p a i n t i n g

Hi :o)  

So the last time we were together, I was about to start painting again.  And I did.  But it had been so long, about six months and a move, I didn't realize that I didn't have all of my materials unpacked. Well, maybe they're unpacked but they're in a location unknown lol.  I have the basics...some oil (walnut), my brush kit and (most of) my paint.  But what's funny about my paint is that white and black weren't in there.  I mean, not so bad, but eventually I'm going to be needing those things lol.  

So I started to search and rummage throughout the apartment.Fortunately, I was able to score my white, it was in the drawer of my French easel.  Now all i need to do is find black.  But it's not bad because it's way easier to get by without black than without white.  You can just mud up something to darkness, but how do you make the light? Set fire to it? Never mind.  

Anyways...lol, just my bizarre sense of humor there.  

Painting in a new place is always interesting.  You get in there and figure out what's going to go where, what's not going to fit, what's ok to get dirty that's nearby and what's not.  These things are mainly factors in home, makeshift studios.  When you have your own place to paint, nothing really matters.  Your clothes are there, change into them, and when they get worked it doesn't really matter unless it's some sort cross-contamination to your outdoor gear.  But there aren't computers and home-stuffs that can just transfer not-drying-for-a-really-long-time paint all over the place.  

It's pretty good at my place, except for ventilation.But that's a a problem almost anywhere besides somewhere pretty airy.  Here, we don't open windows, and the place is relatively small. So to me, it's intense.  I guess I measure the intensity by level of smell I smell vs the amount of smell that could exist (or not) in a place that has great ventilation.  So, it is what it is.  

Another challenge I'm having, and pretty much will always have at home are pet fur and dust.  Houses are dusty compared to studios. Even if you keep it clean, the nature of the place just is dirty, I think this is mainly because houses are lived in.  All of that human filth just becomes part of the atmosphere.  Along with pet stuff.  Part of the territory.  I'm trying out places to store works in progress. Right now, my place of choice in on the top of a pretty tall bookshelf. Stay tuned on that whole...situation~

Painting Again, Opening Thoughts & Starter Info

and yes i am!  i am painting again!  well, not NOW, but i'm definitely in preparations.  did i mention that i finished Modern Warfare II's campaign last night?  felt pretty good.  

anyways.  so, i've been thinking. what could my meal ticket be?  hmm...prostitution?  noooo!  painting???  maybe.  haha!  just kidding, sorry...just my off sense of humor...it's very off.  but funny!  to me...lol

so, i've just been thinking in general that i needed to start painting again.  it's something that i'm happy that i can do, and i figured that i was abusing that privilege and not really trying to reach my potential by not doing it.  like anything and everything else, but i'll just keep on about painting.  

so, i figured i ought to be in practice.  i always didn't paint because i didn't want to have anything less than awesome be my final project.  but now i've overcome that fear.

so...sosososo, i've been climbing up the ladder, making preparations, getting things together.  here's a link to my new artist's nest:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw0LGWy6Ygs&list=UUjj-hhYZ010ICDXEFzhyT5w&index=1

so i've been reassessing the things i have...my brushes, my solvents, gessos, and especially paints.  i did a lot of research about what paints and brands were best for beginners.  i'm not a beginner, but i had also never tried to go for a 'logical' palette.  and i mean a palette that had logic...for example...

what i learned for the ultra-beginner, or ultra-low budget, was to only have black, white, and a warm and cool of each primary.  

then i learned that what i was using all time had been student paints.  i got rid of half my paints bout 3 years ago, so maybe more of them were pro, but about 75-80% of what i had was student. 

and i was ok with student.  but i wanted to see what more pro paints would be like.  so i combined what i had, with what my research yielded and went to michael's arts and crafts because i had and they give awesome 40-50% off coupons.  

i know that michael's isn't the rolls royce of the finest artist supplies, but they have pro colors, two brands of them.  and that all worked for me.  

later i'll have a swatch canvas of everything i have.  i saw another artist's site as i was doing my research, and it was really useful.  i'll also go into my conclusions about how i was going to buy what i bought in that article too.  

i also learned more about toxicity during my purchases.  i purchased some things, THEN saw that they contained lead.  i know about lead, and i have a baby, so all that wasn't happening.  but then i learned about other toxic ingredients.  i researched them, and a LOT of people, most in fact, take these toxicities lightly.  like lead, etc...and i probably would too if my painting professor in college didn't get cancer from her oils.  skin cancer.  too much contact over too many years.  downplay it if you want, but ALL carcinogens are real.  and combine enough in your body, it's no good.  

so i returned two of my paints that had lead in them.  others i initially avoided because i already knew, but the ones that i saw on the tube after the payment i took back.  unbleached titanium, which i was really disappointed to do and yellow naples...also mildly disappointing.  and with the money from the two and a little more i got the ever-popular cobalt blue.  but then, i saw the warning on THAT bottle and i was like nooooooooooOOOOO!!!  

but then i did a little in-store renegade research and saw that it was down on the list from lead, so i decided to keep it since i had others that were like half as toxic.  no more after these, i don't think but the ones i have will make the cut.  here are some helpful links to pages that helped me get to these conclusions:

http://www.listmyfive.com/303c84c9/The-Top-Five-Poisonous-Oil-Paint-Pigments

http://captainpackrat.com/furry/toxicity.htm

http://carolineroberts.blogspot.com/2009/01/toxicity-of-pigments.html

these are definitely informative.  and until next time, good times.