My Clouds Still Suck and Candyland Is Evil

[podling]

So today I keep looking at a pic of the board game "Candyland". I'd make it my desktop, except that looking at it disturbs me. But I have to look. I have to paint something very similar to it on a stage tomorrow. The play opens this weekend. Cutting it close? Why yes, thank you. Eep!!! At least I'm certain I can do it. Maybe. Possibly. Eep. Candyland, you are evil!!! And you rot teeth.

Also... I didn't really feel this belonged so much in the weekend thing, but, well, over the weekend I spent a lot of time looking at clouds. Mostly while walking around. Because I just cannot paint clouds very well and it bothers me. It bothers me quite a bit. So I spent a lot of time just looking, trying to track the color changes, see how the shading changed. How I could modify what I do so it works better. Maybe if I practice on something small I'll get better. Painting for stage shows tends to require more grandiose strokes, less really *detailed* details. That's not exactly true, but it's close. If I painted really detailed details I'd quickly go insane and the sets would never get done. So details are bigger details, and my clouds still suck. I have a gift card to an art supply store, maybe I'll get some canvases (canvii? I wish that was a word...) and try my hand at that. Or maybe paint on tiles...

I was thinking of a new project in my house, a fake window on the inside wall of the dining room. I'm not sure how it'd work though, and I really do have things I should do first. Like get to work with that hacksaw my mom bought me over the weekend. Woo!

Comments

[piratejenny.livejournal.com]

You know, trepanation with a hacksaw is really decapitation. Just in case you were wondering.

[podling]

Thank you! I hadn't quite realized there was a word for that. Are you sure it wouldn't be a scalping though?

[teapot-farm.livejournal.com]

What paint do you use on tiles?
And, you can get canvas textured paper in big pads that is way cheaper than actual canvas, if you want it for experiments rather than displayable pics...
And, I can't paint clouds well either.

[podling]

That's a good idea. I think I'll go look for that. I'm pretty sure I saw it at that store, but we'll see... Plus it's highly unlikely I'll be displaying anything, truly.

On the tiles I use ceramic paint, then do a couple of layers of clear gloss on top. My ceramic paints are kind of old, and likely total crap, but when you visit I'll show you what they look like.

[teapot-farm.livejournal.com]

That would be good... I've just used enamels (model paints, usually) on ceramic, partly of course because it's shiny and hypnotic. But it isn't very robust, and is a bit of a sod to mix colours with... So variation could be good.
And I have some of the canvas-y paper, it's earmarked for my "learn to use acrylics" plan, which I shall probably never carry out. But I do so love buying art materials.

[podling]

Oh yeah, this stuff is nice to mix. It's how I did that Spyro tile with the multiple colors of everything to make it look just like the video game. And it comes in lots of colors, many of which Cara & I had, so there was even more ability to mix things to finer degrees.

I love buying art materials too, though I probably should go through the ones I have and discard some stuff. Art stores are like wonderlands, seriously. Oh! I should take you to the really big art store! It's so cool!!! Although it might be a temptation that you could live without...

I never quite learned to use acrylics, though I do use them, mostly for smaller detailed things. I think if I did practice a bit, I might become at least a bit better.

[teapot-farm.livejournal.com]

Really big art store!! Yup, you have to take me there, if only so's I can demonstrate my steely self-restraint and not buy the whole damn thing (yeah, like that's going to happen...)

[podling]

Actually, it's near that tex-mex place we went last time (we did go there, right?) and I love it there, so see, we have even *more* reason to go!

Oh, and could you email me the times of your flights? I want to make sure I'm near to on time for once... ;)

[teapot-farm.livejournal.com]

Yup, we went there ... we could go back! More catfish! More sleep deprivation! Art and painful food, that's what we need!

And yup, I'll mail you - don't know if the immigration control bit will take longer this time though, since they may want to fingerprint me etc etc. And, well, if you're late this time, at least it won't be steaming hot and terminally unfamiliar, so no worries. Not that I won't taunt you for it anyway. And phone Celia and get her to taunt you as well.

[podling]

Well, you don't *think* it'll be steaming hot. Heh.

Kidding!!!

And yes, we totally should go there. Art and pain are a natural combination. Plus Jenny's a big fan too.