Can you paint with watercolors on canvas? +
Yes! It’s true. Creative Mark produces a fine portraiture canvas (tightly woven) which is treated with a special gesso (primer) that allows pigments to “sink in.” It is alkaline based so it doesn’t resist the water like gesso used for acrylics and oils. The process has taken a few years to develop, with lots of experimenting on types of muslin, kinds of primers, and final finishes. I still use the Da Vinci watercolors, graphite, and charcoal. The techniques are classic to watercolor work. I do embellish with a 14K gold liquid leaf. When I have completed the image, I spray the canvas with a crystal clear coat of acrylic polymer to seal the pigments into the canvas. Then I spray a triple thick coat of “plastic” to help protect against abrasion and scratches. The last coat is a UV resistant polymer. It blocks the harmful sun and light rays and keeps the image. The finished product is archival and is tested for colorfastness; the pigments to 175 years, the finishes to 225 years… may we live long enough to see them fade!
How do you get such rich, deep colors with watercolor? +
The colors you see on a finished piece are the result of many layers of transparent watercolor. Each individual layer of watercolor is watered down and can look washed out. The deep colors and subtle shading are achieved by painting several colors over the other. So, each finished painting is the cumulative effect of the same image being painted over and over with different layers of color. I also use only fourteen colors in the Da Vinci line. These colors are tried and true for my palate from experimenting over the years. They are very rich colors to begin with.
What are your framing suggestions? +
Personal taste and your decorating scheme will dictate varying answers. However, I have found what works for me showing in different locales and considering different decorating styles is a simple studio black floater frame with a small gold ribbon on the facia. The gold enhances the gold embellishments I use on the flowers, earrings and necklaces of the ladies
Do you accept Commissions? +
Yes. I am quite comfortable interpreting existing images into colors more suitable for your environment or adapting images for personal significance (the right number of sisters around the table, etc.) Typically, I talk through the request with the client and quote the appropriate price for the proposed size of work. A deposit of 50% is collected and the painting is begun. When the painting is complete, a digital image is e-mailed for final approval. With final approval, the balance of payment is collected and the piece is shipped. Please call or e-mail to start the commission process. 757.477.2599 or info@tombarnesfineart.com