Classwork: Painting #4

I took an online class in abstract painting during November/December 2020. For more info, see the introduction in this post featuring the first painting I did in the class.

The class was structured with a short lecture at the beginning of class covering an abstract painter’s work and using it as a springboard to discuss abstract art principles. Then we students painted at our individual studios.

Thank you to my fellow students and my teacher, Kassem Amoudi.

Here is another painting from the series of works done in class. This one is called Ascend, and it is 20″ x 16″, done in acrylics.

You may notice the drawn lines in this painting – there have been similar marks in earlier ones, too. They are made with acrylic paint markers. I have always used white and black markers of this type, but sparingly. The instructor mentioned them in one of the lectures and I realized, in a belated light-bulb moment, that they came in all colors, and that I would really like to have a selection.

I ordered some and I’ve been using them. I really like the effect they give.

And, as you know, there are multiple stages to a painting, some of which I recorded when I emailed photos of WIP for the instructor’s examination. Here is what I can show you of the image’s process, earlier stages going to the later ones.

As a note, the colors are not corrected so that the images match each other as they should – I didn’t take the time. The final image is the one that most looks like the painting as it is.

21 thoughts on “Classwork: Painting #4”

    1. Claudia McGill Post author

      Thank you. I like how it turned out – a nighttime painting was hard for me to figure out how I wanted to do it, but I think this one makes night a nice place to be.

  2. anna mosca

    I really love what you do, there’s always an energy in it, a positive passion, and I also went to see the Acryilc Paint Markers, I want to try them too.
    What brand did you order and was it through Amazon or an art supply store. Because I am in Italy at the moment and I am not sure I can fond the same product. Please let me know, thank you.

    1. Claudia McGill Post author

      Thank you so much, your comment makes me feel good. I love painting and I am glad when others like what I have made, or see something in the pictures that touches some memory or feeling, that is what I hope for. As for acrylic paint markers, I have tried several brands: Liquitex, Amsterdam, Pebeo, and Sharpie. There are other brands that are good, too, but these brands had colors than I liked and I trusted them because I also use their acrylic paints. I ordered them through Dick Blick but they are available on Amazon as well. And I am sure you could find them at an art supply store as well. Make sure you look for acrylic paint markers (there are solvent based and oil based markers as well, which are different from what I was using, it easy easy to get things confused when there are so many types of markers).They also come in various sizes (fine points to really large ones). Try a couple and see if you like them, then you’ll know what use you might make of them.

  3. Laura (PA Pict)

    I love that the finished piece is so blue – because I adore all shades of blue and because this makes me think of a wonderful nocturne – but that some of the yellow of those initial stages is still in evidence and generates a feeling of glowing warmth.

    1. Claudia McGill Post author

      Thank you. I wanted to make the feeling of a nighttime that was safe, but without boundaries, open to the universe (if you wanted to go that far) or just sitting quietly, thinking.

  4. Leonie Andrews

    I must admit to buying way too many of these markers when I was travelling in Japan. Posca is the brand I prefer. As is the way of things in Japan seasonality is always being referenced, so we have Autumn markers and also a set of seasonal alcohol markers. Japan is a hazardous place for anyone who likes stationery in general and arts supplies and pens!😄😄😄

    1. Claudia McGill Post author

      Yes. I buy a lot of things from Jet Pens, who has a big concentration in Japanese stationery and pens and paper goods. I love the seasonal way of naming things, too. I was at an art store today and they reccommended Posca. I plan to try them when I use up some of the pens I have, which at my current rate will not be a long time.

  7. Diane

    We had come across paint markers in a workshop we took about a year ago. They are wonderful. I have them on my list of art supplies but the ones I want are currently out of stock (from our favorite place). It is amazing how we can get stuck in a certain type of medium. So many new things have been invented. I am much more open now to trying things than before. Love the painting!

    1. Claudia McGill Post author

      Thank you. I am learning more now that I am not so worried about making the “right” kind of art. I often felt there were rules (ones I made up myself, why did I care so much about certain things). These classes are helping me see some new things.

    1. Claudia McGill Post author

      I did not know if I would like classes online but I am finding I really love them, it is social and yet not too distracting (I don’t like being in a large group with lots of talking and chatter) – and I like having all my supplies and being in my familiar workspace.

Comments are closed.