Small progress!

Hello there, and welcome!

I've not seen you for just over a week, so the kettle's on, go get yourself a drink and we'll settle down.

Finished productions have slowed down since the last post, but 2 completed works in one week was a bit much - especially for me! The acrylic Iris was loved by the recipient, and should hopefully be hung and on display by now. The oil coastal scene has been well received by many people, both online and in person, and I thank you all who have commented on it. It is extremely rewarding to have people, especially complete strangers, make comments on your work, even more so if they are all positive, but I can take constructive criticism too you know, so don't be afraid!

As you may be aware I'm new to oil painting, and have been sat waiting patiently for this first one to dry. I never knew it could take this long, but maybe that's because I have always worked with watercolours or acrylics which are pretty much instant drying. One interesting tip I did pick up during this time, and which may be of interest to some of you, is that if you let oils dry in the dark, or very dim light, they can develop a yellowish film which can show when dry. This can be avoided by letting them dry naturally in a dry, well lit and ventilated area. So please remember that.

The Iris was easy to see to afterwards, as I had made and fitted a nice wooden backing edge to the hardboard work, so it was very easy to get on the wall. What I did have was a couple of annoying, but easily surmountable problems with the oil. First I went and bought what I think is a very complementary frame for it, then got home and found it didn't fit - the frame was slightly larger than the board, and there was no room for a cardboard mount! Arrrgh!

So, back to town, this time armed with an identical board to ensure that I came away with the same style frame and a cardboard mount, ensuring a properly fitting oil painting once I got home and it had dried. I just checked it again today and there are just small areas of it that are not quite dry - but we are getting there.  Hooray I here you all shout!

In between I have been working on what I thought were some good ideas involving butterflies and watercolours, but after a couple attempts I'm not entirely convinced, but a few more runs and my mind will be firmly made up if I'm going to go with it or not.

Also during this last week, plenty of my time has been spent online, and like so many people, on Facebook! On there I have been trying to get an art page up and running, called EdrickArt, and linking it to as many people and groups as I can. This has lead to some success, and at the moment I have 64 members which keeps growing, slowly but surely each day. If you would be interested then please go and join, or get your friends or other art followers too - the more the merrier, and hopefully we can make a nice site to share and exchange ideas, projects and generally encourage each other.

Some of my ideas will come to fruition, some will fall by the wayside, and others I will just forget! But that's just part of the fun, and that is what I want you all to experience - whatever your art, please enjoy it.

Paul