Studio journal 6/11/17

Good day after a bad day.

I was so excited to get into the studio yesterday, I was mixing my medium at 5:30 AM. I make my medium fresh every day.  It’s very drying and if I prepare it beforehand, it’s too firm. But I do prepare one of the ingredients in advance–the varnish.  I had enough varnish for one more day.     

I clumsily spilled the remainder of my varnish.  Not a problem.  I have plenty of the varnish components on-hand.  I prepared enough varnish for a month and then used it to make the medium.

The painting session went slowly.  Really, really slowly.  I was fighting the surface.  I was fighting the paint.  I was fighting the medium.  I was at a complete loss.  Then it dawned on me.  I’d improperly prepared the varnish!  I pitched the bad varnish in the trash (I hate such waste!) then prepared another batch, this time making sure to follow my usual practice.

I studied my work.  Not good.  I put denatured alcohol on a rag and wiped the morning’s work off the canvas and started over.  It’s been years since I’ve done that.  In fact, I can’t remember the last time.

I spent all day working on the same painting–Sub Rosa (the painting on the easel).  After the reboot, things went well.  The medium had been the problem.  After the disastrous start, I made good progress the rest of the day.  Behind Sub Rosa is the recently finished Euclid Avenue #1 and another painting.

I planned to continue working on Sub Rosa this morning but I decided to put it aside and let it dry.  I’ll take it up later this week.

The RGH extra fine flake white continues to perform well.  I will certainly order more from the boys at RGH.