Glass Bottles on Parade WIP

**painterbear** · #1 11-05-2009, 06:26 AM

I am experimenting with a new painting surface for me — 300 lb. instead of my usual 140 lb. I am finding it a bit different and a little difficult to get used to, so I thought I'd do it here as a WIP to give me incentive to finish.

Reference: Photo by Chookbrown in the RIL. Thanks C for posting it.
Paper: 300 lb., probably Arches (came in a sample pack so I'm not sure)
Size: 8.5" x 11"
Paints: various manufacturers, all artist grade

Here is the pencil drawing before lifting with a kneaded eraser:

This was the first day's painting progress. It felt as if I were painting on blotting paper. Certainly is making me paint a bit more loosely than usual:

I'm going to have to do some lifting and scrubbing to get back the highlights I've lost on the bottles.

Comments and suggestions invited as always.

Sylvia

raxu · #2 11-05-2009, 06:30 AM

Sylvia...
this is exiting

, the drawing is

and the way the bottles look now make me really curious, as I never painted glass yet... Thanks for sharing, I will be following your steps...

**pjartwc** · #3 11-05-2009, 07:00 AM

Boy, you are brave to try out a new product for an audience. I like your start and am interested in how your paint lifting works. I always have trouble unless I use a scrubber- my preference is a wet brush. Jan

Uschi · #4 11-05-2009, 08:04 AM

Ohhh, you are painting THOSE glass bottles!!!!!!!!!!!! Very brave!!!! Yes, you'll have your work cut out to recapture the whites

Great start tough, they are already looking good!! I have never painted on 300 paper but can imagine the difficulty considering this delicate kind of work.

Uschi

CharM · #5 11-05-2009, 08:10 AM

Hiya Syl... along with the marbles, this is one of my favourite references... I haven't worked up the courage to paint either of them, though...

You're very brave to paint all this glass while trying out the 300# paper!

I'm a little surprised that you didn't mask out any of the highlights... Because of the weight of the paper, though, lifting should really be relatively easy... and you won't have any of those hard edges to deal with.

I'm looking forward to your next steps!!

**olliewood0702** · #6 11-05-2009, 09:06 AM

Wonderful start Sylvia, I'm pulling up my chair. I've never tried painting these either although I've been wanting to. With the 300lb paper it will take ALOT of scrubbing so recapturing the whites shouldn't be too bad. I'm not a fan of the 300lb paper either....just more used to the 140lb.

**Yorky** · #7 11-05-2009, 09:09 AM

Wow! This is a tough one Sylvia, especially at that small size.

You have made a great start. restoring the lights should be easier on the 300lb paper.

Doug

gmarie · #8 11-05-2009, 04:09 PM

Fabulous. What a delight, & wonderful challenge.
You'll do this just great.
I love that #300.
Cut out a tiny little template (the plastic that bacon comes on)
of the shape of the highlights you'd like to restore,
and place where you'd like to lift, then, "lift".

**painterbear** · #9 11-05-2009, 04:40 PM

Thanks all for the lovely comments and encouragement. I just added color to the last two bottles and the table top.

I took Char's idea about masking fluid and masked out the highlights on the magenta and purple bottles. So we'll see which works better, saving the highlights with masking fluid or lifting them.

Great idea about a template, GM. I'll keep that in mind when the time comes to start lifting.

Raxu,
Both my teachers said the secret to painting glass is to paint the shapes you see through it.

That's what I'm trying to do.

I'm still not feeling the love for the 300 lb. paper I expected to though.

I'll try to take another progress picture tomorrow when I get a little more done. Stay tuned.

Sylvia

ona · #10 11-05-2009, 04:53 PM

I cant wait to see your progress and how you tackle the 300lb paper. I have some but am not brave enough to use it yet. Its a good start

Yes painting lass is all about painting shapes of what is behind it

Ona

**painterbear** · #11 11-06-2009, 04:11 PM

Thanks, Ona. I'm still not used to the way the paints work on this heavier paper. Still struggling with it, in fact.

I worked on it a bit more today and yesterday. I added the color to the last two bottles, then I put more paint on the blue and red bottles. Tried lifting paint on the yellow one, but I may have to resort to using Luma White to add the fine line highlights.

Here is where it stands at this time:

**Yorky** · #12 11-06-2009, 04:17 PM

It's looking great Sylvia, love the clean colours.

Doug

**olliewood0702** · #13 11-06-2009, 07:17 PM

Lovely clean color and your glass is looking great! Keep on going Sylvia; it's looking wonderful so far.

CharM · #14 11-06-2009, 07:25 PM

It's really looking pretty, Syl... Your colour is nice and clear and your glass is already resembling glass... the star of this show, though, are the wonderful reflections!

juneto · #15 11-06-2009, 11:59 PM

Sylvia !!!!!!! I can't believe you are putting ALLthose bottles on such a Teeny piece of paper !!

I almost fell out of my seat when I read that .

Having gotten over my shock , I see these are looking Terrific.
300 lb. is Super , it's just different . It it so substantial and stays wet so long. It does take time to adapt to it though .
carry on , Looking great !
June

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