I thought you might like to see the two versions.... Its a bit like the game 'spot the differences' for although they are both pretty much the same there will always be small changes that make each painting unique. Both are varnished with liquitex satin varnish. I just love the effect it has on the painting as it really seems to enhance the texture of the paper and give the painting a rich glow. The colours are not acurate in these photos but they do give you an idea of the effect the satin varnish creates and the overall effect of the gallery wrap.
The first painting I have left as a bare gallery wrap. I've simply then added two D rings to the two sides and attached some wire to them.
The second I have put in a floater frame. The canvas then sits inside this frame with the sides still partially visible.
I have my next two paintings already drawn on the watercolour paper and stretched onto boards ready to paint. Hopefully I'll feel up to beginning one of them this week.
Ona
I can't wait for the DVD to come out Ona..... Both paintings look the same to me! That shows how good your instructions are.
ReplyDeleteI love the effect of the floater frame. Where do you get them from? Is it custom made or can you buy them ready made? Liz
ReplyDeleteThank you Pene. Its going to take me a couple months to sort through and compile everything. My goal is to get it finished by the end of August. The true test will come when someone else tries to create one :)
ReplyDeleteLiz, this frame was custom made. Most framers will stock floater frame styles and its much cheaper than matting and framing under glass or plexi. You can buy ready made floaters, usually in black or birch for standard sizes.
Ona
I thought it interesting that a recent demonstrator at one of the clubs I attend suggested that varnishing watercolours (in my case, when mounting onto wood panels)altered the state of the painting turning it into a mixed media work. Very odd when you consider that oil paintings are varnished as are most acrylics. I wonder how prevalent this idea is. Conservative clubs, such as TWS, won't allow this method - they have a fixation on glass even for acrylics, which is the primary drawback in the minds of many potential purchasers of our work. I am glad that Bayview Watercolour Society does allow it.
ReplyDeleteWhile I like the wood panel method, I reckon using stretchers and/or prepared canvas on stretchers (cheapo sets readily available) is simpler and looks great, especially in floater frames.
I use Golden spray archival varnish as a first coat and then follow with brush on polymer varnish with UVLS protection. Overkill probably.
yes Tony, a varnished watercolour technically becomes a mixed media because we use acrylic varnish even though the actual painting is 100% watercolour. Even in BWS you would have to enter a varnished watercolour as mixed media. I will be making sure that the labels let people know that it is a varnished watercolour though. Larger watercolour societies at the moment do not accept it. TWS is not on its own here. I will be pushing for them to consider it over the next couple of years though. After all, as you say many of the general public are put off by the 'under glass look' I personally love it but I want watercolour to be seen as a more versitile medium that can be painted to suit both the style of what we paint and the clients wishes. maybe I should be writing to or contacting Dick Blick or Curry's or Dan Smith and getting them to market a watercoloour fixative and varnish :)
ReplyDelete