Evolving and Experimenting with Oil Over Acrylic

Let's face it. An artist evolves. As a matter of fact, everyone in every line of work evolves in their knowledge and skill level. I look at this evolution with great excitement and anticipation. It's darn fun!

So, I've taken on an experiment to see what I can create. I have pulled out some of my older acrylic paintings; ones that, for one reason or another, I didn't feel were up to par with what I intended to create. Using these paintings as an elaborate "under-painting," I have revised the compositions and colors by over-painting it with oil colors. As I learned quite a while ago, one can paint with oils over acrylic but not acrylic over oils. The difference is in the drying characteristics of each. Oil dries much more slowly so it can dry properly on top of acrylic but not underneath.

Using oil over acrylic is a common practice for some artists but this was new to me. The results are very pleasing to me -- and based on comments of others, pleasing to them as well. I am finding that the acrylic under-painting provides a platform for more brilliance and reflectiveness of the oil paints.

Here are two paintings using this method. The first is completed and now drying, Late Afternoon Sun - 12"x36" oil over acrylic on stretched canvas.




The second painting using this method is still in progress but here is a photo of the original version in acrylic and then the "almost completed" oil version.

Acrylic version

 

 

 

Oil over Acrylic

I have more work yet to do on this painting but I already like the brilliance in the colors over the original.

I'll let you know when it's finished.

Have a great week!

My New Online Etsy Shop

Over the past few months, I have been doing quite a bit of plein air paintings. For those who may not be familiar with this term, “En plein air” is a French expression which means "in the open air," and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors or "from life." I am therefore, rapidly creating an inventory of smaller canvases and canvas wrapped boards. Many artists have large studios or sufficient storage space. I have neither – maybe one day.

Following the example of a well-known artist, I have set up an online Etsy Shop as a way to make available my small plein air studies rather than letting them accumulate too quickly.

In some cases these are studies for larger paintings.  Others were created in the field as a way to quickly capture that special moment in time and place. You will also find small to medium-size studio paintings that I created in a one-day session to satisfy a moment of inspiration. These are mostly unframed canvases; however, some may be on gallery wrap (no frame needed) or have been framed to be able to exhibit in shows.

These field studies and studio paintings are smaller original paintings, painted in either oil or acrylic and are being made available at very affordable prices. Most of these paintings are for sale unframed unless otherwise noted. This allows the customer to frame the painting to fit their specific home decor.

The name of my Etsy Shop is Alan Zawacki Fine Art on Etsy.

Here are a few of the pieces that I just recently posted on the Etsy site... to see more information about them, please click on my Etsy Shop link:  Alan Zawacki Fine Art on Etsy

 

 

 

Until my next post, have a great couple of weeks.

Never Stop Learning

My motivation and inspiration for painting not only includes the joy of sharing my art with others but also the experience of personal growth in my skills as an artist. Last week I participated in five intensive days of group instruction with internationally renowned plein air artist, Morgan Samuel Price.

The week included daily demos and lessons by Morgan during the mornings. The group then applied the lessons-learned in the afternoons by painting at various Sarasota locations. I have to say that the week was both exhilarating and exhausting. What a week!

Before transitioning to become a fulltime artist, my primary career for the past 30 years revolved around corporate employee training and adult education. I guess once an educator always an educator, since I continue to be fascinated by the human learning process.  Last week, I experienced a perfect demonstration of a teaching and learning process that I used many times during my adult education career. It’s called, “behavior modeling.”

In a very simplistic nutshell, the behavior modeling process consists of:

1. An Explanation or Overview - The instructor discusses the objective and importance of the skill module and the specific behavior or critical steps of the activity to be learned.

2. A Demonstration - The instructor effectively utilizes the skill as the trainee observes.

3. Practice - The trainee practices the skill as the instructor observes.

4. Skill practice feedback - After the practice session, the trainee receives feedback from observers and the instructor that emphasizes things done correctly. Where the behavior or skill could have been more effective, alternative positive behaviors or skills are suggested.

When conducted well, this teaching and learning process is a very comfortable and effective fit for both the teacher and the student. My challenge now is to take the mound of information and skills that I picked up during that concentrated week and begin to apply it to my new works. As I continue to do that, I hopefully will experience something called "skill transfer" or in other words, personal growth.

Below, I've included one of my “almost completed” plein air studies of a garden sculpture that I painted on the grounds of the Ringling Museum last week. Since I usually spot a few things that I’d like to change once it’s back in my studio, I’ll be touching it up just a bit before it’s available for sale.

 

 

Have a great week, everyone, and keep on learning!

St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Milkshakes on the Rocks at Magen’s Bay

After a hearty breakfast, we gather our towels and lotion and head to the beach. Since I’ve always been a beach lover, I can’t say enough about two of my favorite beaches. The first and most famous St. Thomas beach is Magen’s Bay Beach. This beautiful crescent-shaped beach has hosted thousands of weddings. Walking along the beach to the left, you encounter diving pelicans searching for their fish dinner. As you walk to the right and pass the concession stand you can then walk in the water next to the rocks for quite a long way out because it’s so shallow.

Magen’s Bay Rocks -- 20"x40" acrylic painting on stretched canvas (unframed) available on my Etsy Shop page Alan Zawacki Fine Art Etsy Shop

 

If you want a tasty treat after spending the morning soaking up the sun on the beach, make a milkshake run to Udder Delite. This dairy facility/hut, just a half mile from the beach, serves great milkshakes and even a whole menu of alcoholic milkshakes. Yum!
 

Quiet Day at Secret Harbour

My second favorite beach on St. Thomas is Secret Harbour.  This little gem is  an intimate and relaxing stretch of water and beach tucked away on the east side of the island. It has great snorkeling and very calm water. I spotted my first barracuda one day while snorkeling there. We both just stared at each other for a few seconds before he swam off to find a fish more his size. They are generally very safe to be around unless you are wearing a shiny fishing lure around your neck.

Secret Harbour -- 12"x16" oil painting on stretched canvas (unframed) available on my Etsy Shop page Alan Zawacki Fine Art Etsy Shop

 

 

St. Thomas has a lot to offer, shopping, beaches, food, and great people. It also serves a convenient launching point to the other US and British Virgin Islands (coming up in future posts).

To view or purchase my larger paintings, please visit my website at Alan Zawacki Fine Art

Being in the Zone

Have you ever been "in the zone?" I recently came across two different blogs that discussed the condition of “being in the zone.”

The first blog (Exact Sports) wrote about the zone as it relates to athletes and the second (John Pototschnik Fine Art) about artists.

I assume that many of you have experienced, at one time or another, the feeling of being in the zone. I know that I have. I remember times when I was surfing or boogie boarding. For hours, the only thing that I was aware of were the ebb and flow of the waves. No other problems or thoughts entered my mind. I was fully absorbed within the blanket of nature. I have also experienced this feeling as an artist.

Occasionally, I find that hours have passed without my awareness as I have been working on a painting. I can only assume that I have been in the zone for that period of time. Either that or a time warp from space passed over my studio. I became totally lost in the creative process.

In 1999, a team of scientists and sports psychologists conducted a study that identified 10 essential elements of “the zone.” They are as follows:

1. Balance of challenge and skills

2. Complete absorption in the activity

3. Clear goals

4. Merging of action and awareness

5. Total concentration on the task at hand 

7. A sense of control

8. No goals or rewards external to the activity

9. Transformation of time

10. Effortless movement

Some of these elements are referenced by a couple of well-known artists as they describe "being in the zone."

 

Ken Backhaus, the famous painter, said, “Being in the zone is like a well-oiled machine, you are performing without hesitation, no distractions, and can push yourself and you respond, the challenges that are present or come up during the painting process become solved. The traditional sound principal and foundations guide your skills that you have acquired over the years. Confidence directs the eye and the hand. Everything within you and around you is in harmony.”

Marc Hanson, another premier artist, said, “It's easiest for me to find myself "in the zone" when outside on location, painting 'en plein air'. Almost every time that I paint outside, I'm there, in the zone. I think that's partly why I feel that is the most honest place for me to be painting. Having the time constraint of plein air painting, and the lack of any outside interference, except for the occasional passerby, makes it the ideal situation for me to find myself in that zone.”

I’ve come to understand that it’s not always possible to put yourself in the zone. It happens or it doesn’t happen. But, I've also been told that continual emersion in your practice, whether it be sports, music, carpentry or painting will provide more ability to focus and therefore create more opportunities to find yourself in the zone.

 

Whenever it happens, though, it feels really good -- doesn't it?

The Light Chasers (the Sarasota chapter of Plein Air Florida) will hold it's 2nd Annual show from February 28 - March 28 at the Art Center Sarasota.

I have been associated with this great group of artists for quite a few months now and enjoy our weekly paint sessions immensely.

I will have one of my recent plein air paintings in the show, South Lido Morning (9"x12" oil on canvas wrapped board in a gold plein air frame - $320).

This painting was completed in a morning session at the south end of Lido Key (Sarasota, Florida). I wanted to capture the light hitting the building on the opposite shore as well as the various blue shades of the sky and turquoise green of the water. As the morning progressed, the wind came up and began to whip up the Gulf a little.

All in all, not a bad way to spend a February morning!