Now it's time for oil paints...

 Start of something new. 🙂🤞 Using #oilcolour for first time in a very long time. Up to now, I haven't really appreciated them. This is an experiment. Will they frustrate me less, drying too slowly than acrylics drying too quickly? here's the first version:

Watched a lot of Bob Ross, to try and find out his techniques. Worked pretty well. Secret, big soft brush (= expensive) 

Background for painting. Painted on top of the one I posted last week. stuff was showing through. This image got a lot of approval when posted on Facebook. Is this also the Bob Ross effect - or is it the pictures are simple to understand. To be honest, at the actual size, I quite liked it as well. Felt you could stare at it. Perhaps the that's the art of the banal.

Have sketched out tree in charcoal. Based on tree near here. Underpainting next. Incidentally, canvas is 1m square. 

So start of painting. Applied some colour, used burned sienna first. Mistake. Should have stuck to ochres and greys like lower half. Paints I have vary in age. But some have gone stiff; similar aged acrylics have lasted better.

This time with pastel pencils

 This time with pastel pencils. Never really used them, which is weird because I have 144 different colours! Will try again. Used fixative between layers. #derwentpastelpencils #fabercastellpastels#derwentpastels #paper #drawing #Art#bath_bafineart #illustration

Still not convinced...

Trying out coloured pencils.

 So I'm catching up with blog posts. Wish I could link some applications - still here's the first catch up. The other thing that annoys me is that the drag and drop for pictures has stopped working.

Drawing with pencils. Finally worked out ok, but loads of layering. #derwentcoloursoft#inktensepencils #derwentartists #derwentstudio#drawing #Art #bath_bafineart #illustration

Dark spaces

So, I'm playing with some extra black paint from Culture Hustle. It's supposed to be 99% light absorption, so that should mean things - even in bright light -  are very dark.

Supposed to be the blackest black. One bottle of version three, plus a small tub of version one; which isn't as black. Initial reactions. How much does the V3 packaging add to the cost, which is already quite high. Fulfillment should Chech v1 before dispatch. Either the lid was slightly loose, or there had been a previous spillage. Pigment all over inside, not huge amount, just enough to get hands really dirty. 

Prototype automata in progress. Artists figure pulled apart and then wired. White stuff is glue just applied. This to test #culturehustle #black3 when finished.

So, the figure has-been painted with oneciat black 1 as a primer, two coats black 3. Dried with hairdryer as suggested. It's 85% successful. Figure is hard to see in normal lighting without moving box. Lid looks like flat area. Positive enough to try version two. This will be the flat version I talked about.

Experimental Lockdown Remote Project

Two part Photoshop video - Stitching

This is a two part video I made on assembling a larger picture out of separate scans.

Launching the museum

Quite excited about this. Have done a prototype and launched it on website. Little fingers can't type fast enough! Here's the copy:

Announcing the Travelling Museum of Speculative Automata!

The Travelling Museum of Speculative Automata

You’ll be able to see working Forest and Caves, Icons of the Isolation and small people. There may be a steam engine to power it all. It’s being built be ready in a few weeks, and as soon as Boris allows us to meet, which should be soon, you can book a viewing. Distance NO OBJECT - although you’ll be asked for expenses if it’s very far! Viewings are estimated to cost £5, orwhat you think it’s worth. Works are not for sale, although you can buy the forest in a non-working laser-cut kit form once manufacturing is available again. It’s going to be great! An art gallery on you front path.
To express interest, please email museum@stephenspicer.com

The image is a a mock up. 

To find out more (from 6th) visit www.stephenspicer.com