Artwork by Liz Walker
  • Home
  • About Liz
  • Exhibits & News
  • Classes/Workshops
  • Paintings
    • Selected Available Works
    • Acrylic/Collage Paintings >
      • Acrylic Landscapes
    • Marbled Acrylic Paintings
    • Suminagashi Marbled Paintings
    • Watercolors
    • Small Works
    • Giclee Prints
  • LizArt Blog
  • Contact/Ordering
  • Greeting Cards
  • Links

How to Reinvent/Reimagine a Painting

6/7/2021

4 Comments

 
For me, painting is all about the art of the possible--what *COULD* be. It's up to the artist to coax out shapes, colors, form using the materials at hand (paint, collage papers, etc) to produce a visually exciting painting (or at least that's the goal).

I used to begin a painting on a blank, white piece of watercolor paper, but when I switched to acrylic painting and acrylic marbling in 2007, I often found it easier to start with blobs of amorphous color and create a painting that had several layers of color peeking through. This method creates depth, mystery, and a bit of happenstance---I don't know what my finished painting is going to look like, but that's part of the excitement. I feel driven, energized, and compelled to keep going as I respond to what is happening on the paper. Some of my best paintings have arisen out of this process because I just LET GO of the outcome and concentrate on PAINTING.

When I marble papers that have been previously painted (in watercolor or acrylic), I layer new colors and patterns over old color. I often start with the back of a watercolor "test" page (blobs or marks of color are on the paper in a random fashion). Several of my artist friends have given me their old "junk" paintings to marble in exchange for one of my finished paintings. I sometimes wipe off some of the watercolor paint with a sponge before preparing the paper for the marbling tray. My aim is to marble in a way that obscures most of the original image, but still gives me a few little random shapes to deal with when I set about to finish the painting.

I've included two examples of this process--one is a finished landscape by artist Alisha Whitman, which I marbled, cropped, and over-painted, turning it into vase of greenery. The other started as a watercolor "test" paper from artist Leslie Dugas (which I turned into a figure). This is one of my favorite ways to paint on my marbled papers and turn old subject matter into something completely different. Obviously, I don't enter these "collaborative" pieces into juried shows (whose rules insist on the work being done by one artist), but these experimental paintings push me to innovate and improvise--what more could an artist ask for?

Marbling Make-over: "Green Abundance #1" (from Alisha Whitman's watercolor)

Marbling Makeover: "Frozen" (from Leslie Dugas' watercolor)

4 Comments
Carles (Chhuhck) Simmons
6/7/2021 11:05:39 am

Wow i appreciate how generous you are in sharing your process, your thoughts, and your works. Although this is not my style (at least for now on my atistic fourney) I still love what you produce and the stories your pieces tell and emotions they evoke through form and color. We are "FB" friends and hope we will meet at some local event in the near future. also an art buddy in progress-Chuck

Reply
Liz
6/8/2021 07:51:09 am

Thanks for your comment, Chuck. I'm happy to share what I know because I think as artists we all benefit from spreading our knowledge far and wide.

Reply
Jo Reimer link
6/8/2021 09:07:27 am

Good job of explaining the process. I respect you so much for your generosity in sharing your process and thoughts.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
2/22/2023 03:18:39 am

I agreed when you stated that painting is up to the artist to coax out the piece. My friend wants to collect more art pieces. I should advise her to look for an arts and crafts store that offers impressive works.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Artist Liz Walker

    I'm a painter/art instructor who lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

    Archives

    November 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    November 2019
    August 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    September 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    September 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    August 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    August 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    December 2013
    September 2013
    June 2013
    March 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    March 2012

    Categories

    All
    Acrylic Painting
    Remodeling
    Teaching
    Watercolor Painting

    RSS Feed

All images and text copyright 2012-2023  by Liz Walker
Site Last Updated: 3/21/2023