Flight
There is something in the human spirit that is forever pushing us to explore, adventure and invent. And it may be that the moment when imagination and ingenuity came together most clearly was our journey into flight. As a North Carolinian, I am delighted that the first flight of the Wright Brothers took place on our Outer Banks.
While it is easy for air travel to feel commonplace these days, it is still a marvel. We peek out the window and see the trees move from distinct shapes to vast washes of green. We are wide-eyed and excited when we finally emerge through the clouds to see the sparkling sun dance on the unreal vista below.
This week’s featured painting, Biplane, is a vibrant celebration of flight. The rich inky blue sky is contrasted by the yellow subject. We are drawn into the focal point and make use of adding some rich detailing and strong lines to hold the piece together. The piece also hums with motion as we see the propeller caught midair and the sky evoking the wind that is surly whipping our pilot’s hair.
Relish the journey and let your painting take off this week as you explore the joy of flight.
Creative Sparks
- A kite
- A hot air balloon
- Airplanes in a performance formation
Biplane
About this painting: This is a straight-forward painting of an airplane against a simple blue sky. For those of us not familiar with airplanes, extra attention must be paid to the details of the plane.
Challenge Level: ✮✮✰
Why: There are a lot of details in the plane, and it is a challenge to add precision while still maintaining the feel of an alcohol ink painting.
Predominant technique: Masking and direct painting over an air-blown background
Inks: Sailboat, Sunshine, Eggplant, Cranberry, Honeycomb
Reference image: https://pixabay.com/photos/bip…
Project Steps:
- Begin with a light pencil sketch on Yupo
- Mask the entire plane and let dry
- Create the background sky. I made an air-blown background with Sailboat Blue and alcohol, but feel free to paint any sky you’d like. Let dry
- Remove the masking fluid
- Fill in the plane with Sunshine yellow and the brush
- Add shadow areas with Eggplant
- Use a dark grey marker to draw in the people and other dark-valued details
- Brush in additional color with Cranberry and Honeycomb
- Lift and blend with the pointed cotton swab and alcohol
- Add more ink and details with a variety of markers – starting with Yellow
- Lighten and blend with the cotton swab and alcohol as necessary
- Enhance the shadows with darker browns and golds
- Add detail such as the struts with the burgundy marker
- Splatter with alcohol and the 1″ chip brush
- Softly blend and lighten with the cotton swab and alcohol
- Add detail with the sepia fine-tipped pen
- Lift the propellers with the cotton swab and alcohol and add more highlights throughout the plane as needed
- Dab in more yellow details
- Add highlights and white details with the white pen
- Touch up the wheels and then splatter with alcohol
- Continue to add detail with the black and white fine-tipped pens
- For a finishing touch, splatter with Cranberry ink and the toothbrush
Video notes:
About 3:15 , I used a pointed cotton swab to stop the yellow ink from bleeding into the sky
Nebula
About this painting: Nebula takes flight further afield with a space-themed piece. The end result of my painting may look more like looking up to the sky through tree branches than space, but the process should work well for your space paintings
Challenge Level: ✮✮✰
Why: The painting is both abstract and representational. While not difficult, I didn’t quite achieve my goal of a Nebula (but I like the painting anyway!)
Predominant technique: Poured ink, masking, and lifting
Inks: Wild Plum, Sailboat, Cloudy Blue, Ginger, Caramel, Eggplant, Espresso, Sunset Orange
Reference image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
On the Wikipedia page, you can follow the links to NASA and their image policy
Project Steps:
- Create the first layer of ink with Wild Plum, Sailboat, Cloudy Blue and Alcohol. Ensure that the entire sheet is covered. I removed excess ink with the paper towel. Let dry
- Add masking fluid over all of the areas where you’d like to keep the blue/pink background. Let dry
- Add the next layer of ink with canned air and the darker inks: Ginger, Caramel, Eggplant, and Espresso. Let dry
- Remove the masking fluid
- Lift and texture the edges of the dark ink with the pointed swab and alcohol
- Lift out lighter passages to draw the eye and then add orange ink with the marker
- Intensify the orange with Sunset orange ink and the brush
- Continue lifting with the cotton swab and alcohol
- Splatter with alcohol and the toothbrush
- Continue lifting and blending, this time with a pale alcohol ink marker/blending pen
- Add more splatter to the dark parts of the sky. As the ink layer was thick, I splattered and then dabbed with paper towel to remove a little bit more ink.
- Add finishing touches with a marker and the cotton swab and alcohol
Karen Walker Art 