The Palette - Stick Your Neck Out for Your Art

"We get used to a certain kind of color of form or format, and it's acceptable. And to puncture that is sticking your neck out a bit. And then pretty soon, that's very acceptable."  -- Lee Krasner

I am a Gemini.  I think I fit the bill pretty well with how horoscopes describe a Gemini. As a Twin, talents include design, interior decoration, arts and crafts, magic and illusion, and music. I certainly have two halves to my personality: I like to think of myself as artistic and then I am also pretty conservative and responsible - traits not typically associated with artists.  But I think it's a nice balance to have.

As a child I enjoyed drawing.  I would have a sketch pad and draw everything with pencils.  Venturing out to charcoal was a little much for me . . . I knew my pencils and liked them . . .why change?  When I got older, I decided I would paint.  I started with oils and yes, a few decades later, I still like oils.  Over the last few years I decided to stick my neck out a bit and try something new.  And I must admit, I am having fun experimenting with color and mediums.

It started when I realized I should try acrylics because clean up was faster and easier with little ones running around.  The color palette was different - more vibrant - and I realized I tended to paint differently with them.  Brighter, simpler compositions.  Partly it was my view of the colors I could produce, partly because I was more used to the slower drying process of oils.  I found a happy medium in the water soluble oils and have been using them for the last few years.  Recently I tried Alkyds which are fast drying oils and I think that will be the way I go for a while with my paintings.

Another new medium I have tried is water colors and water color pencils.  What a difference!  I was always intimidated by water colors because they didn't seem as forgiving as oils, but I find that you can create a much softer visual effect, and can be much more detailed in some sense because you can layout intricate detail of the work and follow it whereas oil you work in a layered, bolder fashion.

And if you want to keep to what you know and still try something new - change up your size work or method.  If you work small, go big, and vice versa. An artist that inspired me to try a small format is Debbie Shirley who has some very detailed unique and fun paintings in the 3x3 to 6x6 inch range. I tried a reduced size this weekend of 8x10 (attached photo) and really enjoyed it and just bought some 6x6 canvas' to give an even smaller format a try!  Also, if you work inside from photos - try en plein air painting to get different results. You will work faster and find you might have a more impressionistic style.

Challenge:  Try something different!  Approach your work from a new perspective.  Try a new medium.  If nothing else, it might change the way you look at colors and compositions based on the medium you plan to use.  You might even find you like it better than what you know already. Right now is a perfect time with back to school sales running - for example,  Dick Blick online is offering a great sale right now so you can try out a  new medium at a discounted price.  Experimenting with something new doesn't need to be scary . . . it is a fresh opportunity and adventure!