The Tales Part 12..Some Slightly Surreal Stuff from the Journal...Illustrated
Rene’s Orange...Watercolour and Acrylic
Words and Images..Inks and Watercolour with Collage
Leaves in the Wind..Bleach and Inks
Two Apples..Watercolour Sgraffito
The Pumpkins...Bleach and Inks
Pastel Lemon..Pastel with Oils.
The Tales Part 12..Some Slightly Surreal Stuff from the Journal...Illustrated belongs to the following groups:
Complex Simplicity of Art, ! 100% !, All Around the Styles, Art Inspired by Dreams, AW Welcome Center, Contemporary Professional Painters and Sculptors, EF Welcome Center, If it doesn't belong, JPG Cast-Offs, Light In The Darkness, Live, Love, Dream: , Safe Haven, The Patchwork , THE SISTERHOOD, Ultimate Resources and Visual Texture(no pornography,nudes or offensive works)Instead of continuing with my commissioned work today, I decided to write part 12 of the Tales and show you a few of the hundreds of experiments I do with various techniques and subject matter…as I said in previous segments of The Tales, I have kept many journals over the years, some written and others illustrated…here are a few examples of what I have labeled as the “Slightly Surreal Stuff and a few of the journals are pictured below”..
I won’t describe in full the techniques I used for each one, as you will be reading forever, but I will say that the materials are fairly unorthodox, and included chemiclas like bleach, plaster, as well as more standard mediums like watercolours, acrylics and inks in unusual combinations_…
Spiders..Bleach and Ink
Rene’s Lemon..Watercolour and Acrylic
Etched in Stone 2..Watercolour on Plaster
Lemon 3..Watercolour and Plastic
Rene’s Carrot..Watercolour and Acrylic
Keeping a visual journal is an important way of discovering your own personal style, a way to try out new techniques and combinations of colours and mediums…it is a place to keep notes of experiments, ideas and impressions …
I still keep visual journals, and though I may not refer to them very often, they are there as a record of this wonderful journey I am on.
blamo
Shows what a dedicated lover of art you are ….............. Janis
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much Tone…it’s been going on a long time now… :))
blamo
I know …...............lol kinda gets under your very psyche
Janis Zroback replied
And you can never get it out…not that I want to…it’s too enjoyable and it’s a reason for being….
catherine walker
Beautiful Janis..fabulous ..and good to see that I’m not the only one who experiments like this… I’ve tried so many similar materials here..because bob has all his pottery stuff in the shed..clays and plasters..etc I found myself experimenting over the years.. hha!!
your results are a bit better than mine.. gosh I’ve had some funny experiments
I tried plastering some type of board one day ..then painting it..it all looked so good and I got right into it filling it with flowers.. all great till the plaster fell off in a lot of places hhhha!! ..so then I triedglueing it all down ..but that still didn’t seem to work..it still fell off…
I think I still have that old plaster painting ..so you’ve inspired me now to get it out and have another go at it..I’d make a great fresco painter huh!!.....
hhhhhah!!!!!!
anyway..well done..I enjoy your writing and experimenting janis.
xxoooo
Janis Zroback replied
In the previous segments that I wrote here I showed other paintings from the journal as well…
Your wood may have had a finish on it…you have to sand it well before you put plaster on it…try another glue and see if that works…or sand the areas where it fell off and add new plaster…use construction plaster which is meant to adhere….
Thanks so much Catherine…glad you like the new chapter.. :))
bev langby
Just gorgeous Janis all of them and u know the Pumpkins look like hot air balloons
Janis Zroback replied
You are right Bev…they do…I’m glad you like the new chapter of The Tales from an Artist’s Journal…
kjgordon
You definitely are the GURU of the art world….....
I just try to keep my brushes clean…..........
Janis Zroback replied
How do you like my spiders?...in real life I don’t want them in the house, though I tolerate them in the garden…and if I saw so many at once…horrors…I don’t know about being a guru, but I like everything about painting…thanks so much KJ…
DesignsByDeb
If I only had the talent you have in your littlest finger….........
Janis Zroback replied
Thanks so much Deb…it’s very nice of you to say so…
Faith Donovan
Thank you for sharing! It’s wonderful to read about all those techniques you are using to create your beautiful art. Bleach and inks is quite interesting!! :)) xox
Janis Zroback replied
The bleach technique is not recommended if you don’t have ventilation or if you want you work to last…it is strictly for fun and experimentation…eventually the bleach eats away at the paper…thanks so much Faith..
GEORGE SANDERSON
Its a great idea to keep a journal, Janis
I keep almost everthing i do in folders to refer to when neccessary and l find it a great help !
Janis Zroback replied
The thing is I hardly refer to them again once I’ve done the work or jotted down an idea…I seem to just put it out of mind and move onto the next thing…..it’s mostly to keep a record of what I do and also notes on ideas for future paintings…
I have tons of folders as well as journals, and big bins where art work is organised…I know where they are if I need them…
I have two books for RedBubble, where I record everything I post etc. and spread sheets for the other sites where I list work…I won’t paint without order around me…been like that all my life about everything I do…
Janis Zroback replied
I added a picture of a few of the Journals themselves…
Jim Phillips
I actually have my students start a image journal. I’ve told them that I keep one today, but that I didn’t always keep one and that I have some regrets for not having kept one. Super Janis.
Janis Zroback replied
Even if you never go back to them, it’s a great idea to kepp at least a visual journal of ideas…I keep several kinds…some with just notes of ideas, and several like this with full paintings in them…it really chronicles how far you have come as an artist when you look back on the early work…Thanks so much Jim…
Janis Zroback replied
I added a picture of a few of the journals themselves…
Sally Omar
You, Dear Janis, are an awesome artist…I so enjoy your work!!!!!!!!!!! Hugs, Sally xoxoxoooxxo
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much Sally for your enthusiastic and continued support…I really appreciate it…
Alison Pearce
Beautiful work Janis!! You are not only a great artist but also a great teacher and source of encouragement. I believe I have learnt a lot from you during my time on redbubble. It takes a wonderful artist to show such dedication to their own art but also to share your knowledge :)
Janis Zroback replied
What a lovely compliment Alison…it’s a pity you aren’t nearer to take one of my courses…
Joanne Bradley
Well my first comment is that your journals look like works of art! I have to agree with Alison above, you demonstrate such a generous spirit Janis sharing your knowledge and your techniques, and despite the fact that I am not a painter, I have learned so much in this past year from reading your words and of course from admiring the fantastic art you produce. As for this journal’s examples, I am completely fascinated with the two done with bleach and ink: Spider and Leaves in the wind. It may be unconventional mediums but the results are quite spectacular!
Janis Zroback replied
That’s why I have a studio filled with art materials, so I could mess around with different stuff all the time…you cannot imagine all the experiments I have done…I get together with a group of ladies every month (since 1995) and teach workshops and have fun learning new ways to use all sorts of things…I’m glad you like the latest “tale” Joanne…