A new miniature and a rather unpleasant discovery

Miniature - colored pencil on canvas, 3.5" x 2.5"

colored pencil on canvas, 3.5″ x 2.5″

That’s the pleasant part, always good to finish even a little piece. Now, the unpleasant one: this miniature, like the previous two, was done on a digital canvas, and apparently it has a shorter patience with multiple layers of color than a traditional canvas does. In the process of “thinking” about earth colors right on the canvas I found out that I better make up my mind quicker, or the color will start to chip off. It didn’t really come to chipping off, but from my previous experience with paper I know the feeling that the pencil gives you right before the surface gives up. That’s a little disappointing, or maybe it’s a good opportunity to learn how to be more decisive.

11 Replies to “A new miniature and a rather unpleasant discovery”

  1. Nava Attia- Benoit via Facebook says: Reply

    It’s beautiful!!
    Um – forgive my utter ignorance, but what is digital canvas?

  2. Thanks 🙂 A digital canvas is what Slava prints on, a surface not exactly meant for a colored pencil or any other traditional media 😀 If you remember his big print with sunlit oaks (Lace of Shadows) at th Fall Fest last year – that was digital canvas.

  3. Nava Attia- Benoit via Facebook says: Reply

    So, you went for experimental drawing? 🙂

  4. No, to experimental surfaces 🙂 The mini canvases they sell have no support in the middle, makes it hard to press with a pencil there. And since we have a roll of digital canvas, Slava suggested to use that instead. He stretches them on pieces of wood, and the result is much better than not always rectangular things that I get from Aaron Brothers or University Art.

  5. Nava Attia- Benoit via Facebook says: Reply

    Sounds like a good direction – good luck with the faster “thinking” 🙂

  6. Thanks 🙂 I could certainly use luck here…

  7. Nava Attia- Benoit via Facebook says: Reply

    Well, expanding always involves both fun and frustration. When I started to work on Yupo and Tyvek I had both, with the latter taking over. Eventually, the fun wins over.

  8. I know, I just need to get a hang of it.

    Never heard of Tyvek, so went to look it up, and they have tons of different stuff. I suppose you were talking about their paper. What’s the surface like?

  9. Nava Attia- Benoit via Facebook says: Reply

    Treacherous and torturous at first. It’s basically plastic, and watercolor bead on it if you use too much water, but once you get the hang of it it can be very rewarding. Not sure it would accept pencil.
    I created this portrait on Tyvek: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1547789249599&set=a.1481735118287.2068183.1081089964&type=1&theater&pid=31203995&id=1081089964

  10. Oh, I like your portrait on Tyvek, very dramatic! If Tyvek is anything close to Yupo (and it looks like it is), then no, it’s not for colored pencil or any dry media except maybe China Pencil.

  11. Nava Attia- Benoit via Facebook says: Reply

    Thanks! Never tried dry media on Tyvek. I doubt it will axcept dry media, as it has no tooth whatsoever (yes, it quite similar to Yupo). even if it did, they’ll probably scratch the surface.

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