Process | Michaela Harlow – Studio Journal

Today, after a productive late morning and early afternoon in the painting studio, I tried to take a photo of “Airborne” (above). I spent quite a bit of time struggling with my camera until I got the colors right, and as a result I ended up re-shooting “Rose Wood” (the piece from day one). I find it difficult to capture red tones with my camera. I encountered the same problem both with “Airborne” and “Rosewood”. “Airborne” is part of the “Broken Flowers” series, and the reds lean toward rust (with an autumnal-orangey base). “Rose Wood” is, by contrast, a piece with bluish reds, buff and deep browns. I posted a new photo of “Rose Wood” (Jan. 1st), because the one I shot today is more accurate in terms of color, but I am still not happy with it. I love using a camera, and overall I think my photography skills are definitely improving. But I still have a lot to learn about shooting artwork. I think natural light gives the most accurate color, but it really only works on an overcast day.

I took three photos of “Airborne” today because I wanted to focus this post on the painting’s detail. The entire “Broken Flowers” series incorporates drawing— mainly with oil bar, the back of a paintbrush and finger tips— as well as different painting techniques. If you’ve been following and/or collecting my work for a long time, you will remember that I started out as more of a figurative painter. Figures remain a part of my work, but they are usually found in the underpainting, and often obscured —sometimes nearly destroyed— as I build layers on top. Occasionally I will redraw some of the symbols on the surface of the work. With the botanically-inspired “Broken Flowers” series, drawing is important in each piece. You can see more of the “Broken Flowers” series, and other work, by clicking here.

***

What supports the paintings ? I paint primarily on wood and paper these days, athough I am always experimenting with other things. When I began working with oil paint, I started with canvas supports. My work was figurative then. Scraping, sanding, gouging and otherwise texturing the surface was not part of my early work. These days, I require a rugged support in order to achieve the kind of multi-layered techniques I favor.

Last spring I posted photos showing the gesso process. This spring, I thought I would share the process of creating the panels themselves. Cutting plywood panels is a two person job. I could just buy supports, but then I wouldn’t get exactly what I want, exactly when I need it. In addition, I really like the process of creating the art from start to finish, and for me that includes the support.

Yesterday, a trip to Home Depot netted a 4′ x 8′ sheet of 1/2 ” cabinet-grade birch plywood. Usually I paint on 3/4″ plywood with a back-braced floating frame. But I am experimenting a bit with some other options in order to reduce the weight on larger pieces of artwork. From this sheet of plywood, eight 2′ by 2′ panels were cut. This is a size I enjoy working with, and I have recently used them up!

Below are photos of the process (click to enlarge), from measuring out the panel size with guide dimensions added, to taping the board to protect the surface during the cut, to the cutting itself.