That blank canvas doesn't scare me.

2 min read

Well, maybe. Just a tad.

I haven't done acrylic painting in a very long time. It'll come back to me, right?

Our new house has a lovely fireplace mantel longing for a canvas painting. Here I am, four months into living in our new home. It's time to give that space a painting.

Here we go:

Supplies:

Gallery wrapped canvas by Artist Loft

Liquitex Basic Acrylics Paint Set

Palette with Lid by Mr Pen

Extras: work rags, paper towels, brush cleaner.

Now, the hard part: what to paint. It's in my head. It's one of our favorite vacation spots: Sedona Arizona

I do work from photographs (as many artists do). Our daughter took the photo on a trip out west. Jeep tours are a great way to get up close and personal, gaining a lot of information if you get a good guide. Here's one: Pink Tours from among many others. Or check these from a list: The 6 Best Sedona Jeep Tours

You can see the sky area (although it is subtle because I chose not to bring the dark blue completely to the edge of the mountainous horizon line.

⬇️ Work in Progress

I added cacti to the left foreground; now to fill the empty space.

That space could be problematic. Put something too detailed, and it would take away from the detailed cactus. I decided to keep this area nice and straightforward with the desert sand and earth-toned colors.

Terra cotta Acrylic Paint Set

This set is FABULOUS! Strongly pigmented colors are perfect for this painting!

⬆️

Am I finished?

It is a never-ending challenge for the artist. It's "quite" done. Sometimes, it's a good idea to walk away from a task. I don't consider painting a task because I love it. But like other decisions, it's a good idea to take time and ponder for a moment. "Sleep on it," my grandma used to say.

SEDONA. Vortex and meditation. Oum. Break time.

One day later: 🕰

After careful thought, I decided not to make any significant changes. My style is loose. The image lends itself to a quick, rough pattern with the brush (and a bit of pen and ink), an homage to the grand desert landscape with its rocks, prickly pears, and dramatic sky. So what you see in these close-up pictures is a bit more detail and the use of darks and lights to emphasize the textures.

Now, clean up the sides of the canvas. Since I will not be framing it for placement on the mantel, I painted entirely around the sides. Acrylics dry quickly, but even if it is dry to the touch, it is a good idea to wait about a week before applying a varnish coat to the artwork. For a technical description of the drying process, check Golden Paints Drying