Friday, February 22, 2013

Catching up!

I finally got my red acrylic paint to make my colour wheel for the Basics class that Balzer Designs offers. As I pursue my own way I have felt to get better grounded in the basics and this 12 month selection of various techniques sounded like a good start.  Getting Started!

Lesson one is about colour mixing.


Now I had actually given up on finding the Liquitex Basics primary red. So I bought the 3 primaries from Grumbacher's Academy Acrylics which the art store carried.  And of course, soon as I purchased them I found the missing tube at the next store!  :(   So I colour mixed both brands. :)  If some look similar to their neighbours it is probably because I don't have equal amounts of the necessary ingredients. First thing I leaned is I am not necessarily precise.  lol  But I am really leaning this colour wheel and I'm okay with 'close enough'!


This was loads of fun.  I had 12 different blues and I mixed them with a primary yellow.  Very cool!


The extra paints were all smeared into my journal for future development.

Then just as I was congratulating myself on finishing I clicked a little word- next!  :O


Tints, Tones, Shades


This was most enlightening.  I understood the principle but actually doing it was very worth while!


Neutrals!  Again, enlightening.  After finally getting it through my head that opposites make mud- don't do it! I made mud.  I didn't have time to mix my secondary colours so I decided to try my gouache colours. It turns out that opposites with lots of white make a whole range of browns that would be skin tones!  :O Now I can't imagine doing skins but...  My first try was not a brown but a grey. Blue red and blue green and that made grey.  So I found something else in the set.


Then the Duh!  Colour mixing works with things other than acrylics.  I knew that but now I KNOW that!  lol.  I had already diluted my spray inks but hadn't made the next step to making my own mixes.  Luv it!  I also learned it is best to buy good products.  Michael's pan pastels are so hard they don't hardly work.  :(  So I'll save my coupons for stamps, punches and fun foam.  I joined the Artist's Emporium in Winnipeg and I get a discount on everything and they will mail me stuff if I ever give up going to the city!  lol  They are very helpful, too!  No question too dumb!  Ask me how I know!


Now this is as things piled up on Tuesday.  Hopefully we have peaked and the piles will begin to subside soon.

I'll be back sometime next Tuesday; hopefully faster and well rested!  Me and the 'puter!

Can anyone sniff spring yet?

6 comments:

HollyM said...

All those basics classes of hers looked really good. You're enjoying yourself!
How was your retreat? Do you drive there? Not sure how far away you are.

Createology said...

You had me at 12 shades of blues. Your color pages are fun and great learning experiences. Glad you are taking the journey of colors...

Margaret Applin said...

Elle, I love all the color blending!!! I need to do that myself! Kudos to you!!!!!

Jo Vandermey said...

What a great way to get to understand colour! By doing... lol I try to take the short cut just by reading.
The practice will be so valuable to you.And it looks like it would be fun.
The more I go on my art journey the less I know... sounds like life. Oh to be 20 and invincible again.

It will be great (and inspiring) to follow your journey. Oh how I wish you were right around the corner.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I'm frantically trying to catch up on your blog. I can't believe how long it's been since I've been able to get onto my own blog, much less Blogger.

Your class looks interesting. I think this must be a fun class and I look forward to seeing what you learned in the next one.

I think what impresses me most are all the art tools and products you have been able to purchase. Truly amazing and awesome. You can't help but make great art when you can buy good products.

Mary Ann Tate said...

That looks like a very interesting idea...I really need to something like that myself.

I love the last picture...that blue of the snow against the blue of the sky...nice:)