love the palette and the transparency. Necessity is the mother of invention is the father of cleverness.

Don Gray said...

Thanks, RUDHI. Yes, I found your cherries--nice!

Don Gray said...

Thanks for the visit and comment, Donald. Yes, I'll probably experiment with that technique some more.

I really like your work.

Don Gray said...

Thanks, Suzanne--great to hear from you.

Don Gray said...

Thanks, Sam. It feels good when once in awhile I pull a painting back from certain death.

Dean Grey said...

Very cool, Don, that you were not only able to make this painting work but combine two very unmixable mediums too!

-Dean

Don Gray said...

I appreciate that, Dean.

Leslie Sealey said...

I love the colors in this one, and the highlights are the perfect touch! There's no sign of a struggle in the finished piece. : )

Don Gray said...

Glad you like it, Leslie--thanks for your insights. Your recent works are really intriguing.