Monday, October 8, 2012

Artists Choice?





Firstly, Hello and welcome to my new followers, it's lovely to have you stop by, I really appreciate anyone that takes the time to have a look at my Blog.

Today is just a quick one as Paul and I have been away this week end and I haven't got to any miniatures recently. I must say whilst I love and adore my children it was a whole new experience to have each others undivided attention over the weekend without the interruption of teenage expectations. We stayed at The Blackman hotel which is part of a series of Hotels dedicated and named after some of Australia's most significant Artists. Charles Blackman is one of my favourites and if you click on the link you will see a little about the Hotel and the Artist. Yesterday we spent the day at the Heide Gallery of Modern Art which is something we have been meaning to do for some time. I had a wonderful day, Heide is a very important mark on the Australian Artistic landscape. The original house was the home of John and Sunday Reed who were two very influential people in Australia's Modern art movement. They supported a community of  Artists who today are known as our finest and as you can imagine there are all sorts of tales of love and betrayal that emerged as the group came in and out of each others lives. I will leave you to read about them if you wish by clicking on the link above. Needless to say we had a wonderful time exploring the Art and the grounds not to mention the wonderful food and wine.



Now given the Artistic tone so far I thought I would show you the little experiments I have been doing. I have for some time liked the idea of making authentic miniature stretchers to paint on, by authentic I mean as a quality artist would make and that is with an oak frame and a linen support. Easier said than done!! Firstly I don't have a mini saw to cut small straight lengths, I can cut them okay but they must be perfectly straight to get a straight frame right? Not going to happen. Okay, I can cut a straight piece of oak and then stretch the linen around it, yep, I can do that but when it comes to hammering the pins in, (pictured in front of the white stretcher ) not only are they incredibly small and I can't hold them in place but the oak is so hard I have no chance of penetrating it. Okay I'll glue it down, yes that works but not how I wanted it to be and  I like the look of the nails down the side of the stretcher......grrrr!! Okay, next try, wrap the linen around a piece of balsa wood and press the pins in, yep that works, if I can cut down on the tiny pins flying through the room and landing in the sisal mat never to be seen again ( except by the vacuum cleaner) it has the look I'm going for but not the quality. What to do? Perhaps painting directly on the oak (with a ground of course) would at least be a more authentic way of painting a picture? Yes that might have to be the answer if I am to have a piece of artwork that is close to real life. I tried painting on the linen (the little chicken) just to see wether the weave might be too thick but I think it worked okay. The little chicken was just a tester, I can use as a filler in the storage of the studio when I get to it in the next 5 years....lol 

I'll keep you posted on the final results of painting on the oak board.

Meanwhile.......

Santa, can I please have a mini saw????

Happy minis every one.

ML Fi xx

20 comments:

  1. Hi Fi,

    So glad you had such a lovely get-away, it sounds divine! What do you mean you don't have a mini saw? How did you get so far on your house without one? Your little paintings look awesome with the little nails, but wont they get covered up anyway with the frame? Just saying...But now, you will absolutely need a mini miter saw if you're going to make frames!

    XO,
    John

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  2. Haha,
    I have a regular saw and use that but I mean an electric saw so i can get precise measurements, I think it has held me back on so many things, I need to get one asap if i'm going to do the timber floor soon.

    I don't want to put a frame on some of my paintings, tsk, tsk I hear you say but I like the relaxed look and when I get to the studio i want to have unframed paintings lying around. In the case of using a frame I guess it doesn't matter but there is something nagging away inside telling me I have to have it that way,I suppose I can't let go of how a painting should come together.

    I have a mini mitre saw but it's not avery good one and I have felt tempted to throw it through the window on many occasions.

    Must get good saw!!!!!!

    Fi ex oh ex oh as Mimi would say

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  3. I agree with John, you sure need a miter saw and a pin vise with tiny drills, then you can drill starter holes for the pins and they should go in a lot easier. The chicken looks good, you can also look for good quality lawn to paint on, it has a very fine weave, contact me if you are interested in a piece, my e-mail is on my blog.

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    1. Hi Elga,

      Yes I need all of the above. I am going to have to bite the bullet and invest in some good tools. I will back track Peppers blog. I remember seeing her explain what was needed. I am interested in trying lawn to paint on so you will hear from me soon.

      Fi xx

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  4. hi honey
    Glad you had a good weekend away - how lovely.
    I was stuck too on the saw thing - an electric mitre huh? I'd love one too but never got round to the "investment".
    The hotel looks wonderful, I much prefer that sort of hotel, it adds something special to the time away.
    have a great week
    Simon xx

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  5. Hello my lovely,

    yes it was great and I like the Boutique hotels too, The hilton and Crown are nice but I loved the Artistic lean on this one and the room had a book shelf stacked with Art books and as you entered there was a DVD playing about the life of Charles Blackman.

    ML Fi xx

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  6. Hi Fiona! Like the idea of making canvases in miniature, that tiny chicken is gorgeous. Painting in miniature is quite difficult.....;)! I am glad to hear you've been away this weekend, it is good for you both, dearie :D!!
    Warm hugs, Ilona

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    1. Hi Ilona,

      Yes, as you well know it is difficult to paint in miniature, lucky today I have picked up my new glasses and I can SEE!! Now the detail is clear so I'm hopeful it will make the task more manageable.

      Hugs for my dear friend,

      Fi xx

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  7. Hi Fi! I am so happy to see this post... I have been planning to have a go at making my own tiny canvasses.... and have puzzled over the exact same details you are!! LOL! Some of these things are really tricky to make "real" in mini! I look forward to hearing more... especially about the lawn from Elga... as well as the right kind of wood for stretchers!!!
    Good luck... and thanks for sharing your ideas! I look forward to seeing more of your paintings too!

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    1. Hi Betsy,

      Yes, it has been tricky. One of the most tricky parts was making a nice fold on the corners so maybe Elgas lawn will to the trick. I'm not sure how I can get the frame corners just right to hold the preasure of the stretch.

      We will keep each other informed.

      ML fi x

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  8. Love the wee chicken!

    No one can say you don't check out all the options with your canvases. Just a thought (because I know nothing about creating canvases)- if you painted your very fine fabric with pva and moulded it round your frame you could just add brass pin heads to the edges once it had dried?

    Regarding flying pins - I'm sure I read somewhere you can control them if you stick them to tape (the idea didn't apply to pins specifically but to something else equally as tiny).

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  9. Hi Fi,
    I'm glad you had a lovely holiday. That is a pretty ambitious experiment. It's looking really good. i haven't tried anything like that yet so i can't offer any suggestion, but it is looking awsome. I can't wait to see what you come up with.
    Big hug,
    Giac

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    1. HaHa, I can't wait to see what I come up with too!!!! I'm itching to get to it as i have my little stretchers ready, I just need a couple of spare hours, easier said than done!

      ML Fi xx

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  10. Hi Fi, glad you had a good holiday, sounded lovely!!

    I love the canvas, and yes, I think those pins add to the whole effect. I know that Cir-Kit have a little tool that holds those little brass pins used with the copper tape lighting system, which only costs a few pounds and might make the task of hammering them into the stretcher a lot easier. I agree with Elga about the mini pin vice too, I have one along with a selection of tiny drill bits, and it has been priceless, especially where I work in MDF. Invest also in a good mitre block and razor saw, and you will be laughing!!

    The little hen is darling, I hope to see it taking pride of place in your mini kitchen soon!!

    Mwah!!

    Andy xxxx

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  11. Hello Fi,
    Your holiday sounds divine. Right up my alley *smiles endearingly at Husband* I love the idea of the stretchers. I prefer art in it's raw form, no fancy frames to distract from the work.

    You know you have lots of mini friends...with saws...that love to give a mini Gal a hand if they're stuck =0D You know where I am if you need anything =0)

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    1. Thanks my lovely,

      I will be stopping by your blog to do a bit of research, I have no idea where to start!

      Fi xx

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  12. Ciao Fiona, thank you for stopping at the Casa Rossa.
    I love your canvas and the chicken too; it's very cute as far as I can see it.
    Now I'll go back on your blog to make your aqueitance.
    Best regards, Rosanna

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  13. Hi Rosanna,

    thanks for looking, I'm so glad you stopped by.

    Fi xx

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  14. Aren't these nice. Last Christmas, Andy gave me a miniature easel and canvas. I ought to paint something on it, but I'm rather busy with the Composite Folly, etc. I would be nice to paint Mr Buxton's wife. Mr Buxton runs Andy's grocery store, as you know, but sadly his wife passed away, so he sits in his living room with the radio and looks a bit lonely. Perhaps a portrait would cheer him up...But I have real people to cheer up as well, so perhaps miniature grocers will have to wait...I must say, I like the look of the chicken on your canvas!

    David x

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  15. I havent tried this yet but i will be soon, i was told if you use gesso on the linen {let dry} then it works better

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