Mayan Stela

[KathyJB]

Well Let me first to post in the New watercolor plus forum.
I did an experimental painting on 300 lb. WC paper (arches)
First I did a painting with watercolors, then looking for some
structure I spread a thin layer of spackle over the painting in
certain areas and using my stamps I had some fun, what looks
like a Mayan Stela emerged.
Comments please,
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Mar-2007/7614-steela.jpg

Detail:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Mar-2007/7614-stelladetail.jpg

[mmcaloon]

The first painting in the new sub forum and I get to make the first comment.

Mmm. mmm.....(clearing my thoat this has got to be right making history an all)

It does look very mayan. As always lots of great color and now some intense structure as well. Always fun seeing what you come up with Kat.

[Becky-Bob]

Well, congratulations on the very first post! :)

This is quite interesting. I see some very interesting things going on here. Pillars and some faces, and I love the symbols, or glyphs. :clap: :thumbsup:

[KathyJB]

The first painting in the new sub forum and I get to make the first comment.

Mmm. mmm.....(clearing my thoat this has got to be right making history an all)

It does look very mayan. As always lots of great color and now some intense structure as well. Always fun seeing what you come up with Kat.

Heheh Mike your funny, I am not convinced I like the composition but I was so excited at the thought of using stamps in spackle that I just ran with it,
appreciate your being the first to post a response in the first watercolor plus thread, thanks,

Well, congratulations on the very first post!

This is quite interesting. I see some very interesting things going on here. Pillars and some faces, and I love the symbols, or glyphs.
Thank you Becky, I as going to wait till morning then I realised, wait I cant get booted off the page yet, its only me and kev here so far,
thanks for your kudos GF

[Lulu]

love the texture and the stamp effects in this Kat. I see faces too. What is spackle?
I will be back to this section to peek often - I loved mixed media, currently using acrylics, but want to try it with w/colour too.

[CharM]

Congratulations, Kat!!! :clap:

I really enjoy your stampwork... this definitely has a Mayan flavour... the colours are earthy and dusty, your textures are interesting and your composition is elegant...

[KathyJB]

love the texture and the stamp effects in this Kat. I see faces too. What is spackle?
I will be back to this section to peek often - I loved mixed media, currently using acrylics, but want to try it with w/colour too.
Hi Lulu, thanks for responding, its a little lonely in here LOL
glad people are finding it ok now,
Yes spackle is the stuff you patch wall board with, no info on the archivalness of it but with paint added and sealed it does help keep the household in nice condition, so it cant be all bad, I thought of the stamping this morning when I realised that my new custom made stamps don't really take paint so well as the soft lino blocks, therefore I was dissapointed...
then the thought occurred it does make a nice impression tho... hence the spackle...again thanks for responding,

Congratulations, Kat!!!

I really enjoy your stampwork... this definitely has a Mayan flavour... the colours are earthy and dusty, your textures are interesting and your composition is elegant...
Well thank you Char, Lately I live and breathe Mayan and Egyptian artifacts, I was able to see the tut exhibit in the city last week also, oh it was heaven!!!!
appreciate you kind words very much,

[katsarecool]

Nice work there!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KathyJB]

Thanks Nancy, appreciate that, I have been calling you Kat all this time LOL now I find your name is not Kat I will try and remember Nancy,

[gmarie]

Kat, your work is always pretty, this is especially fun, with the dimensional effect of the spackling. Glad to see you expressing yourself so beautifully, and the perfect lady to "cristen" the new gallery. I'll keep my mouth shut as to what you did to my favorite paper ;) :heart: Keep following your heart, we'll be seeing you on "5th Ave".

[KathyJB]

Kat, your work is always pretty, this is especially fun, with the dimensional effect of the spackling. Glad to see you expressing yourself so beautifully, and the perfect lady to "cristen" the new gallery. I'll keep my mouth shut as to what you did to my favorite paper Keep following your heart, we'll be seeing you on "5th Ave".
5th ave wow, can I get there faster if i devulge that I have a relative who lives on Park Avenue?
Oh and the 300 lb. paper was recycled rrom my earlier days, I used the back is that an improvement LOL?
Even I know better then to put spackle on a perfectly pure sheet of arches 300
Thanks for your kudos you made me smile,
The more i look at this the more I see how bad the photo is, will take new pics tomorrow,

[Roun2it]

Hey you have got a Gallery here all of your own!!!

Great work Kat. Love the sparkle you added, and yes it is very Mayan.

I hope this is a great foundation stone for the new gallery here at WC. I'm sure it will move faster when folks get used to the changes.

[butterfly.art]

Kat, you know I am a great admirer of your work. I was going to ask what spakle is too:lol:

What is the story behind your 'new custom made stamp's?
Whatever it is ,you have done a great job as always.

Recycling is good too:angel:

Tricia

[Brian Barnes]

Kat-- I've been watching your progress over the last few years ..... and wow! You've come a long way. This piece is really really good! :thumbsup:

Better watch it though. If you're too good you'll scare off any others who want to display their works in this sub-forum.:D ;)

BrianB

[juneto]

:wave: :wave: Having seen many Mayan Stela , from many trips to Mexico and loving them. I say Congratulations on all counts . You are First in all of it .
June:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :cool: :cool: :cool: :) :)

[juneto]

What ? What ??
Nancy , Nancy , Not Kathy , Not Kat !!!
I am really having a Senior Moment !:eek: :eek: :eek:
June:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :o :o :o :o :D :D :D

[lightfast]

very nice textures and colors. brilliant idea to use spackle for this!

[laudesan]

Love the texture - Love the palette - love the painting!!!!! :clap: :clap:

Lulu spackle is Polly Filler..:)

How are you going to frame this beauty??

:wave:

[Uschi]

Kat-- I've been watching your progress over the last few years ..... and wow! You've come a long way. This piece is really really good! :thumbsup:

BrianB

What Brian said and it is a wonderful piece Kat!!!!!
Uschi

[artman42]

Great Color, and Texture, :) Frame it,

[RandyC]

Great job Kat. I love the the work you do. Do you ever have trouble with the spakle flaking off or anything? Does it pose any problems for framing?

[KathyJB]

Hey you have got a Gallery here all of your own!!!
Great work Kat. Love the sparkle you added, and yes it is very Mayan.
I hope this is a great foundation stone for the new gallery here at WC. I'm sure it will move faster when folks get used to the changes
Hi Kev, I was just applying spackle when I read the stickie about the new space, so I went for it,
I have a new photo that has a better image and was taken outside this morning, see next post
Kat, you know I am a great admirer of your work. I was going to ask what spakle is too
What is the story behind your 'new custom made stamp's?
Whatever it is ,you have done a great job as always.
Recycling is good too
Tricia, thank you, very much. The story, hmmm where do i start, I love texture, and shapes and color so much, and I bought some of those soft eraser like lino blocks, I like them but want to do more with it so i made some fancier stamps out of moulding compound (used for boat repair)
It didnt spamp as well as the lino stamps so I went back to clay stamps, (slay stamps are nice when used before they dry but they are not permanent
then suddely I thought, I am working backwards, I need to put my impressions into the support like the ancients did, the rest is history, so glad you stopped by to look at this, Kev has done me a wonderful turn by creating this because I now realise my work is mostly watercolor and mixed media,

Kat-- I've been watching your progress over the last few years ..... and wow! You've come a long way. This piece is really really good!
Better watch it though. If you're too good you'll scare off any others who want to display their works in this sub-forum.
Hi Brian, nooo I dont want to scare anyone off, I come from very humble beginnings and you were all kind enough to endure my early stuff and even alot of this stuff, so glad you like this and its great to see you !!

Having seen many Mayan Stela , from many trips to Mexico and loving them. I say Congratulations on all counts . You are First in all of it .
Wow June thats some kudos there for me thanks!! I havnt been to Mexico tho it is a dream of mine, I did however get to the Tut exhibit and i nearly turned inside out, oh so awesome, needless to say we have the DVD...I am so taken with the old writings I just have to incorporate it into my work...

very nice textures and colors. brilliant idea to use spackle for this!
Thank you Lightfast, appreciate your response, welcome to the new forum:)

Love the texture - Love the palette - love the painting!!!!!
Lulu spackle is Polly Filler..
How are you going to frame this beauty??
JJ I think I will use a floater frame and spray it with fixitive then maybe some matt varnish,
thanks for your kudos, I have a hidden agenda, the place where I want to frame it is also a gallery I am trying to get into,

What Brian said and it is a wonderful piece Kat!!!!!
Uschi, thank you, and this was experimental even, thanks again

Great Color, and Texture, Frame it,
Thanks Jim, my artists' society is going to want to know how I did this, so now I have to plan a demo sigh
well at least I will have something to teach,

Great job Kat. I love the the work you do. Do you ever have trouble with the spakle flaking off or anything? Does it pose any problems for framing?
Hi Randy, thanks, I have only done one other piece with spackle aned that was covered over with tissue paper and calligraphy, so not sure, I will paint over the next impressions I do with gesso and it should seal well, this one I left as is and will use mat get medium I think or krylon, time will tell, I know if you sand spackle on wall board it doesnt flake when painted...
I will frame it as an open piece unless advised otherwise at the shop. Thanks for asking I have the same questions myself,

[KathyJB]

Here is a better detail:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-Mar-2007/7614-stelacrop3.jpg

another detail:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-Mar-2007/7614-stellacropdetail3.jpg

and the entire painting:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-Mar-2007/7614-stelacrop2.jpg

[lyn lynch]

And, try laying down a stencil and filling the holes with spackle. Immediately remove the stencil, let the spackly try and you have the reverse of the rubber stamp image. Fun! I love mixed media. Arches is a good sheet for this work.

[mgthorvaldsen]

:wave: HI! Kathy, Interesting effects, Liking the texture of the stamped spackle. Regards, Marianne

[KathyJB]

And, try laying down a stencil and filling the holes with spackle. Immediately remove the stencil, let the spackly try and you have the reverse of the rubber stamp image. Fun! I love mixed media. Arches is a good sheet for this work.
Cool idea fookie!!! I will do just that,

HI! Kathy, Interesting effects, Liking the texture of the stamped spackle. Regards, Marianne, thank you, very much, this is fun, havnt told DH I dipped into his spackle heheh

[Joan T]

Kat, Thanks for starting this gallery off so well! You did capture a sort of Mayan feeling here. Nice job!! Does the spackle make the painting heavy? I know you did it on 300 lb paper...

[KathyJB]

Kat, Thanks for starting this gallery off so well! You did capture a sort of Mayan feeling here. Nice job!! Does the spackle make the painting heavy? I know you did it on 300 lb paper...
Hi Joan,
Heavy as in heavy to lift off the board I attatched it to?
no not at all, just created a raised low relief sort of look which I have been wanting to creat for weeks, I was looking around for clay slip when the spackle was here all along, I may still try the slip...
thanks BTW thats a great question,

[Europa]

Kat - first of all Congratulations on being the first to post in the New Gallery :thumbsup:

A lovely piece to start us off - I love how you manage to introduce us to new techniques.

Pat

[KathyJB]

Thanks Pat, does that mean you will be posting next (Ihope I hope)
I think the new techniques find me actually, my mind is just out there heheh
my brother would say yeah your out there like pluto,
this has been and is great fun, I also found the
"International Society of Experimental Artists"
last night while browsing thru one of nicks links how cool is that?
check it out:

http://www.iseartists.org/

[Paulafv]

Love the palette and the spackle. I see what looks like an upside-down baby face with green hair in the upper left of your painting.

This is household spackle for repairing holes in the wall, correct? Not something new the Golden or Liquitex is selling. Filled over 500 nail holes in my son's, later my daughter's room two years ago. Very familiar with spackle.
I was complaining to myself, because I was the one who said they could drive another nail or use thumbtacks.

Love all your paintings, especially the innovative ones. Glad you made the first post for the new Plus area, and frankly, I'm glad there is a place to post watercolors, plus.

[KathyJB]

Hi Paula and thanks for your encouraging words, yes I like to spackle but noty when I have to do it all, I have a feeling wer will be doing a bit more spackling when the roof is repaiered and we start work in the dormers sigh,

I have seen liquitex stuff but none of the produsts seem to be thick enough for what i need,
thanks again

[clementine]

I saw your process in the wash ,you got very interesting textures!
clem

[KathyJB]

I saw your process in the wash ,you got very interesting textures!
Thank you Clem, I have almost forgotton how i did that, I used several types of stamps here and it just depends on how wet the spackle is as to what impression sets the best
thanks again, Happy first post in here also,

[pampe]

Kat, the play of the textures is very appealing

I also like your color choices!

[KathyJB]

Kat, the play of the textures is very appealing

I also like your color choices!
Thank you Pam, this is a lot of fun, an a culmination of lots of trial and error, appreciate your kind words,

[yahooserious]

Even I know better then to put spackle on a perfectly pure sheet of arches 300


Kat... Spackle is for the face, not Arches 300!!!:D

Love the texture...

Emilie

[KathyJB]

Kat... Spackle is for the face, not Arches 300!!!
ha and sometimes spackle is not enough

Thanks made me laugh, appreciate your looking,

[ailuromaniac]

How wonderfully textural :)

[lyn lynch]

Golden Light Modeling Paste is what I used. The Golden product will dry permanently, I'm not sure about the long-term effect of spackle, especially since you are not planning to put it behind glass.

If you are using the stencil idea, be sure to immediately wash your stencil or you won't get the product off.

[KathyJB]

How wonderfully textural
ailuromaniac, thank you, appreciate your comments very much,

Golden Light Modeling Paste is what I used. The Golden product will dry permanently, I'm not sure about the long-term effect of spackle, especially since you are not planning to put it behind glass.

If you are using the stencil idea, be sure to immediately wash your stencil or you won't get the product off.
OK thanks fookie I will make a note of that,
yes about the long term effect... time will tell,
I could also coat it with matt gel medium...for the spackled pieces already done... but I am interested in looking into the Modeling paste:)
Oh and BTW I did try your stencil idea with excelent results!!! will post in next thread when the painting is finished,

[BrendaSue]

Wonderful texture and colors in this Kat!

Bree

[maryrose]

Kat...I love the way you push your art!!

This painting really expresses the sacred aura that seems to surround a lot of ancient architecture. The texture is perfect....and the odd little calligraphies add great mystery.

A perfect innaugural Painting for an exciting forum!

Thanks for posting, Kat :clap:

[KathyJB]

Wonderful texture and colors in this Kat!
Hi Bree thanks so much, I appreciate your time and kind comments,

Kat...I love the way you push your art!!
This painting really expresses the sacred aura that seems to surround a lot of ancient architecture. The texture is perfect....and the odd little calligraphies add great mystery.
A perfect innaugural Painting for an exciting forum!
Thanks for posting, Kat
Thank you Mary, yes i push it hehehe sometimes to the point of no return,
I thank you for your kind words, I do think that the Mayans were so mysterious and advanced and there is still so much to learn from all who have gone before us, thanks for noticing that!!!

[mrs willow]

Well, congratulations on the very first post! :)

This is quite interesting. I see some very interesting things going on here. Pillars and some faces, and I love the symbols, or glyphs. :clap: :thumbsup:
Congratulations on being the first!:clap: :clap:
This is subtle and intriguing ... definitely reminds me of Mayan ruins.
Sandy

[Chief]

Way to go Kat......love the painting......this new sub-forum is going to be a lot of fun......I'm going to contribute as soon as I figure out what I want to experiment with. :lol: Chief:lol:

[KathyJB]

Congratulations on being the first!
This is subtle and intriguing ... definitely reminds me of Mayan ruins.
Hi Sandy, aned thank YOU for commenting and taking time to look in here, I am enjoying these, they sort of paint them selves...

Way to go Kat......love the painting......this new sub-forum is going to be a lot of fun......I'm going to contribute as soon as I figure out what I want to experiment with. Hi Chief, glad you like this, I have scads of ideas if you need any...
thanks for commenting, means alot,

[olliewood0702]

Wonderful effect Kat...I LOVE how you describe your technique for us. This one is full of wonderful things to see.

[KathyJB]

Wonderful effect Kat...I LOVE how you describe your technique for us. This one is full of wonderful things to see.
Thank you Darla, did you see what I put in the studio as well, the design is different but its a similalar technique,
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=407134
thanks for looking,

[Wind Song]

Kat,
What a cool painting! I like this a lot.
Absolutely gorgeous!

[KathyJB]

Kat,
What a cool painting! I like this a lot.
Absolutely gorgeous!
Hi Sharon and thanks for taking time to stop and comment, I appreciate it

[oldasa]

Guess I'm late the party but I'm using spackle as a quick down and dirty way to cover up thread texture in stretched canvas. Google searches have shown that others use spackle for this purpose too. I hate the thread showing through and want to short cut all the necessary coats of gesso.
A quick look at the spackle label of ingredients indicates that it practically the same composition as acryilic gesso only obviously thicker. So the longevity of spackle should aproach that of modern gesso as well.
As for using this stuff on stretched canvas and I guess paper too, I would not proceed much thicker than 1/8th of an inch in thickness. Spackle so far has proven flexible enough not to crack on my streached canvas so lets see how others feel about this. Sence spackle is water clean up that seems to qualify it for "Water Plus Gallery" just find.

Looking forward to seeing how others feel about spackle.

[KathyJB]

Yes good point, Oldasa, I have been asked about the archival properties of spackle and i thought if you can paint over it and it stands up to bodily traffic in the house, it must be good to go,
thanks for commenting, would love to see your finished painting,

[oldasa]

Wait a minute, Kathy. Do you mean that you've used spackle as part of a floor cloth or something under foot like that? That is simply fantastic to me.

Regards

[KathyJB]

No sorry, I just meant that spackle. when applied to the wall and painted over holds up well to normal trsffic in and out of rooms yes?

sorry if I misled you,