Session Five
The mask is off….
I developed more form on the large forms (which happen to be tanks) and reached a point where I felt I needed to stop. I have a decent gradation and feel the transition is smooth enough — I would have liked smoother but it is bordering on overworked, so I’ll leave it for now. In watercolor, my primary medium for years, there are no brush strokes or marks visible so I always lean toward that kind of finish. I”m deliberately trying to get more comfortable with brush marks and appreciate them as part of the painting. Shaking off some of my watercolor habits is difficult - it’s hard to be objective enough to know which ones enhance my casein technique and which ones don’t.
When I was satisfied with the values on the white tank I let the paint dry for an hour or more. Then I removed the masking fluid with an eraser — a rubber cement pick up would have been better but the cats ate mine!
As I mentioned, masking is a mixed blessing. My forms were preserved but the little bit of paint that I had developed them with came of with the masking. So, I’m basically starting over on these forms. Not a big deal - I hadn’t done anything I loved but what if I had!
Anyway, I’ll let the painting dry completely now. Casein feels dry to the touch but it takes days or even weeks to dry totally. I worked over the tank forms a great deal today so they have a lot of paint on them and are quite mushy. If I try to paint too soon then my brush will pick up the paint and lift big ugly chunks - leaving big ugly holes.
So patience is the key for now. Actually, with casein patience is ALWAYS the key.
