A Happy Marriage

December 15, 2014

Happy Marriage Acrylic 11"x14"

This week's composition was inspired by a gift mom and dad received many years ago in celebration of their marriage.  They are still trying to puzzle out the meaning of these two bears playing or fighting.  No matter the sculpture offers interesting forms and textures to challenge our artist. Cannon likes to work with blacks and browns, both can be challenging colors to keep lively.  The textures also offer a challenge.  Cannon touched the sculpture to see how the artist used 3D texture techniques to give the impression of fur. But it may have looked like fur but it definitely didn’t feel like fur.  Cannon felt the fur of a rabbit skin to get an idea of what thick, heavy, bear fur might  feel like.

When I arrived both Cannon and Avalon were eager to show me their decorated Christmas tree and other holiday decorations. This inspired us to do two paintings today.  One of the of the sculpture and one inspired by Christmas colors. We would switch back and forth between the two paintings letting each one dry between colors and techniques.

We started with the Christmas inspiration.  Cannon carefully directed me in the placement of each color and then using his favorite tool used the brayer to move the colors where he wanted them on the canvas.  The first layer was a combination of three different colors of green.  Then we set it aside to dry in front of the space heater.

Cannon then selected the colors for the bear sculpture inspiration – black, 2 browns, dark blue and a touch of red. Next Cannon experimented with a new textural method to give the impression of the fur on these black bears. The colors were placed on the canvas and the secret element was added and Cannon started painting with energy and enthusiasm. 

The secret ingredient worked well.

Back to the Christmas colors composition with a layer of two different red colors, some drying and then some more experiments with different tools for adding flecks of silver, gold and white. We tried a tooth brush, then a round brush and finally settled on the kitchen basting brush.  Then off for a final drying time.

 

We took a break and studied the Christmas painting while we enjoyed some special Italian holiday bread – panettone and a coffee for me.

 

Back to work!  Cannon added a few details to the “Bears” painting with a small brush.

All artists know it is important to know when to stop working on a painting and Cannon decided this one was done.

 

Back to the Christmas colors composition.  Cannon wanted to share this holiday composition with others so we divided it and created greeting cards each with an original Hoops canvas.  They will soon be on their way to friends and family. 

It was a busy day and there was lots of clean up to do – we found paint in the strangest places.

Check out the ear!

Cannon finished our session with a “selfie”. 

Shhh!  The secret ingredient - Kitty Litter.

December 7, 2014

Remembering Sky and Water

  

 

  Remembering Sky and Water Acrylic 11"x14"

Our inspiration this week came from a photograph taken on the recent Family Fall Holiday Cruise. First Cannon looked at watercolor paintings of Sky and Water by John Singer Sargent and Winslow Homer.  The he studied the photo from his cruise. 

 

 

When mom printed it out it was clear that the printer needed a new color cartridge but the misprint was also interesting so we decided to make two paintings, one of the true sky water colors and one of the distorted sky water colors.

 

 

 

 

Cannon started with the true or actual colors and picked out a range of blues and blue greens.  He guided the placement of blobs of color directly on the canvas and then used the small brayer to blend and move the colors over the canvas.

 

 



Coffee Break!

After some drying time he added more layers of color, then time out for a snack and more drying time.  We spent some time playing with the dictionary, finding some new and interesting words to ponder. The he took up the brush to add clouds and highlights bouncing off the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We followed the same process on the second painting of distorted colors created by the partially empty color printer cartridge.  This was a study in pinks.  Cannon painted the entire composition with the 2 inch brayer. Of the two it was the second, pink one, which Cannon selected as his favorite. 

 

 Which one is your favorite?

 

 

November 16, 2014

Mardi Gras - Fat Tuesday Acrylic 11"x14"

Feathers and Fungus

With winter setting in outside we need to look inside for our inspirations for compositions. This week we found something a little surprising - peacock feathers and fugus.  Cannon took a close look at both of them and we all had fun trying on the mask of feathers. Cannon chose the feathers for his composition.

Mom found images of peacocks on her computer then after a close examination of the feathers in different light sources and with the magnifyer Cannon was ready to select his colors.





For this composition Cannon is painting with the 2 inch printing brayer. We continue to explore the idea of painting in layers.  For the first layer we put the paint directly on the canvas. With the "model" close by Cannon decided which colors should be placed where on the canvas and then rolled the brayer through the paint letting it mix on the canvas.  He moved the brayer in different directions and by tilting it he created the "feathery" lines in the background letting the white of the canvas show through.

The first layer is rolled on - Cannon moves the roller in different directions picking up the colors and mixing them directly on the canvas.  The edge of the brayer creates the "etched" while lines.

Time to dry the first layer.








The next layers that represent the "eyes" of the peacock feathers are applied carefully with a single roll of the brayer over the paint "blob" on the canvas.  Cannon again directs the placement of each color and the direction of each "roll": This requires careful cleaning of the brayer between each color.  Letting the colors dry between layers requires lots of patience. 

Note: after the color is placed on the canvas, Cannon grasps the roller, I lightly support his forearm with my forearm as he moves the roller forward I lift his arm up at the end of the roll to help get the feather shaped effect.

 

Checking it out.

 

Yes, we are proud as peacocks!

 

 

 

November 9, 2014
 

Africa Mud and Clay Acrylic 11"x14"

African Mud and Clay
This weeks inspriation came from West Africa - Ghana.  Cannon examined two different kinds of textiles, one trationally woven Kente cloth the other mud cloth.
Kente cloth is woven in long stips just 4 inches wide on a simple loom.  The cloth is traditionally woven by men and the cotton thread is made and dyed in bright colors by women



"Kente cloth, known as nwentoma in Akan, is a type of silk and cotton fabric made of interwoven cloth strips and is native to the Akan ethnic group of South Ghana. Kente Cloth, the traditional garment worn by Akans and the Kingdom of Ashanti royalty."


Mud cloth is coarse cotton cloth that is dyed in patterns with different colors of earth/mud found in different locations in West Africa.  It gives full meaning to the term "earth tones". Cannon also looked at clay beads that are shaped and then baked in small wood fired kilns.  After taking a close look at both fabrics and the beads he chose the subjects for his painting.

Cannon takes a close look at the textiles and the beads before making his decision.  And the winner is ...Mud Cloth and Beads!

 

 

With the "model"in front of us, Cannon makes his color choices and we set up his pallet with the first layers of color.  Using the printing brayer Cannon fills the canvas with the ochre background color. 

 

 





Cannon begins to add the darker raw siena to represent the patters and markings on the cloth.

Layer after layer colors are added until the final touchs of white and dark blue are added.

 

Well done Cannon!

Something for mom's special day.

November 2, 2014

This week we had a real Mish Mash Splash day.  Cannon got the cover for the table from the newly organized supply closet and helped spread it out over the table. We set up the whitle board to make our list of activities for th day.  I opened my big bag of this and that and suddenly realized I had forgotten to bring the new canvas for Cannon to paint on.  So instead of a painting project we explored some of our old materials and some new.

First we got out the label maker and made some labels for our supply boxes. Cannon made a label of his name for his lunch box and made a label for Avalon too.

We made some new entries in Cannon's "passport".  We found images of stamps from each country he visited on his fall cruise.  We cut and pasted them in his book and noted the date he visited next to the stamp.

 Next we got out the measuring tape so Cannon could measure Avalon for an art apron just like his.  It wasn't easy but she finally held still long enough to get the three measurements we needed.

Then we made a paper pattern for the apron and traced around it onto the fabric.
We got out the electric scissors and Cannon cut out the apron with just a bit of help and a guiding hand.

We found all kinds of things in the closet, the "noodles" you can stick together with a little bit of water and the Squand, indoor modeling sand, and something new. It was a spin art set with all the equipment and supplies needed to experiment with this kinetic art technique.

Cannon helped with the assembly. He unscrewed the battery cover, inserted the four batteries and replaced the cover.

We mounted the blank paper onto the spinner turned it on and then dripped and dribbled colored inks onto the paper as it spun around and round.
It was fun to see the designs that were made by the centrifugal force of the spinner pulling the inks from the center out to the edges of the paper.

 

It was a good day. 

October 26, 2014



Cannon's impression of a wasp's nest.Acrylic 11"x14"



Engineering Insects

 

This wasp’s nest in the corner of my porch awning has been abandoned for a long time. 

 

It was time to bring it in for Cannon’s close scrutiny.  After noting the pattern of hexagons and the variations of gray, white and brown Cannon was ready to start painting. 

 

 

 

 

But first why not bake a wasp’s nest cake a little different from what real wasps build and tastier. It can be baking while Cannon is painting.

Chef Cannon read the recipe and mom helped gather all of the ingredients and equipment needed to engineer our cake nest. 

 Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) boxes cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups milk
• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1 (12 ounce) packages butterscotch chips

Directions

1. On the stovetop, mix pudding with milk and bring to a boil.
2. Dump in box of cake mix.
3. Stir and pour into a greased 9x13-inch pan.
4. Sprinkle on butterscotch morsels.
5. Bake in 350° oven for 30 minutes.
6. Let cool; serve.

*find the nutrition facts at the end of this blog entry.

Cannon used the wisk to combine the pudding mix and the milk.  He turned the on burner to just the right temperature and I started stirring it on the stove while Cannon set the oven temperature and timer.


Time to get back to that painting project.





 

 

A Wasp Nest Inspired Painting

 

Cannon examines the wasp nest and looks for paints that match the subtle grays and and whites, beiges and browns that he can see in the nest.

 

 

 

 Painting Without a Brush

After Cannon directs the placement of his colors directly on the canvas - each color is placed in three places that would form a triangle. 

 

 

 

 

 

Cannon uses the small printing brayer to roll the paint onto the canvas directing me to turn the canvas at intervals, until the colors blend and the canvas is covered.  The brayer has left some straight lines at different angles.

 

 

Time to let the canvas dry before adding the details.

 

 

 

 

 



The cake is cooling.
 

 

 

 

 Let's Carve the Pumpkin!
Cannon helped cut the top off of the pumpkin and then pulled huge hand-fulls of pumpkin "guts" out until it was as clean as we could get it.

Then it was time to draw the face and cut it out. Should it be scary, funny or silly. 

Yes, he opted for silly.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 More Painting
At last our first layer of paint is dry and now it is time to add some details.  Cannon used his brush to apply paint to a piece of small bubble wrap.  Then he laid the painted wrap paint side down and smoothed it onto the canvas with the large brayer.  When the wrap was pulled off it left behind a pattern of dots very much like the pattern of the wasp's nest.  He repeated this process several times until he was satisfied.

 

 

 


Cannon's impression of a wasp's nest.

 

 

 

Comparing our cake nest to the wasp's nest.
Yum! Time to eat!

 

 

 

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 (1438 g) = one whole cake

Servings Per Recipe: 1

Amount Per Serving% Daily Value Calories 4730.3 Calories from Fat 160033%

Amount Per Serving% Daily Value Total Fat 177.8g273%Saturated Fat 102.2g511%Cholesterol 78.8mg26%Sugars 522.4 sodium 4622.5mg192%Total Carbohydrate 739.3g246%Dietary Fiber 6.2g25%Sugars 522.4 g2089%Protein 46.8g93%