Feathers and Florals
I finally had the opportunity to test my scratchboard inks. Small feathers are a perfect test subject. Using the inks was surprisingly easy, however, mixing them to create the colors I needed was challenging. I would compare it more to watercolor but that is not a medium I am very familiar with. I still have a lot more experimenting and testing to do before I am ready to do something as involved as a pet portrait in color, but in the future it will take my scratchboards to a whole new level. I love how much layering it involves and that you can continue to scratch to add white back in.
We had a few days in the 70's and now we are back to freezing temps. I really don't like the cold, AT ALL. So I will continue to dream of the upcoming warmer days and fresh blooms that will fill my yard. I knew I wanted to paint some flowers but I wanted to them be more impressionistic and abstract than the previous florals I have done. I tend to get super caught up in the details and making something look just right and I wanted to avoid that. I came up with the perfect experiment. For those who don't know I am extremely far sided (my prescription is a +7.00) so needless to say without my glasses I can't see crap! This had me thinking about how my husband can't comprehend what it is like to see without perfect eyesight. I decided I was going to paint a bunch of flowers, but I was going to do it with my naturally terrible vision. Focusing on details wouldn't be an option since without glasses I can't see them to begin with. It was the perfect solution, and it would let everyone see through my eyes. I did put the paint I was going to use on my palette before I removed my glasses, otherwise I wouldn't be able to read what color I was choosing. All of my color mixing and painting was done without glasses.
To paint without perfect vision was a completely bizarre yet liberating feeling. I was forced to only see light and color through a very blurred world. I think the finished product turned out imperfectly beautiful. If I created it with 20/20 vision it would not have turned out as loose and free. The most interesting part of my entire 'experiment' was that I was able to unveil my work to myself. When I finally felt my painting was complete I put my glasses back on and was able to watch my creation come into focus and transform. My husband was not a fan, so when I shared the painting on social media I was blown away by the amount of positive feedback I received. I loved the process and freedom it allowed me so stay tuned for some more "Farsided Florals'. They may be the perfect thing for my spring shows this year. Plus I know a few of you have requested I explore this more.