Making My Senkarik Signature Frame

The glue used to attached the damaged canvas to the new one is now completely dry. Our next step is to make my Senkarik Signature Frame. The painting is taped off using Blue Painter’s Tape that can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart or any paint store. The tape is pressed down along the edge of the painting, leaving about 1/8th of an inch of the art exposed. When the Frame is dry, the extra coverage of Acrylic Paint on all the edges of the painting will help to insure they don’t lift up. You may click on this or any other image to see an enlargement.

We’re ready to begin applying the acrylic paint for the Senkarik Signature Frame. Molly is banished from the workroom at this point. I don’t need her to decide to help me in the middle of applying the White Acrylic! ONCE WAS ENOUGH!

GOLDEN Heavy Body Titanium White Acrylic is used for my Senkarik Signature Frame. It’s applied with a plastic putty knife and a large house painting brush. This brush is at least 25 years old, I make sure to completely wash it out between uses. I forgot to take this picture of my supplies before applying the frame, I remembered AFTER I’d finished. Oh Well!

The Heavy Body Acrylic is applied with the Plastic Putty Knife. It’s just like icing a cake! Make sure all the edges and front of the Frame are completely covered before proceeding to the next step.

The Large Brush is now used to add the texture to the “Icing”. The sides of the Frame are done first, then the front. After texturing the entire Frame, the Putty Knife is dragged along the bottom edge of the sides to remove the extra Acrylic.

CAREFULLY pull off the Blue Painter’s tape and WALLAH! We’re framed up! Here’s the finished corner of the Frame. After it dries we’ll pop this baby up on the easel and complete the repair. Please join me for our next session to see how it goes!

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© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

CAT-tastrophy

Let me introduce you this gorgeous boy, “GIZMO”. I’m sure he didn’t wake up that morning with DESTROY on his “To Do” list for the day. BUT, when HIS human parents, Tony and Jessica, were moving furniture and took their Senkarik Painting off the wall for repositioning, Gizmo couldn’t resist. As kitties do, he just had to go rub against the newest object in HIS territory.

Needless to say, Gizmo pushed the painting over and it fell, hitting the corner of a coffee table. RIPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!! You may click on this or any other image to see it larger.

Here’s a closer look at the damage. Now, I’ll show you how I repair this CAT-tastrophe.

Of course Molly, one of my kitties, wants to be in on the process! The first step is to cut the painted image off of the canvas it was original painted on, leaving an inch margin all the way around.

The excess canvas is trimmed off using a sharp carpet knife pulled along a metal straight edge. The carpet knife was purchased at Home Depot. I find it easier to hold and use than a box cutter. The goal is to make all of the edges clean and straight.

Here’s what remains of the RIP!

The painted image is now mounted to a new canvas using archival glue. The border of my Senkarik Signature Frame has been marked on the new canvas. I’m using a glue called called MUCKETY MUCK. AND YES, that is the actual name. The area where the painted canvas is to be mounted is covered with a thin, even coat of the Glue. The top edge of the canvas being glued down is lined up with the line I’ve marked on the new canvas for my Senkarik Signature Frame. It’s important to glue the top edge first, as the canvas will shrink some at the bottom. It doesn’t matter that the lower border will be a bit wider than the top or the sides. BUT you don’t want the start at the bottom and have the top border larger than the rest. Rolling the canvas down into place, air bubbles are pressed out as I go.

Unfortunately MUCKETY MUCK is no longer available but Dick Blick carries a similar archival glue. CLICK HERE for more information.

Turning the canvas over, it’s placed flat on my work table that’s been covered with a couple of large, plastic garbage bags. Then, any remaining air bubbles are pressed out. I use a narrow board rather than a brayer because it will fit under the braces of the stretcher bars. I’m careful not to move the canvas around on the bags underneath. The glue presses out, around the edges of the painting, onto the border and the bags. I don’t want to get any glue on the painted image. Then the canvas is carefully turned over, the bags stick to where the glue came out on the border. Once flat on the table, I pull the bags off the painting and throw them away. Any extra glue on the border is scraped off with a painting knife.

Shrinkage of the painted canvas also causes the rip to pull apart, I’ll show how that’s fixed later. Now we have to wait for this to get completely dry. Hope you’ll come back to see how I do my Senkarik Signature Frame in our next session.

I’d like to invite you to subscribe to my blog, you’ll receive an email every time I publish a new post. CLICK THIS LINK and scroll to the upper right side of the page. You will see a heading EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Just click the button “Sign me up!”  It’s easy. Please keep in mind, to move through the blog when you get the posts, just CLICK on the small titles at the top of the page. The one on the right for the next post or the title on the left side for the previous session.

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ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Embellishing Cool, Cool Water

In this post I show how I embellish or enhance a Giclee on Canvas of my Original Oil Painting, COOL, COOL WATER. Even though this is #2 of a Limited Edition of 83, I can’t possibly paint every piece exactly alike. So each is Original within the Edition. Therefore, Jack came up with this Term for my Embellished Giclees: LIMITED ORIGINALS. The unembellished Giclee is up on my easel, we’re ready to begin. Please remember, you may click on any image to see an enlargement.

Quick Drying GRIFFIN ALKYD OILS are used. Made by Winson Newton, these have the same mixability and availability of colors as regular oils; however, they dry much more quickly.

My first step is to glaze the blue part of the sky with a thin oil wash of Ultramarine Blue + Liquin Original. The area to the left of the tip of my brush has been glazed, to the right has not.

Next the sunlit water in the stream is repainted, accentuating the cool, cool water.

The “White Water” tumbling over the rocks is highlighted. Pure White is used for the foreground, moving toward the most distant part of the brook, a little Ultramarine Blue is added into the White to make it recede.

Evening Primroses are repainted with Permanent Rose + White. Cadmium Red Light + White will be used for the Indian Paintbrush beside the Primroses.

The caps of the Bluebonnets are painted with a soft green made of White + a touch of Pthalo Blue + Lemon Yellow, with pure White reserved for the petals on the very tops of the Texas State Flowers. The yellow Coreopsis to their right will be painted next.

After accenting the highlights on the big bay horse standing in the babbling brook, I repaint his eye.

Subtle pinks, lavenders and golds give late afternoon warmth to the soft clouds.

The Bluebonnets in the field on the far side of the stream are painted, the caps of the closest ones are made with White + a little Ultramarine Blue. Going toward the back of the meadow, a little more Ultramarine Blue is mixed into the White so the flowers will recede.

Some of the White + Ultramarine Blue mixture is used to enhance the star and white part of the barn roof.

A few more colorful flowers are planted in the distance.

“COOL, COOL WATER”

And, that’s how I embellish one of my LIMITED ORIGINAL Giclees! Please, always feel free to ask questions.

VIDEO PROGRESSION from Start to Finish: Embellishing COOL, COOL WATER

Thank you for following along today! With Grateful Hugs for all of you,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

AMAZING GRACE: Video Progression

Watch AMAZING GRACE come alive on this VIDEO PROGRESSION!

AND, a BIG THANK YOU to everyone for all your kind comments and encouraging words this past month as I painted this huge piece! Sending Lots of Hugs to you,

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© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

AMAZING GRACE

Now for the grass in the foreground. My color recipes are #1. Three combinations of Pthalo Blue + Lemon Yellow + a little Cadmium Yellow Medium. The lightest shade, on the left, has some White mixed in. #2. Two mixes of Pthalo Blue + White. If you’d like to see any of these pictures larger, just click on the image.

Sunlight splashes across the grass to illuminate the “Picnic Table” on the rock.

Red fringe, edging the Tartan blanket, is painted over the grass with Cadmium Red Light.

The outcropping of rocks on the left side of the foreground is now completed.

More California Poppies nestle at the base of the Salvia. After blocking in the blossoms with Cadmium Orange + Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Orange and Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Medium, the leaves are added. The grey-green foliage is made of several shades of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White.

Deep centers are indicated with a brush dipped in a thin oil mix of Alizarin Crimson + Liquin Original.

Bright pink Ice Plant snuggles up to the rocks, the bright flowers are Permanent Rose + White.

Yellow centers dance happily in the middle of the cheerful pink blossoms!

“AMAZING GRACE” 48 inches by 75 inches

We’re DONE! It won’t be long until sunset, the sailors are headed to shore. I imagine the Scottish Bagpiper is preparing to come out to the resort patio on the bluff. The hills will soon be alive with his magical rendition of “Amazing Grace”. The picnic is all ready for Scott and Alisa to come sit and enjoy listening to the promise of Our Lord’s Mercy and Grace as they watch His beautiful sunset. Thank you for following along on this painting journey. God Bless You!

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Planting Flowers

Salvia or Mexican Bush Sage grows along the outcropping of rocks. The gray-green foliage is blocked in with Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White. You may click on this or any other image to view an enlargement.

The tall, spiky blossoms are Dioxazine Purple + White, Dioxazine Purple + Ultramarine Blue + White and Ultramarine Blue + White. The golden grass in the background accentuates the Purple flowers. This follows the rule, “Placing Complimentary Colors next to each other makes them appear brighter.” Purple and Yellow are across from each other on the Color Wheel, therefore they are complimentary colors.

Red Corn Poppies are planted next to the Salvia. The Red flowers are mixtures of Cadmium Red Deep + Magenta, Cadmium Red Deep and Cadmium Red Deep + Cadmium Red Light.

The warm green leaves are Ultramarine Blue + Lemon Yellow.

The centers of the Poppies are added with a mix of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original. In the middle of the dark center, stamens are made of White + MUD.

The strap-like leaves of the Daylilies are now completed. I’d blocked in some of them when I painted the Tartan Picnic Blanket.

Daylilies are combinations of Permanent Rose + Cadmium Red Light, Permanent Rose + Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red Light and Permanent Rose + White. Since the foliage is still wet, I have to carefully “Lay” the thick brushstrokes of the blossom paint on top of the underlying green. I don’t want to pick up any of the green on my brush and muddy the bright flower color.

The deep centers of the Daylilies are indicated with a mix of Permanent Rose + Magenta + Liquin Original.

We’re getting close! We should finish up in our next session. But already you can see how the warm colors of the flowers in the foreground are making the cooler hues in the distance fall WAY, WAY BACK! With Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

PICNIC!

I’ll be starting this session with the Wicker Picnic Basket; my color recipes are as follows. #1. MUD ( Two parts Ultramarine Blue + One part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original. #2. Ultramarine Blue + White. #3. Four combinations, in different proportions of MUD + Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Red Light + White. Please remember as you read through my blog, you may click on any image to see it larger.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Wicker Picnic Basket

The grapes are painted with mixes of Magenta + Liquin Original and Dioxazine Purple + Liquin Original.

A wedge of cheese rests on a white napkin next to the basket, providing a tasty compliment to the wine, bread and grapes.

Moving to the Sunflowers, the petals are first blocked in with mixes of Cadmium Yellow Medium + MUD, Cadmium Orange + Alizarin Crimson + Cadmium Yellow Medium and pure Cadmium Yellow Medium. The large centers are made of MUD + Liquin Original. The lighter perimeter of the centers are painted, wet-into-wet, over the MUD using some of the darkest mix from the flowers.

The cheerful blossoms are highlighted with Lemon Yellow + Cadmium Yellow Medium.

“Pattergonia” has a special meaning for my collectors, they’ve asked me to incorporate it on the Wine Label. We also worked it into a previous piece that I painted for them. To learn more and see that painting, CLICK HERE!

Alisa and Scott were married in 1989, so of course we want that to be part of the Wine Label too! Since it’s their favorite, I’ll also add “Pinot Noir”!

Wine Glasses next! The foliage behind the glasses is blocked in first, then the glass is painted over the greens with mixtures of White + Ultramarine Blue.

The picnic is all set out, ready to be enjoyed!

More flowers will start growing in our next session!

‘Till then, here’s a Hug!

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Sea Lavender, Poppies and Tartan Plaid

The Sea Lavender is blocked in with combinations of Magenta + White, Magenta + Dioxazine Purple + White and Dioxazine Purple + White. Please keep in mind, you may click on any of the images to see them larger.

Sap Green + White and Sap Green + Pthalo Blue + White are used for the leaves of the Sea Lavender.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the California Poppies.

The outcropping of rocks on the hill are blocked in with mixes of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + Ultramarine Blue + White, Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Orange + White and Ultramarine Blue + White.

After starting to work on the Tartan Picnic Blanket, I realized I needed to paint the foliage of the Lilies growing behind the Blanket, Wine Glasses and Wine Bottle. The strap-like leaves are Pthalo Green + Lemon Yellow.

The Tartan Plaid design is specific for my collector’s family. Cobalt Blue + White mixes are used for the Blue portions. Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White make the greens.

Blue and Green stripes are established first, then I begin adding the Black plaid design.

White and Red stripes complete the distinctive plaid blanket.

Because there is so much green in the painting, I’ve decided to fringe the blanket with bright reds to make it stand out from the rocks and surrounding plants.

That’s all for this session; in our next I’ll continue work on the Picnic Basket, Wine Bottle and Glasses and the foreground flowers. Hope you’ll come back and follow along! With Colorful Smiles,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Glow of Green

THE RESORT! My first step is to paint the roof with multiple shades of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Orange + White. Resting the fingers of my right hand against the mahl stick, hooked over the top of the easel, provides a steady base as I delineate the roofline. If you are new to my blog, WELCOME!!!! I work in oils. I prefer the mixability to achieve the rich colors I want and, since the oils take several days to dry, the ability to paint wet into wet. Also, please keep in mind as you read through my post, you may click on any picture to see an enlargement.

The building is blocked in with combinations of White + Cadmium Orange + Ultramarine Blue.

Windows are added next with a thin mix of MUD + Liquin Original. Pulling the windows into the wet paint of the building softens them so they will recede into the distance. I don’t want them to be too prominent.

Window installation continues.

The Ritz Carlton Resort at Half Moon Bay is complete. On to the golf course….

The most distant fairway is covered with cool greens made of Phtalo Blue + Lemon Yellow + White.

“Painting Forward” the color temperature of the green mixtures becomes warmer, using Pthalo Blue + Lemon Yellow + a bit of Cadmium Yellow Medium + White. The pole of the flag marking the hole, is drawn into the wet paint of the green with a fine liner brush dipped in White.

A little, arched stone bridge spanning the ravine that splits the course is made with combinations of Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Medium + MUD + White. To provide additional steadiness as I establish the details, my right hand rests on my left, which is braced against the unpainted part of the canvas.

Using a large, squared tipped “Bright” brush, the velvety fairway closest to the foreground is now blocked in. Warmer greens, made of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White are used.

The sunlit portion of the sand traps are painted with some of the Bridge colors + White. The shadow part is White + MUD.

The undulating golf course is done for now. I may need to go back and make some adjustments after the flowers are added in the foreground. But, you can see how the “Warm Colors Come Forward, Cool Colors Go Back” is working to give the feeling of depth. The cooler greens used for the distant part of the course recede, while the warm ones in the closest part jump forward. Notice how this even works on the sailboats! Thank you for joining me today. With Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Rocky Bluffs

I’m ready to begin painting the Rocky Bluffs the resort is perched upon. Here are my color recipes: #1. MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original. #2. White + MUD. #3. Six combinations in various proportions of MUD + Cadmium Orange + a touch of Pthalo Blue + a little Cadmium Yellow Medium + White. #4. Three mixes of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White.

You may click on any of the pictures to see enlargements.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Blocking in the Rocky Bluffs

Ice Plant, tumbling along the ridge of the cliffs, is painted into the green foliage that has been blocked in with the #4 mixes. The pink flowers of the Ice Plant are Permanent Rose + White with a tiny bit of green mixed in. This softens the pink so it’s less bright, making it recede into the distance.

Scrubby trees along the edge of the golf course are added while the ocean behind them is still wet. Painting the trees, wet-into-wet over the water, allows me to keep the edges soft and feathery.

More Ice Plant grows alongside the golf cart path leading up the hill to the resort.

Using all the paint left on my palette, I’ve made several warm, muted greens and rusts to “Rough in” the “Rough”, separating the more manicured parts of the gold course.

This area of “Rough” is closer to the foreground so the texture of the native grasses is visible.

Before we get too much farther along I want to get the resort painted. I’ll show that in our next session. Have a GREAT DAY and see you back soon! With Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com