Alan Close Demonstration 23 April 2022
1. Applying a resin super gloss finish.
2. Painting with thick texture paint base.
Alan proposed a three part session: He would demonstrate how to apply a glass-like finish to completed paintings, and he would show the use of thick textured paint in making a coloured painting, and the association would award the prizes for the recent Art Challenge, which had a still life section and an expressive portrait section.
Applying a resin super gloss finish
To obtain the glass-like finish you need a two pack kit of resin and hardener, available at Bunnings, $77. and a level table. The resin is like honey, very sticky, so use protective tarps all over
the floor and table, disposable cardboard under the painting, wood to lift and separate the painting from the cardboard, plastic gloves and a cheap brush.
Alan, being very practical, warned of all the traps in this job. Resin once spilled on clothes, carpet or floor never comes off. So don’t wear anything good. He had a finished and dry acrylic painting of Freddie Mercury donated by Norma Berry to work on.
Mix the resin with the hardener in a spare container in the proportions of 5:3. Two very important things you must do – get the hardener to resin proportion mixture correct and stir thoroughly for at least two minutes. The brush is a throwaway. Glasscote epoxy cleaner would clean your hands, but wear gloves. Stir for two minutes slowly, timing it. You want no bubbles. A hairdryer may help here. Brush it on evenly doing the frame too. Don’t move it for an hour or more. It takes two days to dry.
He had other versions of resin use by Lisa Kolbeck. Butterflies, multi coloured. She had made each butterfly into a reservoir with the squeeze bottle of No More Gaps and rolled paper clay. They were very effective.
Painting with thick texture paint base.
The second part of the demo was in the use of textured paint, which has a sand content in an acrylic medium.
It is also expensive, $77 at Bunnings for a big pot, but it does last. Again it is sticky and messy and sticks like glue to anything you don’t want it to. It takes two days to dry.
Draw up your image in pencil on a canvas or board. Alan had a kookaburra. It can be on an easel this time. Apply with a palette knife. When dry (ie. two days or more later), paint it with acrylic paints thinned down using a watercolour technique. Once again it gives a stunning effect.
Art Challenge winners
Afternoon tea followed, once again a feast contributed to by Dot and the committee and some members. After a good chat it was brought to order and the presentations to the prize winners of the Art Challenge were made.
It was good to see a children’s section and the joy, and shyness, of the young recipients.
There is a list of winners in this newsletter.
Congratulations to all.
A very full and informative afternoon.
Colin Browne