Monday, April 28, 2014

LHB couple kissing

Okay so here is the link that gave me this idea.  Art is simpler than everyone thinks.  Again it is art, so make it the way you want it.  But I do want to thank her for the idea.  This is a Great tutorial as well.
http://youtu.be/vaDtY1WZybY

Kelsey and I paint flat. 

Since I was painting this I took the idea and wanted a mid-night (blues & blacks) kiss.  I found this couple on the net and Kelsey hand drew the outline and painted them on for me.  She is the one with skills, I can just do the blend work.

I make all the frames from simple 1 x 2 -s I promise I will do a post on the next one.  But they are just screwed together.  Start with the straightest lumber you can get your hands on.


Quick check to make sure I am the correct size.


I usually stretch the canvases in the house but Gary is on a conference call so I am in the garage.  I put a piece of cardboard down then an old sheet to protect the painting.


Start stapling from one of the longest sides centers.  Again, I live in Houston we have a Harbor freight tools (LOVE that place) cheap pneumatic stapler less than $20, one of the best things I have purchased.  I hated fighting the electric one.  I would have to hammer the staples the rest of the way in one at a time.  And that thing was more expensive than this one.  GO figure.


Another HF find  my (Gary's) little compressor was less than $30.  I use it way more than he does.


First staple.  Just pick a long side.  Then go to the opposite side and pull as tight as you can, add a staple.


Go all the way around the frame, pulling the canvas as tight as you can get it.  Always add staples across from each other.  I add one on each side of the center stable then move across to the other side. Top, bottom, side to side.  I refuse to buy the nice stretching pliers, they are $60+.  However don't bother to buy the cheap ones, they broke on the first canvas.  The company took them back so I didn't loose any money, but they were junk!  There doesn't seem to be any middle ground $20, the jumps to $60 still with bad reviews, to over $100.  I don't stretch enough paintings to justify that.  And I don't sell anything so when the paintings are a little loose .. OH well.


Now the corners.


I fold the top & bottom down into the sides.  Then you can't see the seam when you stand beside it.  No wrong way to do this.  I just make sure that the fold line is straight along the outside edge.


Stretched and now ready for rain.


Picked these up at the dollar store.  Only $1


I decided that I didn't want just white rain, that rain at night looked like there was some blue.  I am doing another one of these and I will not use any white at all on that one.  I used a lot of watered down glaze.  That is all the "shadow" looking rain.  Honestly that is the look I like the best.  Very pleased with "our" kissing couple.  Now to let them dry and find them some wall space.


   The cost break down is as follows, the canvas was $6 (duck cloth), I used four 1x2's $4,  and these are the same blues from the other two paintings so that was free, I had the black paint as well, I did have to get a new red paint. $1.  Grand total or $11.  Sorry I didn't measure this one.  But it is big that is a kitchen chair holding it up.

Happy Painting.

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