A Waterfall Study, Acrylics On Paper
I have been using Golden Paints’ Open Acrylics line of paints now for a while, and because of the extended working, or “open” time of the product, I thought I would try them on paper in a watercolor style. The finished piece is a nice little interpretation of Niagara Falls.
"Niagara", 2009, by David Jay Spyker - 5.5 x 8.5 inches - Acrylic Wash, Minor Drybrushing, and Paint on 100% Cotton Cold Press Watercolor Paper
The bulk of the painting was done on slightly damp to wet paper, but included some minor drybrushing, and some basic acrylic paint layering (particularly with whites and cobalt-tinted whites to achieve a misty look, and to bring back some highlights).
To thin the paints I used a mixture of distilled water, and Golden’s Open Liquid Acrylic Medium. The watercolor paper absorbed the paints very well, but I could tell toward the end that the pores in the paper were starting to get full of acrylics. Also, once fully dry, the paints will not become resoluble, so there is no going back in to blend colors later.
While not traditional watercolors, I think the acrylics performed very well in this application, and I may work on more acrylic washes on paper.
28th Michigan Artists Competiton at the Art Center of Battle Creek
My recent painting, “The Journey” will be displayed at this year’s Michigan Artists Competition at the Art Center of Battle Creek.
"The Journey", 2009, by David Jay Spyker, Acrylics on Canvas, 24 x 36 in.
Should you wish to attend, the group exhibition opens with a reception on October 4 from 2-4 p.m., and remains open to the public through October 24.
For directions and contact information, please visit the Art Center’s website here: www.artcenterofbattlecreek.org
The Acrylic Painters’ Forum
A forum for and about representational painters working in acrylics.
When I first began painting with acrylics, there were no local teachers instructing students about the finer points and advanced techniques of the medium. The medium is young when compared to oils, and has undergone significant changes and improvements in just the last decade. Even now, the number of advanced acrylic painting instructors is small, and the medium’s potential is still being explored and developed by both the artists and the acrylics manufacturers.
I learned to work with acrylics by experimentation, and by reading every book I could find on the subject. In the beginning, I tried many different brands of paint, until I finally discovered artists’ acrylics made by Golden Paints. More than a decade ago, Golden was there with detailed technical advice in the form of product data sheets, color indices, and such. There were times I spoke with the head of their laboratory over the phone; Mark Golden even answered the phone once, and I spoke with him for a while.
Teaching oneself to paint, while rewarding, can be an arduous journey. I would like the discussions in this forum to provide the same level of support and assistance to acrylic painters that Golden has always supplied to artists – to make the journey a little less arduous. I hope this forum will provide a place where representational painters working in acrylics can share techniques and ideas, and develop a sense of community. Together, we can lift each others’ art to greater levels of mastery.
I invite representational painters working in acrylics, and anyone interested in the style and medium, the art, and the artists to join the forum at http://www.acrylicsforum.davidjayspyker.com/.
The acrylics forum has since been closed: http://www.acrossthewaters.davidjayspyker.com/2007/11/23/the-acrylics-forum-is-closed/