Tag Archives: art tips

Art tip of the week- Gesso…

My Art Tip of the Week

What is and why would you use Gesso ?

Gesso is an acrylic undercoat / primer and comes in  White or Black

Using Gesso – gives a ground to your surface, thus allowing a layer between the paint and substrate surface. ( which means you ultimately use less paint)

- Gesso is Very Opaque so covers up painting errors very well.

-Gesso needs to be used on any Wooden Board before painting and acts as a undercoat which protects the boards surface from any dampness that could be effected from applying straight paint.

Art Workshops Coming Soon !

I can’t believe how fast 2011 has gone by, especially down here in Christchurch!  I must admit it has been a year I really would not want to repeat in a hurray!!

2012 will be hear before we know it!   I am  currently busy preparing next years Art Workshop and Classes !

Because of the Earthquakes this year the venue I was hiring has been used by Civil Defence and the Council while their buildings have been repaired.

So it looks like as from March 2012 this venue will be back in action. Yay!!  So I am busy working preparing some up coming Art Workshops!

Workshops will be held on Saturdays, there will be a minimum and maximum number of places in these workshops and bookings will  be essential.

Just to give you a little heads up on what some of the up coming workshops will be on ….

Exploring Colour and Colour Mixing- Looking at the different pigments Organic vs In-Organic, Metalic and Reflective Pigments, including Interference Colours

Types of Acrylic Paint – Fluid, Air Brush, Heavy Body and Open Acrylic

Mediums -  (Gel) Creating Texture using a wide variety of  Gel Mediums

Mediums – (Paste) Creating Texture using a wide variety of Pastes

Transfers – We will look at different techniques for transfering images into artworks.

Skins – Explore what acrylic skins are and what you can do with them, including looking at digital transfers onto skins.

Collage- Mixed media collage

Substractive techniques -  engraving, Layering, sanding back acrylic surfaces and using different ways to work back into your artworks giving great layering effects.

Pours- Using different Mediums

Acrylic Ancaustic

Drawing, and resists with acrylic

Drawing Surfaces and what to use on your artworks to allow you to draw,  Grounds, Additives

Working with Open Acrylics

Learning different Painting Techniques

Preparing your canvas to paint- supports, priming surfaces, and looking at different tools you can work with to create effects.

Acrylic Painting – using mixed media

Abstracts – using mixed media

Landscapes – using mixed media

Planning Artworks and looking at Perspective

Remember to check out my blog- A Creative Journey…

Just to remind you if you are interested in seeing how I do my artworks and going behind my creative mind remember to pop on over to my “A Creative Journey… ” Blog

http://donnasteelsblog.wordpress.com/