Acrylic Paintings

Cayucos No. 41

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This one started out with a slightly different idea in mind but after letting it sit inactive on the work table for a few months this is how it ended up. I usually don’t varnish my paintings but decided to do so with this one to help punch up the colors. Instead of using square panels like I normally do I chose to use 11 x 14-inch panels for this two panel bolted together painting.

I used yellow FROGTAPE (for delicate surfaces) to mask off areas where I wanted to spread paint over and I used scrap paper to blot areas of paint after it was applied to achieve some visual texture. I use discarded plastic gift cards to spread paint. I use a couple of old dilapidated foam sanding blocks to smooth and buff the paint.

I used sixteen color mixes on this one most of which are original as they came from the DIY store with a few that I custom mixed using some of those original colors.

Latex acrylic paint on cradled wood panels bolted together | 11 x 28 x 1.5 inches (28 x 71 x 3.8 cm) | October 2023

The two 11 x 14-inch panels ready to be fastened together.

Two .25-inch diameter 2-inch long bolts were inserted through .25-inch diameter holes and the panels bolded together with lock nuts.

Not a real storm. It just might look like it.

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I based a small painting on one of the drawings in the Small Studies Project. Here is how it turned out.

From the Small Studies Project drawing 92 | Graphite and Lyra Water-soluble crayon on 5 x 7-inch Bristol Paper | 2012

Small Studies Painting 92 | Acrylic and paper on wood panel | 4.5 x 4.5 x 1.75 inches (11 x 11 x 4.5 cm) | 2020

The Cayucos Tiles Panels

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During 2021 I created a few Cayucos Tile pieces. Here are two images of the same Cayucos Tiles No. 2 panel. The first image shows how I divided the panel into sections using green lines to illustrate.

I made an outline drawing in Inkscape that I used for measuring the various tiles for the panel. The green lines show the shapes of the individual tiles. I cut each shape from tissue paper then painted each piece of paper with multiple layers of paint using paper stencils and plastic cards to mask and spread the paint. After the painted tiles were dry I brushed thinned wood glue on the back of each tile and adhered each one to the panel starting at the top left corner working across and down to lower right corner. I used a rubber brayer to smooth and press each tile in place. After the glued tiles were set I removed any over hanging edges with a sanding block and stamped my signature mark in the lower right corner with metal letter punches. To finish the panel I brushed a couple of coats of UV varnish to help protect the surface.

An unobstructed view of the 12 x 12 inch panel. I also added my signature with the title, location and date on the back of the panel with a pencil, sometimes with a pen.

A closeup showing the texture of the paint and wrinkles of the paper.

Small painting inspired by a bigger place

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For the moment I’m continuing with my Cayucos series of small 10 x 10 inch paintings on cradled wood panels. This size of painting fits the size of my studio space. I’m toying with the idea of attaching some of the small panels to together to make a larger painting. We shall see. Here is one I just completed this morning.

The title for these painting comes from the small community of the same name in San Luis Obispo county on the California Central Coast. Although the climate can be foggy and misty and not always sunny and bright these paintings are abstractions of the feelings I get when I think of times spent in Cayucos and surrounding area. Someone once told me that “A bad day at the beach is better than a good day at work.”

Cayucos No. 29, Acrylic on cradled wood panel, 10 x 10 inches (25.4 x 25.4 cm), November 2021

Painted Paper Pulloffs

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I wanted to try a different technique to create the Rock. I cut smaller shapes from the larger Rock shape then I painted the reverse side of a piece and quickly laid the piece on the surface and lightly tapped it down then pulled it off before it could dry. I added more paint to the pulled off piece and laid it back down. This gave me a mottled and uneven texture. The paint is a blend of gray blue, white, and a little black acrylic paint.

To see the finished painting click here to go to the recent works page.