Bermuda Blue

[bunsenhoneydew13]

My newest painting, Bermuda Blue.  It’s 5 ft x 4 ft, acrylic and newspaper, on a thrift-store canvas.  I used bubble wrap and super-heavy gel to give the sky some texture.

Here’s an attempt to show you some of the texture.  It stands out maybe a quarter of an inch…


Lastly, I turned off the flash to get a better representation of the true colors:

[jessa_aka_jalapeno]

Oooh, very nice! I love it!

[littlemissartist]

your thrift store has canvases? i'm jealous! lol. beautiful colors and use of mixing media.
i LOVE that you used newspaper for the sail. also, great title. i always have a hard time with titles.

[Dragonflower]

Beeyewteefool!

[lovesclutter]

I also have a large canvas that has a lot of texture, if I wanted to repaint, how would I get all of that stuff off? There is one small rip repaired from the back, but otherwise it is in good shape. About 3' by 4'.

[bunsenhoneydew13]

Thanks for your comments!  I'm glad you guys like this one  

your thrift store has canvases? i'm jealous! lol. beautiful colors and use of mixing media.
i LOVE that you used newspaper for the sail. also, great title. i always have a hard time with titles.

Yeah, most of the ones around here do.  Yours might too!  Look up.  There's sometimes art on a high shelf in a lot of stores, or it may be hidden in some corner.  If I can't find a blank canvas, I'll use an old painting (preferably one in sad condition...just not moldy) and paint over it.  As for the title, I usually come up with my own; often, though, something literary, musical, or lyrical is just more appropriate.  For this painting, listen to "Baptized by Fire" by Spinnerette and you'll see what I mean.    

I also have a large canvas that has a lot of texture, if I wanted to repaint, how would I get all of that stuff off? There is one small rip repaired from the back, but otherwise it is in good shape. About 3' by 4'.

It kind of depends what's on it to begin with.  What I did with this one was to scrape off some old modeling paste (a plaster kind of stuff) with an old spoon (high-tech, I know).  It took a couple of hours to do this, but was really worth it because it re-exposed the actual surface of the canvas and toned down the harsh textures the previous artist had built up.  I think that this worked for me only because the plaster had actually started to come off in spots before I even touched it.  

For most other works, I try to only repaint over acrylic.  I always use white gesso to cover the previous work and give me a blank start, and then just start painting.  I use a lot of textures/mixed media in my pieces, so any texture that the previous artist left on the canvas isn't too much of a problem for me.  Just remember that if there's Sharpie (or any other permanent marker) on the canvas, it will likely bleed through any acrylic that you put on top of it.  I usually solve that by layering paper or ribbon on top of the marker lines.  

I hope that all helps you!  

[lovesclutter]

spoon? I have one of those. It is kinda plastery in texture, so I will try that, and I'm sure this is a painting. No sharpies. It is all in pastels, so if I can get it smooth, I could just paint over.

I can't afford gesso, but have a lot of white house latex, would that work?

[bunsenhoneydew13]

I can't afford gesso, but have a lot of white house latex, would that work?

Honestly, I can't say yes or no to that...I would probably try it, because in my experience, acrylics can go over a lot of materials.  The problem is that I don't know if the housepaint will stick to the painting that's already on the canvas.  Without actually seeing/feeling what's on the canvas now, I can't really say anything more.  But please remember that I'm pretty destructive when it comes to being creative, so I don't feel too bad when taking huge risks.  Do what you think is best for you!  Good luck, and I hope it works out wonderfully for you