Artist's Mediums By Seasons

I am a seasonal artist when it comes to my mediums, although oils is my medium of choice I do not like to use it during the hot months. When i do paint I like dress in pants a lot shirts to cover up as much as I can. Even when the paint feels heavier when it is hot, plus it is nice to changes mediums every few months since the each can offer a different quality to the subjects you are working. Also one medium can trigger an idea to try with another medium.

 I often spend the warm months working with pastels and when I was at TU, I would do ceramics. Even with those mediums I would sweat my buttock off  As an artist, it is interesting how different factors can effect one work. My best days of working are when it is raining, or snowy.

Voice, Message and Marks

Just by knowing the little art world that I do, is seems that artists are becoming more aware of how unhealthy the old school of art used to be. Some people say you should start using mediums that are less toxic, some people even say do not even eat in your studio. I think one should be safe, but not to the point that you become afraid of the medium that you can become one with.

I have been fining myself in a search for new mediums that I can really put my marks in. For example, ceramics and pastels that I can use with my hands and really develop as layers, I feel that oil paints do not offer this to me.

Maybe I also see how technology is taking the artist hand from their work. Although it is still their voice and message, but how can you really tell who’s hand manipulated the Medium.

For my subject of my work is as important as how I create it.

Drawing Surface

I think I found a good way to draw that is good for my medium and my body. I paint sitting on a thick foam mat the size of a queen bed; it is too soft to draw on when I use my hands. I tried using a drawing board, but the size is limited and my knees just end up on the board. So that defeats the purpose of the mat. Also it is a little too hard to work with the medium.
Next I just put the canvas on the floor directly. This solved most of my problem, but ultimately it is too hard on my knees. The other day I went for a walk and someone was moving and had a for give away pile. I took a gym mat, it work better but still not enough padding for my knees. Today I tried the gym mat on top of the big one and its golden. My body is happy and I have a good surface to draw on. Talk about the princess and pea…