jaxenro Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 (edited) The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Loius David. I need to clean up and paint the frame and apply a coating of acrylic medium over the picture to give it the illusion of depth so it looks more like oil and protect it. I also need a better jig for holding the frame in alignment while drying but that shouldn't be too hard to rig up. Anyway a couple of in progress shots. I printed multiples like with the book so this is just a test run for the real thing Edited August 28, 2019 by jaxenro 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Joel, when you paint your acrylic medium on, if you have a teeny brush try for brush strokes as it dries, to give a more realistic finish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 Yes that is what I was going to try. Gerald Wingrove, who did those amazing car models, used to say it wasn't so much scaling things down as creating the illusion that it is real. True scale brush strokes probably wouldn't show, think how far you would need to walk away from a six foot wide painting to make it appear 3" wide and what would actually show, but that I make the brush strokes just large enough to be visible and let the brain and the imagination do the rest. Look at the chair below. The brain sees beautiful upholstery but it is actually enamel over silver or gold. Illusion in this case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 26 minutes ago, Miniatures in Marble said: Yes that is what I was going to try. Gerald Wingrove, who did those amazing car models, used to say it wasn't so much scaling things down as creating the illusion that it is real. True scale brush strokes probably wouldn't show, think how far you would need to walk away from a six foot wide painting to make it appear 3" wide and what would actually show, but that I make the brush strokes just large enough to be visible and let the brain and the imagination do the rest. Look at the chair below. The brain sees beautiful upholstery but it is actually enamel over silver or gold. Illusion in this case Or as my friend KathieB says, smoke & mirrors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FurMama Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Do you have a favorite medium? I'm asking because I have some hunting dog prints that I want to do that on for the den in my Thornhill. I tried it ages ago but it doesn't look quite right. I have extra copies so I thought I might give it a go again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 2 hours ago, Miniatures in Marble said: Gerald Wingrove, who did those amazing car models, used to say it wasn't so much scaling things down as creating the illusion that it is real. Yep ... smoke and mirrors, the main ingredient in making magic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 I’m new at this but I like acrylics so I thought to start with gloss medium and go from there 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debsrand56 Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Another thing to try, when you're scaling down paintings, is to print on fabric, then go over it with gel and a tiny brush. You can buy printable fabric intended for quilts at many fabric stores, including Joann. Since some of the printable fabric seems a bit coarse to me, you could also buy a finer white fabric and iron it onto freezer paper before printing. Whichever you do, you'll want to set your printer on it's "best" setting (however that is defined for your printer) to get nice definition. I use a gel I picked up at Blick, although I'd have to check exactly what it is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FurMama Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 31 minutes ago, Debsrand56 said: Another thing to try, when you're scaling down paintings, is to print on fabric, Thanks I think that might be my answer. The paper the dogs were on to begin with seemed to fight everything I tried. There must have been something in it but don't recall it being glossy or anything out of the ordinary. Now I'll have to go see where I put them so I can work on that this weekend at my scrapbooking crop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 I used clear nail polish over the paper printed paintings and got a suggestion of texture that was OK for 1:12 or smaller. I recently cut wee rectangles of thin basswood and glued stretched bits of handkerchief linen over them and primed them with gesso (I don't really suppose it's sizing, since the fabric stretched over the wood with the gluing process) and painted some itty pictures using my acrylics from the tubes and itty brushes, and I noticed quite satisfactory brush strokes that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 Ignore the frame it was a test of some old gold leaf and it reacted badly to the glue. I was going to toss it but my wife wanted it as a magnet for the fridge. The white lines are clear in person must be something with the light and the photo needs some experimenting but I think I can make it work 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Miniature Madness Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 Great experimentation, Joel! And what a great subject! Socrates was definitely a brilliant man before his time! I just wanted to share an epiphany with you that I discovered after a long session of mixed results with real gold leafing. Krylon Gold Leafing pens. I have found that if the surface is clean, smooth and free of debris, using these pens creates an incredible result that will make you never go back. Hope it helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 Thanks I will try them I am in the experimental phase right now. Books, paintings, etchings, statues and busts. Wait until I post my furniture experiments and everyone will shudder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted August 31, 2019 Author Share Posted August 31, 2019 Test II - Godward’s “Girl in Yellow Drapery” the gloss medium is more subtle came out better again it is hard to photo btw it is about 3” wide perfect for over a sofa or wall space had some bubbling with the black lacquer paint on the frame but the humidity here is horrible. Make sure to paint both sides of the frame so it doesn’t warp next one will be better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted September 6, 2019 Author Share Posted September 6, 2019 Leonidas at Thermopyle by Jacques-Louis David Closer but still not 100%. Again the odd white things show in the photo but not in person must be how the lisght catches it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 6, 2019 Share Posted September 6, 2019 By golly it looks GOOD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted September 6, 2019 Author Share Posted September 6, 2019 It’s close. Each one is a little better than the last one. Helps to start with a David he was a brilliant painter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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