I spent a bit of time this week studying the surfaces of both prime and unprimed canvases as well as old and new paintings. The current surface is so smooth that to the naked eye it would seem like a glossy finish. In order to properly compare the difference between smooth and rough canvases I have used a x25 lens attachment for my phone camera. Even then the difference hasn’t quite been illustrated fully. There are many reasons why I go to extreme lengths to have smooth canvases. The main reason is to do with definition. In my run in with screen printing I realised that printmakers and even photographers are at the mercy of the ability to print high definition. Someone could take an incredibly high definition photograph but when it comes to reproductions, they’re still limited by what the printer can achieve. As a painter one worries less about reproductions and any painter could tell you prints are nothing like the real painting. As well as other lines of thought driving me to this point, I decided I wanted to push this high definition idea. Creating a painting that has a higher resolution than even a photograph, or at least as good as!
Above are four X25 zoomed examples of canvases both finished and unfinished.
- Top Left – Tight weave canvas. One layer of gesso on.
- Top Right – Heavy weight canvas. 5 layers of gesso + multiple layers of oil paint. (finished)
- Bottom Left – Tight weave canvas. With about 30 layers of primer.
- Bottom Right – Tight weave canvas. Finished painting, about 50 layers paint altogether.
Looking back
In addition to my own researching past artworks my mother has been reading through her pictorial family diary that starts just before I was born. She dedicated herself to recording as much of our home-ed experience as she could. Combined with her formal written diary is gave a clear record of our lives as children. Thanks to her I am able to share with you photographs of my first ever painting session and first ever time drawing (below). I was 17 months old when I first picked up Crayons.
She managed to capture the very first moment I made a mark with paint! ‘Muddy Mess’ 1998 (below). Accompanied by my other siblings Hannah age (age 4), David (age 6), and I was just approaching the age of 2 in these photos. This is probably my earliest memory. I remember the disaster resulting from me mixing all three colours together and ending up in a muddy mess. I had RUINED THE COLOURS!
My first try at monotypes (below). I was satisfied with the brush marks so left it as it was without printing it. I Completed the abstract ‘Red Forms’ in 2003 when I was 6. The painting was inspired by an exhibition in Oriel Ynys Môn by artist Elfyn Lewis.
Most of my early work has been fairly abstract in nature. It’s how I see most things really. I remember going to a weekly art group with my family from a young age and I hardly ever attempted to paint exactly what I saw.
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