Figure Painting

Posted on February 23, 2017 by victoria A. Olson

Dante’s Inferno Canto IV in process – Mixed Technique: Tempera Under-painting and Resin-Oil Finish.

ILLustration in Process of Canto IV, Limbo

Almost finished…(Inspired by Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy)

Canto IV Session 20

The mixed technique is oil paint and egg tempera. The resin-oil drying time is more than a few days.

When drying a painting with this kind of mixture make sure the painting is isolated for a few days since all varnishes are volatile and harmful.

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri is as Divine as Epic Poetry gets. There’s nothing pretty about the poem to paint and art has never been about painting a pretty pictures.

I’ve posted three sessions, the other sessions in between were mistakes taken off of the canvas. ;).

Session 19

Canto IV Limbo Session 10

Dante’s Inferno Canto 2 (55-63)

Posted on September 24, 2016 by victoria A. Olson

Dante’s Inferno Canto 2 (55) Beatriz Summons Virgil in Limbo 2012

Beatriz decends from a place that she longs to return to visit Virgil whose soul is suspended in Limbo. She asks Virgil to guide her friend Dante out of the dark forest where he is trapped by three beasts. Virgil describes Beatriz as having eyes that surpassed the spledor of the star’s.

Rough Draft Watercolor, Tempera & Resin-Oil (Mixed Media)

Posted on August 18, 2015 by victoria A. Olson

Starting with a rough draft in watercolor from a thought is the way I sometimes begin a painting; continuing with tempera and finishing with Resin-oil is how I might finish a painting.

draft 1

I usually do some small rough drafts before starting a painting. These first five drafts are watercolors.

Draft 2

So anyway, this is just what I did. I started with five or six small rough drafts in watercolor. I picked one and started a 80 cm x 100 cm canvas painting of the watercolor in egg tempera technique. After copying the watercolor as best I could, I continued building up the idea and the paint. I finished with resin-oil which gives the finish a candied look.

I like big formats, so I try to have a clear idea. I like large but not too large sizes like 80 cm x 100 cm and 150 cm x 100 cm.

draft 3

Tempera is great for under-painting or you can leave it as is – unvarnished. It’s so quick and changeable and accepts oil over-painting perfectly well as a finished painting.

draft 4

The thought is that I’m interested in robotics in the sense of West World and Artificial Intelligence; two emotionally impacting movies I saw that surprised me.

draft 5

I’ve been looking at some of the latest robots in you tube as well as other things and fiction is becoming reality as usual.

Draft 1

My painting is about how fiction and reality are closely knit.

There is something about robots; I’m sure you’ve noticed too.

Tempera underpainting

Unrequited_desire 80cm x 100 cm

Resin Oil on Canvas – In Process

The Art Making Process of Resin-Oil Painting

Posted on February 22, 2015 by victoria A. Olson

The Art Making Process of a Resin-oil Painting; a Spin-off from a Watercolor.

Most painters work in more than one medium because variety offers many possibilities of expression. I made a spin-off of the watercolor ‘Glass Bottles on top of Antique Closet’ in resin-oil. Resin-oil is a medium in which you mix oil with with thickened linseed oil and Venetian turpentine. This medium gives a candied effect with vivid colors. I use resin-oil in a more expressionistic manner than my watercolor and tempera paintings. I like the happy accidents and drips that show up on the canvas. There is one drawback regarding resin-oil; the room where you paint needs to have plenty of ventilation because the vapors are very strong.

Glass Bottles on top of Antique Closet 2015 Watercolor on Arches 640 GSM - 15 in x 22 in - 38 cm x 56 cm - unframed - $200.00 USD - Contact: victoriaangelesolson@hotmail.com

This is the watercolor ‘Glass Bottles on top of Antique Closet’. I chose this to make the resin-oil.

I use linseed oil, thickened linseed oil, Venetian turpentine, dry pigments and odorless petroleum spirits as part of my equipment.

I use dry pigment and mix it with linseed oil.

I mix dry pigment with linseed oil.

When you mix the dry pigment with linseed oil with a spatula, the paint has to stand up like butter, not run down to meet the surface.

I use different kinds of paint brushes. It depends on what I need. The most important thing is to clean them with petroleum spirits and wash them carefully with warm water and soap. I like dish washing soap. Then hang them upside down to dry.

When you finish your painting session, clean your brushes with petroleum spirit, wash them carefully with warm water and soap and hang them upside down to dry.

I don’t always begin with a drawing, but since I’m making a copy of my watercolor in a different meduim, I want to control the out come.

I always try to work all around the picture plane, developing everything at the same time in order to find harmony.

I'm still working all around the picture plane, trying to put down the exact color I see in an area and leave it there. The dry pigments are on the easel in little plastic containers.

I’m still working all around the picture plane, putting down the exact color I see in an area and leaving it there without smudging it around the canvas. The dry pigments are on the easel in little plastic containers.

My Favorite Bottles 2015
This is the final result of the resin-oil on canvas.

Victoria Olson Art – Watercolor, Egg Tempera & Oil

Brightening up Walls

Tag Archives: Resin-oil