I focused on the drums today. Adding more highlights and depth here and there to give it a more solid shape. For some reason African drummers like using rubber ropes/strands to tie around their drums (yet to understand why they do that!!!). Thus I used a mixture of burnt umber and alizarin crimson to put in the strands.

An artist needn’t be a clergyman or a churchwarden, but he certainly must have a warm heart for his fellow men.

Vincent Van-Gogh

Tags: Acrylic with oil, African drummers, Folk art, painting

Was able to make a lot of headway today. Should have taken several shots before this one but was carried away with the work.

I applied more glazes of ultramarine blue to the background. Wiping off here and there to let the colours beneath show through. For the clothes I applied an acrylic under painting of lemon yellow and then continued to work on it with lemon yellow, cadmium yellow and titanium white. Using magenta for the dark parts.

Also started work on the drums. Applied an acrylic under painting of burnt sienna. Then continued to build it up with oil paint (burnt sienna, yellow ochre and burnt umber). Used titanium white for the lighter areas.

For the trousers I applied the paints thickly with a palette knife. Trying to leave the paints as raw as possible with minimal detail.

What do you think about it so far?

The only time I feel alive is when I’m painting.

Vincent Van-Gogh

Tags: Acrylic with oil, African drummers, Folk art, painting

It’s amazing how we start off a day without having a single clue how the day would be. All we have is hope and faith that things will work out in our favor……and at the end of the day it all does. I was a bit jittery yesterday about having to start off something I was supposed to have started a long time ago. As much as I tried not to worry about how things would turn out, being the mere mortal that I am, I worried. But as the day came to an end I realized the wisdom in Christ’s statement in the book of Matthew: can any of us add a day to our lives by worrying?

The day brought with it solutions to the problems that seemed to be looming over me. It all boils down to one thing, worrying never solves anything. Abandon it all at God’s feet and carry on believing that He’ll see you through.

Now back to the painting. I continued to work on the background by adding a thin layer of burnt sienna and wiping off in some areas to reveal the yellow underneath (still working with Acrylic paint).

For the skin tones I started by working from dark to light, applying the dark mixture (burnt umber+orange+ultramarine blue)….then putting cadmium orange beside it and blending in gently. Added yellow ochre for the light areas blending in mildly. Slow but steady.

Tags: Acrylic with oil, African drummers, Folk art, painting

Today’s going to be a great day. Found out there were things I should have put in motion some time ago but have waited till the dying minute to start it off!!!! Dunno why I always seem to get stuck in dilemmas like this. But like I said earlier, today’s a great day…………….I expect it to be and it will be. I am not willing to let anything weigh me down especially something I can’t have a control over. Woke up early………..said ma prayers and put everything in God’s hands. Also asked for my Holy Mother’s intercession. I know for sure every thing will turn out well.

Today I have built up on my sketch. I am using acrylic as a base for the background so I applied lemon yellow and cadmium yellow. For the textured impasto area I am using ultramarine blue. I intend to build up the colors in layers. Thus I’ll be applying several layers of paint in a slow but steady manner. Thankfully acrylic paint doesn’t take time to dry so it’s a quick medium to work with.

For the skin tones I am using oil paint and have started building it up with burnt sienna, cadmium orange, titanium white and a bit of burnt umber. I oft times do not like the way my works look in the begin but they always turn out differently at the end. Slowly but surely I’ll get there.

The painting has a life of its own

Jackson Pollock

Tags: Acrylic with oil, African drummers, Folk art, painting