Monotype and mixed media: Winter Snow

January Snow. Vivien Blackburn

A painting that started out as a monoprint demo and ended as a mixed media piece. About 10/11 inches tall.

The monoprint was done using oil paint on acetate, printed onto paper wet with turps. I then worked into it with a colour shaper and a brush, using more oil paint and then a graphite stick to draw through the wet paint. The graphite stick worked beautifully on the turpsy surface, gliding across it and making intense oily marks.

Comments

Robyn Sinclair said…
Fascinating process, Vivien. Of course I'm going to have to try it now.

I love your monotype (plus), the way you've kept your whites so clear and crisp and the gorgeous pattern of branches and twigs.
9:34 am
vivien said…
thanks Robyn - it's actually printed on a pale greyish paper - the whites are put in with a soft nylon square cut brush in one stroke with oil paint, leaving some of the paper as a soft colour that recurs throughout.

I like negative painting for trees and intricate shapes, it helps not to get too much of a hard edged result.
1:53 pm
Robyn Sinclair said…
Now you've explained, I can see how you've applied the whites. Still beautiful. :)
2:07 pm
annie said…
So THAT's how you did it,Vivien.Before I read these comments, I clicked to enlarge the picture because I was interested in the snow-like softness you were getting out of your white and was trying to figure out how you worked that with the white paper. It really is effective and so very lovely.
annie
3:13 pm
vivien said…
you couldn't tell on the photo Robyn so you wouldn't have been able to see - that's why I thought I'd better show the close ups :>)

I look forward to seeing your experiments :>)

Thanks Annie :>)
8:26 pm
Pam Johnson Brickell said…
I sooo love the textures and colors in this piece!
10:08 pm
Jeanette Jobson said…
I really like this Vivien. I love the browns coming through and the patterning of branches.

Its very effective.
12:18 pm
vivien said…
Thanks Pam and Jeanette - I love the tracery of branches to work with - I really like winter trees.
8:34 pm
Lindsay said…
Vivien this is so lovely. You are so generous sharing your process. I'm inspired!
4:09 pm
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