Of More Value

"Of More Value"
8 x 10 inches
oils on hardboard panel

Just finished this painting; stay tuned to find out if it made it into a juried show...

Blank Slates

So many possibilities...

I've been gearing up for the summer painting season by prepping boards to paint on.  Basically cut-to-size compressed high density fiberboard, a.k.a. hardboard  (similar to "masonite"; which the original Masonite Corporation no longer manufactures) coated with several layers of acrylic gesso.  You wipe the boards down and lightly sand them with medium grit sandpaper, paint on a layer, let it dry for at least four hours, sand to smooth out the raised brush marks...then repeat the process, adding at least three layers before letting it dry overall for a few days.  A bit more involved than buying pre-made canvas boards, but I'm really getting into  the unique textures that I get via this method -- as well as the fact that it's a tad less expensive this way.  Also, there's something therapeutic about painting multiple panels of white, pristine emptiness.

Note to Self...

It's not the best idea to paint a snow scene on a warm afternoon.