I've Been Painting

Hello,

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  I've been painting.

From inside the painting booth.  Steve Franklin, 2016.

Here is a view inside the spray booth that I made with PVC pipe and large 4mil plastic sheeting.  I ended up making a small bench with two lower shelves to fit in the booth.  I can place a small easel (that I built) onto the table.  There's not much space for much of anything else, but next to this is a taboret. By the time I had a couple of layers of varnish on the tabletop, it looked so good, I covered it with plastic sheeting to protect it. I've been making the panels using ripped 2X4 frame onto which I glue and nail an oversized sheet of hardboard. I used a jigsaw to cut the hardboard, so the cut is rough.  Once the glue is dry, I use a small trim router with a straight bearing bit, which rubs against the wooden frame to cut it flush with the edge of the frame.  Then I putty, sand and put three coats of gesso on the board, lightly sanding between coats. Onto the face, I then brush a coat of Golden Absorbent Ground.  This makes it receptive to ballpoint pen, pencil, watercolors, and High Flow acrylics.  Making the panels is pretty cheap, because I can get a 4 x 8 foot sheet of hardboard for a little more than eight dollars, It takes less than one 2x4 to make each panel.

Once I finish working in the pen work and staining (not unlike watercolor technique). I have to seal the image.  I use my airbrush for this. I mix Golden Airbrush Extender with Golden GAC 500 to use as the sealing layer to spray using airbrush.  This is when I close the booth and dawn a mask.  When I'm done, I turn on a box fan that I put in the window to blow out the foggy mist.  Once dry, I can brush a thin coat of gloss acrylic.  Finally, using a large pallet knife, I apply a thick coat of Golden Heavy Gel Medium.  At this point, the image is lost in the thick milky coat of gel which takes about three days to clear.

Since this blog is more about my sketchbook, I don't think I will put up photos of my paintings.  I'm waiting to accumulate enough new work for an art exhibit before I show them.  I'm working on a series, so I've been spending much of my free time building panels, sanding, puttying, priming, drawing, painting, spraying, etc.

I have been filling up another sketchbook.  I just need to take photos of the journal pages.

Anyway,

That's what I've been up to--working on a series of paintings.  I've only completed three paintings, the first of which I need to rework.  This is the fourth one.

Take care of yourself,

-Steve

Crazy Pen & Ink Page

Hi.
Here's a pen & ink page from my Big Old sketchbook.  I spent some time adding plenty of marks before completing this page back in 2014.

Big Old Sketchbook page 100. Pen & Ink. Steve Franklin, 2014

I find marking patterns can be very therapeutic. It's just some strange form I made up.  Thanks for viewing.

-Steve

Snapshot sketches

Hello.
On this page I used a stamp of the shape of a polaroid picture and filled each with a sketch. It's fun to fill each with a sketch.  On the top, left, I drew my "Angel Bunny" Cleopatra. She's a Great Pyrenees.

Old Zeta page 17, Steve Franklin, 2014.

Below the sketches are stamps I carved out of "Easy Cut" normally used (the rubbery white stuff) for relief printmaking.

Forms

Hi again!
Here's a page in my old Zeta sketchbook where I painted forms. I used really cheap craft acrylic paint.

Forms, Old Zeta Sketchbook page 9, Acrylic. Steve Franklin, 2015.

Thanks for viewing.

-Steve

Hand

Hi.
Here's a sketch I did of my hand. I used drawing pencils. Thanks for viewing.

Hand Sketch, Old Zeta Sketchbook, pencil. Steve Franklin, 2015.

Have a great day!

-Steve

Cleo: a linoleum print.

Hi.
Here's a linoleum print of my dog, Cleopatra.

"Cleo". Old Zeta Sketchbook, page 6. Linoleum proof. Steve Franklin, 2014.

-Steve

Colored Pencil: Hand Killers.

Hey.
Here's a sketchbook page with a Prismacolor colored pencil design. I don't really like to do much colored pencil work anymore, because it takes a lot of force to blend like paint.  Painting takes a much more delicate touch, using a brush.  Since I like the colored pencil marks to show vivid colors, I hold them vertically and apply great pressure to blend different layers of color.  After awhile, my hand gets sore.  I have had long painting sessions that makes my hands feel like they fall asleep (all tingly), but after a long session of using colored pencils, my hand could be sore for days afterwards.

Old Zeta Sketchbook, page 7, colored pencil, Steve Franklin, 2014.

Take care,

-Steve

Me

Inside Back Cover, Old Zeta Sketchbook, Airbrush, Steve Franklin, 2015.

Have a Great Day!

-Steve

Three Different Compositions.

Hello and welcome.
Sometimes, when applying color, I like to use a big, flat brush.  I am interested in the subtle variations created when layering transparent glazes. At the same time, to provide unity and structure, I like to emphasize simple shapes, like rectangles--like the ones in these three separate compositions on this page.

Box 3. Old Zeta Sketchbook Page 2. Steve Franklin. 2014.

Old Zeta Sketchbook pages 14 and 15. Steve Franklin, 2014.

New Zeta Sketchbook pages 14 and 16. Steve Franklin, 2015.

Well, take care for now.

Thanks.

-Steve