12 x16 Sunflowers and Fruit Oil Painting by Winifred
There will be more portraits to come for sure, but I also want to share with you some still life paintings I’ve been creating. They may look a little different and I have created this look intentionally. I wanted to create still lifes that make me feel what I feel when I look at some of the “masters”. There are certain, hues, textures and values which give their work a distinctively “non modern” look.
12×12 Still Life “Bounty” by Winifred Whitfield
Panel
I am aiming to create a look somewhere between old and new. To do this has required me to refine my own oils, a long and complex learning curve to this – rather than using commercially refined oils. Refining my own oil gives me thicker, faster drying, less to non yellowing oil. I make my linen panels (so time consuming), in order to have a nubbier less commercially smooth linen panel. I create hand made paint, by grinding my hand refined oil into powdered pigments I purchase which created a different paint texture. I have about 30 tubes of this paint now – and a sore wrist. I make medium to mix with my paint, all non toxic, using chalk, marble dust or calcite, oil and other ingredients, which adds thickness, translucency and stability to the paint. I get more color saturation and increase my ability to work in layers, wet into wet with out muddying the paint because the paint is thicker and more sequestering.
8×10 Fruit with Blue Plate by Winifred
All of these processes are very time consuming to make but there was something within me that wanted a grasp of my products and how I could manipulate them to alter the look and texture of a painting. Many times during the process, studying and creating these products, I have asked myself why I can’t be content with product I could order from the internet – but I just can not – so I just have to live with myself and the added time and effort!!
I do enjoy, for sure, the results I’m getting. It is definitely a different look from what I was creating with commercial products and I am just getting started!! Thank you for your time. Winifred
Hi Winifred,
I love your new-old still fife paintings. Now working in Digital art, I miss the way I feel working with traditional material. Unfortunately, being allergic to paint products, couldn’t continue to paint in oil or other forms of art using paints I couldn’t tolerate! Your work is great!
Alice
Hi Alice,
Thank you for your comments.
There are many people allergic to solvents which are sometimes contained in commercial mediums available to mix in paints, turpentine fumes are very bad for you, Gamsol and others not as bad but not good. However, there have been so many people allergic and ill from these products that processes have been developed to allow you to work solvent free and toxic product free. I do. I don’t use any of those harmful products – not even to clean my brushes!! So, if ever you want to move in the direction of traditional products again, just let me know and we will talk. Fortunately, digital is fun, though each new version is becoming more complex. As you know – the fact is, there is nothing like oil paint!!
Bonjour Winifred, the new look is marvelous. I am so excited for you to have created your own magic paint colors and making your linen panels. Your work and process is inspiring and so rich looking. Bravo!
Thank you so much Brenda. I’m working now to expand my imagination as well, to create some images more unusual. It’s a situation where one just has to allow ideas and brush strokes to move through you nd to trust the process. I may be the only one who enjoys them but that’s fine also.
I’m still enjoying your life in Paris!! W
I love all of the still life paintings. Your story about developing your own materials is very interesting and makes me think about the history behind the materials many great paintings.
Interesting that you say that Betsy. I am now aware that indeed there is a history behind paintings, not only the story about the image but the technique and the materials used which completely influence the ultimately look and feeling and of course texture of the painting. I am so enjoying this delving into materials and processes. Thank you for your comment. Winifred