Before I started painting, I think I just assumed that all “real” artists painted on canvas. It wasn’t until I started exploring painting for myself (and ALL the fun supplies that are out there for us!) that I saw that there is such a variety of what an artist can paint on. 

In the course of one week, I have painted on four different surfaces, or substrates.

 Just the act of touching this old book cover (I have an affinity for old broken down books!) made me want to paint some sort of literary character.

“She Was Your Favorite Character” –  7   1/2   x  9   1/2 inch acrylic painting on the inside of a vintage geography book cover. I absolutely LOVE how this portrait turned out. She reminds me of a Jane Austen character.

These two portraits, “Brianna” and “Rosemary”, are both painted on 5 x 7 inch art panels, much like masonite boards. I gessoed the smooth panels first, to give them a little “tooth” on which to paint on. Then I layered and layered the paint, until I loved their faces. Still REALLY loving the process of making a face come to life.

“At The Midnight Hour” is an 11 x 14 inch painting on canvas panel. Unlike stretched canvas, this is canvas that has been stretched and glued over a panel. It gives you the texture of canvas, but with a harder surface to paint on. I used a very limited palette of colors here, but enjoyed making different skin tones with the paints that I have.

And lastly, this is “A Portrait of June”, painted in acrylics, on 11 x 14 inch heavyweight smooth Bristol paper from Strathmore. I really love painting on this smooth surface. This painting went through a few transformations, but I love how she ended up. I’ve worked hard on getting the proportions of a 3/4 view portrait correct. And I enjoy painting ladies with auburn hair!  

So, lots of different surfaces to paint on…each challenging, but so very fun to watch a portrait come to life.  Each of these portraits are now available in my little online art shop, ArtcyLucy on Etsy.