In my dream house I will have space for all my art!

I never shared my last few projects in painting with y'all!
This one is pretty awesome, but really the one that I can't wait to share is the last project from the class.
I'm gonna try and go in order, so next week you will get the one I'm REALLY proud of.

Just a recap of what I learned in my painting class. 

In beginning painting we are taught how to mix and see colors that are more than just the average blue, green, red or yellow. It is actually pretty intense in the beginning. I had NO clue that white objects really weren't white! (I talked about that process of looking for color in a post here.) 

Now this is our second to last project. It was more geared towards teaching different techniques. 

We were told to choose 2 art historical references. 

1 landscape painting

and 1 abstract painting. 

We would then use the color palate of the landscape and the composition and technique from the abstract painting. 

I chose a Gustav Cailebotte landscape The Bridge At Argenteui

I really loved all of Gustavs paintings and color pallets but this one in-particular "spoke to me". 

Well, maybe not but I LOVE these colors. Those blues are my colors. 

Just go look at my house and you will see that a majority of my projects end with some kinda of blue from this painting :) 

I then chose Morris Louis abstract pouring Delta Zeta 

I hadn't heard much about Morris Louis until I chose this painting. 

I really loved the way it all seemed to have a smooth, soft, light emitted from the canvas. 

I then combined these two pieces to try and create a greater sense of depth. 

It was really fun replicating while also figuring out how color can change so much.

The process that Morris Louis employs is a pouring or staining.
He uses thinned down acrylic paint to pour across a raw canvas. And has multiple different tools to help him manipulate the canvas to ensure he gets the shapes he desires from the colors.

I couldn't use that process so I sorta had to make it up on my own.
I used oil paints and thinned them down with mineral spirits and Galkyd which thins the paint to a point where it is more fluid.
I then used one large brush to keep the shapes from the original Louis painting and very delicately overlapped the many different stripes.

I loved working with this fluid paint and obviously the colors are pretty spot on with my living room :) Right now the painting is leaning against the wall in the guest room.
We just don't have enough space for it on our walls!!
One day. One day...