Ooph! Because, all of the burnishing…

art, colored pencil, drawing, recycled wood

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The burnishing process with coloured pencils…can be, well, tedious and hard on the old hands. Like any artist worth their salt, I have art-calluses on my hands and fingers; and burnishing ALWAYS contributes to said calluses.

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But the final effect is worth any subsequent pain; the depth of colour and the seamless movement between highlights and shadows isn’t comparable; and so…I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can.
#fml

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Right-brain drawing;

art, drawing

So I’ve been studying how you can manipulate your right-brain processes, thru vigorous training. Focusing on your right-brain helps to develop your fundamental skills: line, space, perspective, proportion, light, shadows & values, and of course the Gestalt.

You have to paint what you SEE, not what you think (read: deluded…) know!
It is desperately horrid. You have to keep your gaze on your subject matter for as long as humanely possible; with barely a glance given to the paper with your actual drawing upon it!
It’s quite a difficult feat; it’s,  dare I say,  even a touch painful…

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It’s quite a weird experience; as an artist I tend to beautify my subject matter; however, when you’re drawing with your right-brain, it isn’t stemming from the traditionally creative part of the grey matter…and so, you draw, and hone the technical elements of your artistic
skill-set.

…and that’s way I am, now, the proud owner of a wonderfully hideous self-portrait. Yay me!

Your rubbish…my treasure;

DIY, recycled products

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Roadside rubbish for the win!!! Found a frame for a cute little table (minus the tabletop…), on the side of the road.

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So, being an artist, I got all arty and came up with this little idea; books all jigsawsed and butted up together; to create the flat table-top I measured the height (thickness) of the  fattest book (6.4cm), whilst lying on its’ side…this will be the height of all the books, creating the flat surface required for a functional table…I then measured the height of all the other books; whether they’re laying flat, or standing on their side.

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If the measurement was over 6.4 I subtracted 6.4 from the highest number; if the number was lower, I subtracted the measurement from 6.4. The corresponding answers were the directions for attaining the flat surface. Subtracting from a higher number = cutting the amount from the bottom of the book. Subtracting from a lower number = elevating the book, by the number attained, to the 6.4cm height. Some of the books required a substantial chunk removed, leaving a large enough piece, that it could be used as a subverted book piece.
Lovely. Nothing like being able to use all the parts, of the already recycled resource.

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Once the enormous amount of trial and error, Nope…okay, I’ll be honest, the complete fuck-ups, cock-ups and bloody insurmountable amount of blunders…were conquered, or at least hidden well; I now have to seal everything, twice, or the porous books will absorb the resin. This will not only stain and warp the books, but it will require a lot more resin to complete the project! I will seal it with MODGE PODGE…wish me luck! I’ll post the finished piece.