Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Weekend Shoppers

Weekend Shoppers 11x14 Oil on Canvas panel


This appears to be a family (tourists?) out shopping on Main Street in Eureka Springs AR. This was in the summer on one of the hotter days we had a few months ago. I'm guess that this is Mom and Dad out with their daughter. I go to look at and photograph the people - Melissa likes to go into the shops. This works out really well for us both.

I had problems with lighting this painting for the photo. I keep getting glare this is the best of many. I'll try again today to see if I can make a digital photo with a smart camera. The camera is smarter than the operator, that's for sure! :-)

Eureka Springs has many natural mineral springs. Two web sites where you can read more about it are: http://www.eurekasprings.com/ and http://www.eurekasprings.org/

We always stop at Bubba's BBQ - really! :-) Good BBQ and real people work there.

This is pointed on one of my home made Masonite panels covered with canvas. These panels have the look of canvas without the "bounce" of stretched canvas. The Masonite is reinforced with 3/4 inch square pieces of pine glued in place. I use better quality carpenter's glue clamped to the frame while the canvas is glued (and back stapled) to the Masonite with rabbit skin glue then I apply 3 or 4 coats of tinted Gesso. Presently my panels are "only" 3/4 inch thick. I'll make some thicker "gallery" panels later. I'll explain it mo bettah if anybody who is interested reads this far and lets me know with a comment.

3 comments:

  1. Hi Ken!
    That looks like a family to me too. I love the lighting, was this photo taken in the afternoon? (I guess it was). I wish my husband would have had something to do, as interesting as what you do, while I'm shopping, that would have saved the possibility of going together...! (I'd rather go alone or with a friend)
    I love the remark about the smart camera, that was hilarious!
    You should post a complete "How to make your own Masonite panels for dummies", with photos and/or a video. That would make a great piece of content for any art blog... very 'searchable' I think...
    Best regards,
    Carolina

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  2. Hi Carolina! The photo of the family was taken shortly after midday. As to the shopping thing - I don't "shop" well at all. When I shop, I go get what I'm looking for and leave. Walking around store after store "looking for something / anything to buy" drives me nuts. I suppose that it's a male gene or something.

    Get me started on my digital camera and we'll be here for a while. The @#$% thing "beep beeps" when it thinks that it's got the focus. I use a tripod and use the time delay so that I don't wiggle the @#$% camera. I press the button the camera tells me "beep beep" and the shutter shutters - out of focus. SOMETIMES! grrrrr :-)

    I'll see if I can put together some "how to" photos of my panels. There are probably many in internet land now. But I couldn't find 'em. Found some "how to's" for various parts but not the whole enchilada.

    Thanks for dropping by. Your sketching is really good - are you going to paint them or use your colored pencils to make paintings from your sketches? I'm thinking that I'll attend a drawing class next year. I don't draw well at all.

    Ken B.

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  3. Your colors made the simple scene beautiful. I now want to re look at my photos like this to paint. I have not done so in the past, because some of my photos look dreary :( But I think we can liven them up with our colors :)
    I've answered your question on my site, but is there a way we know if somebody writes us back on this site? I'm interested in learning how the artist who paints on oak veneer prepares his wood. Thank you

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