Workshop #55 Tulip in Bottle

Workshop  #55  Tulip in Bottle

This started out as a Challenge on DPW   hosted by Dianne Mannion beginning of April.  I downloaded the image and although I wanted to keep within the "rules" of the challenge it didn't turn out that way.  Didn't post it on the DPW page.

I have been experimenting with a wash technique that would incorporate sketching and diluted oils.  I also like to sand between layers which adds a bit of texture. May tweak this with some more pencil/crayon.  This is the first in a series of four florals.

 25 x 25 cm canvas on cardboard 

I am so fortunate to get  some great canvas strips from my workshop artist and friend Traudi.  She buys whole rolls of canvas and cut them to size... Huge!!! and brings me the side strips... I cut these to size and glue them on  pressed grey cardboard.  I will be experimenting with different size formats.   

Sketchbook 3

Sketchbook  3

First some sketches I made a while ago... actually quite a while ago....

 Bottles and Brushes

View of neighbors houses

Simple still life

Tomatoes in a bowl

Recently learned of this challenge from Making a Mark by Katherine Tyrrell .  Haven't used my flickr account in a while and since I am always on the lookout for challenges that can keep my creative juices flowing.  This is a challenge called Every day in May.  They have a complete list  for the daily sketches!!! Really neat!!!

Day One   Favorite Food

One of my favorite food is the simple pita bread. Fresh and warm 

dipped in olive oil and zarta past

Olives on the side!!!

Day 2  A tree nearby

On the border of our yard a large Cypress Tree or as we call them Brosh

Day 3 Curtains

Curtain from my computer  room.

Framing I'll Get Better

Framing  My First Attempt

This is FAR from perfect... but the concept is good ... I have to get better at my carpentry skills... I am going to go to my hardware store to see what tools, not too expensive,(not going into the framing business) that can help me develop better cutting ... that's the main secret  --- good clean straight cuts..... In spite of the not so perfect results I totally enjoyed the process...

I have yet to see in any frame shop here (Israel) where I can get a  floating frame... so that took me on my quest...had to find a way frame my small paper works of about 8 x 8 " .  Searching Google didn't really yield much. Recently one of my workshop artists Ilana Landau had an exhibition. Generally Ilana paints on wooden panels and I was amazed seeing how she presented her work in a very simple manner. She made wooden frames similar to frames on stretched canvas and painted the sides black... They looked stunning!!!

I head was churning with that idea... paste the paper on matte-board or heavy cardboard and make a wooden frame on the back.  Then I chanced on this video by Jon Peters who made a great floating frame. So I decided to try it out... with one change  .... instead of pasting my image on 3/4" in plywood panel would make a frame of 3/4" x 3/4" wood molding and then make the frame with 1 1/2 x 1/2 " molding around that to form my outside frame

My moldings

The bottom molding was cut from a 1 1/2" by 3/4" strip!!! Going to the lumber yard was also quite an experience for me... I was worried how they would be for a pensioner wanted to buy a few strips of molding!!! I was so surprised how very nice they were. After cutting the strip they cut it in 1 meter lengths so I could put them in my car.  Then another surprise.... the owner was one of neighbors sons....he recognized me and even gave me a discount...

So now for the final result::: The Duck crayon drawing is from my last 30 x 30 challenge run by Leslie Seata this past January.

 Front

Here I made the mistake ... the side moldings should

be on the top and bottom

 From the top

From the bottom