The Half-way Point

Hey there friend,

We’re 6 weeks into my Fifty Faces Project and I’ve finally reached the half way point! I started this project as a technical challenge to explore a medium I am fairly new to. I'm don't think I quite knew what I was getting myself into! ‘Fifty Faces,’ I thought. ‘Yeah, that’s catchy!’ I pitched my crazy idea to my Mum, who suggested maybe Thirty Faces or even Fifteen Faces, but anything sounded unimpressive after fifty to me. The past 6 weeks have presented with many challenges, revelations, ups and downs. So, if you’re up for it, I invite you to hop aboard and ride this crazy roller coaster with me.

Now that you're here, let's talk about the half-way point.

Let’s just jump straight into the nitty gritty stuff. I wouldn’t call myself the tortured artist type, I’m definitely a glass half full kind of girl. I paint because it makes me happy and I love the process of creating beautiful things. But... It turns out that balancing a full time job, a new collection and a crazy painting project is not so easy-peasy. I’ve been finding myself painting under pressure almost constantly, which I already know is not the way I create my best work. The biggest challenge I have faced has been sharing work I’m not happy with. Let’s just be real, some art was just never meant to be seen. Some experiments don’t go to plan, some works get painted over, some end up in the bin. The intention was never to create my best work, but I underestimated how vulnerable I would need to be. I've had so many lovely people following along with this journey and that makes me want to find that creative sweet spot again. You might've seen that I've been taking it slow this week. I've been making conscious choices to remove expectations and allow my creativity space.

Self portraits are vulnerable thing. I guess instead of shying away from the vulnerability, I've put myself right in it. Number 25 is significant. It's a major milestone I didn't know I would need. This journey has become about so much more than technique. I truely believe that an artist is only as strong as their creative process and I'm learning so much about mine. After all, if I'm not doing it for the process, what am I doing it for? This piece is a visual self-reflection. I'm not sure that it's finished, but maybe that's the point.

The technical stuff…

If you're creatively inclined and are here for the technical journey… not necessarily my journey of self-discovery (haha) I've got some notes for you too. I'm sure I'll have a heap of things to update you on by the time I get to 50. For now, some things I've learnt which you may find useful, especially if you're new like me!

MEDIUMS I've been learning a lot about the actual technique behind oil painting. Coming from a background in water-based paints, the concept of mediums was quite overwhelming. Here's what I've learned: keep it simple. I've tried a few mediums in the last 6 weeks with various levels of success. If you're also coming from water based mediums, you might have come across the biggest benefit and also curse that oils paints have. Drying time. I always avoided oil paints because of the fear associated with such a slow drying time. The best thing about mediums is that they have the ability to change this. My favourite so far is Galkyd Lite by Gamblin. It speeds up drying time and increases flow while maintaining brush strokes. I've also painted entire pieces with no medium, just a solvent. My favourite is Gamsol by Gamblin - it's odourless and the least toxic I've come across. SURFACES I've come to the conclusion that wooden panels are my new favourite thing. I love the smoothness of the wood and have found a clear textured primer which allows me to leave some wood exposed if I like.

PAINTS When it comes to the oil paints themselves, I have come to learn that not all paints are created equal. Over the last 6 weeks I have tried $7 tubes and $50 tubes. The $7 paints from Monte Marte surprised me; if you're just starting out and not sure if you want to invest yet, they're actually a pretty good option. The tubes are big, but they need to be. The pigments aren't very strong and you'll need to do more layers to get a good result. I tried a few mid range options which seemed to work fine, but I had trouble with the smell which concerned me. If you're still reading because you want to know my #1 choice… Gamblin. Are you starting to see a theme here? After the whole smelly paint thing, I did my research. I didn't take up oil painting to breathe in a bunch of toxic fumes and Gamblin was the standout in terms of their safety. It's a small little tube for $50 but the pigments really do pack a punch. I also found that I could do an entire painting in 1-2 layers and if the layer underneath wasn't completely dry, it was much less likely to move around than any of the cheaper paints. Maybe I'm a brand snob, but I'm converted.

Each time I start a painting, I try to choose one thing to focus on. That might be colour saturation or value, expressive brushstrokes, challenging lighting or unusual angles. Something I've discovered that challenges me, but I find equally rewarding is harsh lighting. You'll notice shadows in my self-portrait and a few other pieces so far. The shadow portion of the painting is super challenging in terms of colour and I have had many frustrated moments. I am fascinated by the shapes shadows create on the human form though, and I think they add interest to a composition. So, what are my goals for the next 25 faces? Reset. Find my creative. Create without the pressure, without the expectations. Create with passion. I hope you'll stick around to see where this new chapter takes me. I'm excited.