I recently tried something new – I started working on a piece of canvas pinned to a wood panel. What ended up happening was totally unexpected and so cool!
Watch the video and let me know what you think – what happened when you brought something new to your practice?
In gratitude, Nicholas
66 Comments
Hi! I’m
Nicholas Wilton
the founder of Art2Life.
With over 20 years experience as a working artist and educator, I’ve developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process.
Join me and artists from all over the world in our Free Art2Life Artists Facebook Group or learn more here about Art2Life.
I love how you’re open enough to actually see how great the wood markings make the painting. I call them “happy accidents”. I saw a textile I loved and wanted to do my interpretation of it. This doesn’t look anything like that textile but I’m really happy with it. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/174c74e72202f9b1c7e2c684b9b42631990fb4518208b169609d30206a02687d.jpg
Hi Deb, I hope it is okay to comment. What a wonderful painting: it vibrates, has depth and light, and has so much to look at. Is this acrylics, or oils, or something else? With gratitude…Lisa
I’m so happy you like the piece. I was going for something completely different and then this happened. I love when that happens. You just can’t count on it. This piece is acrylic with lots of scratches. Thanks so much.
I agree @lis@LTCGoodman:disqus
Great color on this one…
Thanks so much. That means a lot.
If I am understanding correctly, this was about the mindset of seeing with new eyes and grasping how the piece underneath enriched the smaller overlay because of the serendipitous juxtaposition of lines, colors, forms, etc. My practical brain, though, says “ok, how do you do that without literally draping a new painting over a larger piece?” Since I work in oil and cold wax medium it wouldn’t be possible to glue another painting over a larger painting, unless there is some product I am unaware of that is compatible with adhering permanently to oil.
It is hard to understand how it would be possible to recreate this kind of surprise and not physically put two paintings together, but I love the idea and possibilities your video has introduced. I will have to play with this in my mind and my studio.
Thank you for posting this latest video. What a great reminder that creating is so much more interesting when we stretch our experience. I’ve been playing in my sketchbooks, and have attached a page of green marks. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5485e6facceecdc69e05d432b1b55d330ff83237a8e697681a98dede8c8d311d.jpg I’ll be having even more fun today!
Great example of staying open to possibility with our process of painting. I was wondering, as you started to paint more green onto the board, how do you retain that open mindset that originally excited you by two different pieces juxtaposed onto each other. I mean, once you recognize that “bits & pieces put together to present a semblance of a whole” (Lawrence Weiner) and start painting across the two do you run the risk of obliterating the bits and pieces that made it so exciting?
Awesome, Nick. That was really helpful. I’ve been feeling that I’m being way too careful in my recently, and things feel lifeless as a result. Time to switch it up! I’ll post images when i get there.
OK!
Wonderful idea. I made a huge mistake once in trying to glue a canvas to another canvas. It buckled something fierce. Will you describe what product you will use to adhere the canvas to the panel? Thanks again for your wonderful ideas. <3
Hi Marti!
Hope this helps. …Apply Golden heavy gel…to both surfaces, place canvas on the panel and use a squeegee to smooth out.
Wipe surface clean of gel, Weigh down with a board and leave overnight……
Thanks so much, Sally. 🙂
Great presentation! It is showing two conversations going on simultaneously that are able to meet at different points thereby making sense and complimenting one another, just like in our human life. Thank you for sharing your discovering today.
I come from a background of mixed media painting where I used to revel in putting together completely unrelated items simply because I could. They didn’t need to have any logical reason for being together in the same piece. They just had to feel right to me.
I have been focusing on Photography for the past 2 years and found that I was hesitant about combining things into one photo. Recently I did a photo shoot in our local China Town. One of my photos was of a notice pinned to a post written in Chinese script. But I didn’t feel it was sufficient to make an interesting photo. Then one day I had the sudden idea of merging the notice with another photo from that day. And I love the outcome. That was really a breakthrough moment for me.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/99fec0ffa929b708db8275765845725c45b17b3f2ba31fd64edc86f4289ee9c9.jpg
It looks great.. almost like they belong together..
I’ve been following you for months & always apply your rules as I go. Here are my last 2 pieces. Thank you 🙏 https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/907d891ab0cfe40b8b922a1e51a364be71d9e7fbfe75669754e370acb1f70e77.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b5767109d661cc5a9c139c96dedb304933555e266924636d013ccc0eea78a375.jpg
I love that these are bold–I am impressed and so glad you are taking the info and using it!
Thank you for your input! 🙏🏼
Can’t wait for your next video. 💕
I think the panel is fabulous on it’s own. I’m drawn to it more than the canvas/panel combination.
Thanks… good point…hmmmm
….and here’s the thing, I tend to be a real overthinker and perfectionist; I often have a difficult time leaving things alone and Iikely overwork a lot of my pieces.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ec4f36ec5abca84c18a5f0bdce69a6c56894558045ab568d8fae4c77730526e4.jpg
Hi Nicholas, I really enjoy your postings. I’m dusting off this painting to try to finish it. I like your idea of possibly combining it with something else in the studio, and seeing where it takes me. Katie.
Looking good…just needs more time on it I think…
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/17fd8016c44ac8663d6f54e8e53c87b633b43eb2deb12cd2a8509c5390fc8918.jpg
Great information, is there a specific glue and process you use to adhere the canvas to board?
I’ve actually tries this in the past and had some issues with it bonding>
Thanks Nick!
Marti Schmidt
Hi Marti! Apply Golden heavy gel…to both surfaces, place canvas on the panel and use a squeegee to smooth out. Wipesurface clean of gel, Weigh down with a board and leave overnight……
Those gels are amazing…
Thanks Sally!
This was great! I love the idea of incorporating accidental markings outside the composition. They have such a fresh quality about them that is difficult to duplicate. Thank you for sharing this with us!
I love all your insightful videos, they reasonate with me intelectually, but I realize I haven’t made the shift to actually applying the concepts to my work.I plan to start doing that. I like the peacefulness of my most recent painting, but feel like you would be saying to me in all caps”WHERE ARE THE DIFFERENCES?:)
I plan to keep that in mind for my next paint https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e263a08b348d2c04d7d32006161833e5abe780f4bbad154f6925acbd65f2808f.jpg ing. thanks for all you teach us.
Well a little bit… but this is working really nicely. Maybe the lower left area is a little empty on interest–Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks so much for your comment Nicolas! I love the canvas on the board, and the serendipity of the outlying marks.
This past month I’ve been painting with a different frame of mind. I live in Santa Rosa, California which was badly the fire, by wild fires. While I was fortunate that my home was spared from the fire, thousands were not.
It has been a month since the firestorm, but memories are vivid. “Bosc and D’Anjou Arrive at Santa Rosa” conveys how.it might have looked to first responders and others coming upon the orange glow from the “exit” of more than 5000 homes destroyed in the inferno.
Thank you, Nicholas, for the opportunity to share this painting.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/991f26ce4cb3e1f566a6e3d1c7f0eb4bc151f97ebcab8117c0c2aee6a05e90d8.jpg
My sister lost her house in that fire too… thanks for posting this here…
Nicholas,somsorry to hear about your sister losing her house in the fire.
Hal, I think this painting represents well, the emotions and loss that occurred.
Powerful. Until I opened the link I couldn’t imagine a single painting capturing the horror of the moment. This does. Not only that it is a beautiful painting. The contrasts, colors, even the representation of the people in the foreground.
Thank you, Robin.
So great Nicholas! Thanks for sharing your happy accidents. Seeing your videos really help to open up possiblity. Thanks!!
Nice to see you here! Thanks
Thanks again Nicholas you always inspire. What kind of paint are you using and what are those paint(?) sticks you draw with? Thanks again
oil paint and oil pastels @mick@mickslager:disqus
yes – thank you …
Thanks, Nicholas! See you in Haramara 🙂 https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/76d4d8588f14112b115499362276dd917f3b1427fc6a15a66951249b71e067ec.jpg
@disqus_4RMZsYSnwq:disqus Awesome–this is going to be a great workshop!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f9fd9d8e6fb9f8551349cb292c56dece9a371d840f8a15f722bd3f38ec50ca64.jpg
Fun…. !
love this – yes, fun – thanks for sharing
Thank you for sharing this! I would like to try it and am wondering if you primed your canvas or if it is available in artists stores. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f02a70150121b8a670cce9219c6a6217a0b13cb6243c265be81d398ed4c85094.jpg
I bought it primed from Dick Blick art store online–just choose primed canvas–
It’s a gift…to be able to see something right in front of you. Definitely a wake-up call for me. Thanks Nicholas.
museum quality, Nicholas. good move.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a6ba665e010e53f4f9bcd96ccbbd14438eecc38f382169483187ae8047cddcc4.jpg
Thank you for the continued insight
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/966171a9a45cd13716e0cafbcb64684319737a5a9489fa00f6b1e2f9d229476e.jpg THIS KIND OF OVERLAP HAPPENS IN MY STUDIO WHEN I pile things up against the wall or on a table of apart on paper . I have also created a series of digital Photos of Collages from overlapping paintings and overlapping painted paper such as the one below. See you in Sayulita soon.
I like these continued surprises
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/05318436238df9dbb20e1d2ed60c3353dbcb2f5c796ea5d82b1af4cd2d0d93c8.jpg Nick:
Thank you for the continuing inspiration to be open to new possibilities and stretch farther. The Mallorca workshop had so much for me to take in but home in my studio I like the new direction of my work.
This is 48 x 60 on canvas….”slippery when wet”.
wow – love this
Fantastic Nicholas! Always inspiring!!
Sharing as you https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3a526c2373ac6c4f8aad6903caef3b16b5f8c49e5e749209ef1d0299cadea340.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fa0a70809f700ab8974229900932947b8bf1c43c6434919b5e07d34d87fd728b.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/45597a7105260680dfdc037ff026b3a789d10ee00057e50ca8703385bd606024.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/db69c3c0f2a5eedfdd3acc4530fae9a53c0b8b84dab1381bbd4d77eeb551b554.jpg encouraged us to do a while ago …not good at sharing so here goes …i used to do small detailed drawings …well still do sometimes …and tried to get away from this by going big …still need to become freer and much more experimental ….my lizard painting has two paintings underneath …it takes a while for me to be completely satisfied that i have finished .thank you for all your inspiration and encouragement …❤
It has a rawness and edginess that I love. Very cool. Have you been to the Rauschenberg show at the MOMA yet? Lots of inspiration there for crazy juxtapositions, I bet. What kind of glue do you use that will work on the oil paint? I’ve been wondering about what glue to use to collage stuff onto my oils? I’ve been just sticking stuff onto the wet paint and it sometimes works, but not always. Thanks for sharing
When you say “oil pastels,” Nicholas, do you mean the oil paint that is mixed with a bit of wax and formed into sticks and bars? You know, like W&N’s Oilbars or R&F’s Pigment Sticks or Sennelier’s Artist’s Oil Sticks? My understanding of actual “oil pastels” is that **they never dry,** but Oilbars, etc. are the same as regular oil paint and because they DO dry, they can be layered with regular oil paints. Thanks for that clarification…such a cool painting tool!!
Hi. Seeing this makes me think of my work table. One of the layers of covering on it is brown wrapping paper. I always love the unintentional designs that appear on it. Makes me think I should recycle it into a painting or two. It’s gotten quite complex.
I think you are using oil and cold wax but what is the liquid you use to thin it out? Thanks.
This is a great post – thank you for sharing this Nick!
NIck, This one REALLY resonates with me. I love photography “unrealated” painted piece next to (on top of) each other to create my work. Sadly, I do not ever glue or collage them together as permanent pieces (they exist digital or in print) but I have to much fun playing with various configurations. Indeed it is the “difference” in the thinking in each and when i find ones that belong together that excites me most.
Thank you for creating this video!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb27Hz0FBb-/?taken-by=susancostellovisualart
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWPlBCDFvc0/?taken-by=susancostellovisualart