Acrylic Painting
The painting projects displayed in this page have been completed with acrylics.
For any questions, please send me an email ([email protected]).
The Life and Legacy of the Mayor Tom Bradley Project (Acrylic and Enamel Painting)
The associated painting projects below, created with acrylic (for the squared canvases as well as the wood panels with curved edge and star or round shapes, as well as for the small mirror with plastic decorative edge) and with enamel paint (for the large mirror with plastic decorative edge), celebrate the great achievement of Tom Bradley, an African-American political leader who has been elected five times as the Mayor of Los Angeles. The project includes four major parts, and the details of the parts are fully described in the file below.
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Part One: The Portrait of the Mayor Tom Bradley
Figure ACR-1D. The portrait of Tom Bradley painted in acrylics (right) over a 2 feet by 2 feet stretched canvas previously covered with colorful organic patterns created with liquid acrylic pouring techniques (left). The image is the Mayor is based on his Official" photo but edited slightly with reference of one of his photo of a younger age to make him appear younger. Before the painting starts, his image and the images of the two possible canvasses previously covered with organic pattern created with the flow acryling pouring techniques have been tried in Photoshop to come up with the best possible choice.
Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the portrait.
Part Two: Tom Bradley's Communities
This Part of the project includes 4 acrylic paintings painted on 12 inch by 12 inch stretched canvasses, plus one on a 8 inch diameter circular plywood board. Real cotton balls, dried tiny tree branches, and decorative items such as jewels and beads, plastic seaweeds and leaves, will be attached to portions of the paintings to create “bas-relief” effects, using Golden Extra Heavy Gel as adhesive for these items, and Gloss Medium as binding and molding agent for the cotton balls. The transparent plastic plate bearing the text “CELEBRATE THE LIFE & LEGACY OF TOM BRADLEY” will appear at the bottom. This constitute the second project for the entire semester.
This Part of the project includes 4 acrylic paintings painted on 12 inch by 12 inch stretched canvasses, plus one on a 8 inch diameter circular plywood board. Real cotton balls, dried tiny tree branches, and decorative items such as jewels and beads, plastic seaweeds and leaves, will be attached to portions of the paintings to create “bas-relief” effects, using Golden Extra Heavy Gel as adhesive for these items, and Gloss Medium as binding and molding agent for the cotton balls. The transparent plastic plate bearing the text “CELEBRATE THE LIFE & LEGACY OF TOM BRADLEY” will appear at the bottom. This constitute the second project for the entire semester.
Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the image.
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Tom Bradley's Family
According to Wikipedia the Free Encyclo-pedia, "Bradley, the grandson of a slave, was born on December 29, 1917, to Lee Thomas and Crenner Bradley, poor share-croppers who lived in a small log cabin outside Calvert, Texas. [...] The family moved to Arizona to pick cotton and then in 1924 to the Temple-Alvarado area of Los Angeles, where Lee was a Santa Fe Railroad porter and Crenner was a maid." |
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Tom Bradley as a pragmatic idealist
"Although Bradley was a political liberal, he believed that business prospe-rity was good for the entire city and would generate jobs" (Wikipedia the Free Encyclo-pedia). Tom Bradley was among a few mo-dern American political leaders to combine progres-sive policies on civil rights with a genuine interest in economic development, helping develop the satellite business hubs at Century City and Warner Center. |
Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the image.
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Tom Bradley and inter-national sports
The 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles took place under Tom Bradley's leadership. |
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Tom Bradley and Public Transit
According to Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, "Bradley was a driving force behind the construction of Los Angeles' light rail network. He also pushed for expansion of Los Angeles International Airport and development of the terminals which are in use today. The Tom Bradley International Terminal is named in his honor." |
According to Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, "Bradley attended Rosemont Elementary School, Lafayette Junior High School and Polytechnic High School, where he was the first black student to be elected president of the Boys League and the first to be inducted into the Ephebians national honor society. He was captain of the track team and all-city tackle for the high school football team."
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Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the image.
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Part Three: The Angels of Tom Bradley
On the top, the portrait of Adlai Stevenson will appear in a mirror, to be painted with acrylic and enamels, with plastic radiating beams symbolic of his great positive influence on the Mayor, the image of Martin Luther King, to be painted with acrylics on a wood board, is enclosed in a star symbolic of American patriotism. The image of his wife, Ethel Bradley, is featured on the left, to be painted with acrylics on a curved wood board; the soft curved edges are symbolic of compassion and loving-kindness. The symbol of the National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People (NAACP) will be painted with acrylics and enamels on a mirror with plastic decorative radiating beams. The mirrors are purchased from a one dollar store. Feathers purchased from Michaels and local one dollar stores will be used to create angelic wings behind the images. This constitute the third project for the entire semester.
On the top, the portrait of Adlai Stevenson will appear in a mirror, to be painted with acrylic and enamels, with plastic radiating beams symbolic of his great positive influence on the Mayor, the image of Martin Luther King, to be painted with acrylics on a wood board, is enclosed in a star symbolic of American patriotism. The image of his wife, Ethel Bradley, is featured on the left, to be painted with acrylics on a curved wood board; the soft curved edges are symbolic of compassion and loving-kindness. The symbol of the National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People (NAACP) will be painted with acrylics and enamels on a mirror with plastic decorative radiating beams. The mirrors are purchased from a one dollar store. Feathers purchased from Michaels and local one dollar stores will be used to create angelic wings behind the images. This constitute the third project for the entire semester.
Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the portrait.
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Ethel Bradley's role in Tom Bradley's success story
In her Speech on Women's Rights, delivered in New York, March 4, 1999, the former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton quote a popular Chinese saying ("Women hold up half the sky"), and said that "It's a powerful image of what women do every single day, in every country, as we struggle to raise families, pass on our values, and participate fully in the life of our communities." In the success of any man, there usually is some women behind him. Bradley and Ethel Arnold met at the New Hope Baptist Church and were married May 4, 1941. The picture of Ethel Bradley is included in this project to recognize her contribution to the Mayor's success story. |
Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the portrait.
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Tom Bradley and the Democratic Party in California
Tom Bradley's political career was influenced by American political leader Adlai Stevenson. According to Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, "H\his entry into politics came when he decided to become the president of the United Club. The club was part of the California Democratic Council, a liberal, reformist group organized in the 1950s by young Democrats energized by Adlai E. Stevenson's presidential campaigns. It was predominantly white and had many Jewish members, thus marking the beginnings of the coalition, which along with Latinos, that would carry him to electoral victory so many times." The Mayor Tom Bradley was a coalition builder working successfully with both Labor and business sector, mainstream white and minority African-, Latino-, and Asian- American communities. |
To paint over glass surface, I followed the steps listed below:
- Clean the glass surface with rubbing alcohol using paper napkin or cotton balls, let the alcohol vaporize.
- Use a piece of card stock paper to cut out the area to be covered with the paint; tape the pattern to the surface of the glass; paint one to two coats of white acrylic paint for glass over this area and let it dry in a few minutes (I used one made by FolkArt and bought at Michaels store);
- Use the FolkArt acrylic paint to paint the portrait as much as possible; next, use enamels paint to continue painting. Please note that both type of paint will work but enamels are oil based and must be painted over the water-based acrylic coats; the other way around is not recommended (this is similar to the relationship between acrylic and oil paints to be used on the same canvas.
Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the portrait.
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Tom Bradley and the Civil Rights Movement
Tom Bradley's political career coincides with the rise of the Civil Rights Movement. His great success in American politics constitutes a great victory of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1985, he was awarded the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP. |
Part Four: The background of the project is ocean and sky to be painted with acrylics on wood boards. All pieces in this project will be assembled with screws. THIS SECTION OF THE WEBPAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
The Life and Legacy of the President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Project
(in Progress )
The 24 inch by 24 inch stretched canvas previously covered with free-flowing organic patterns created with liquid acrylic pouring techniques has been used as an underpainting for the portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In this multi-media painting project, 3D fabric paint has been used first to create the portrait with the basic color layout, textures, and most of the details, with “bas-relief” and other textural effects. Next, Golden brand Heavy Body acrylic paint has been used to add further details and complete the project. This painting project uses Van Gogh-style impressionist brush strokes, or “nozzle strokes” with the 3D Fabric paint, to shape the volume of each feature in the face of the President, as realistically as possible. In the foreground, which is the image of the President, warm colors of the face stand out against the cool colors in his cloth. Intensively detailed description of the facial features is in sharp contrast against the lack of details in the background. On all portions of the painting, light and dark colors have been used. This project intends to celebrate President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 - April 12, 1945). Often rated as one of the three greatest American Presidents along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, he is also one of greatest international political leaders in the 20th Century. The Portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is part of the Celebrate the Life and Legacy of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt multi-media painting project, which will eventually include many pieces to reflect the achievement of this great political leader, who has made many long-lasting contributions to the causes of social progress, peace and freedom in the whole world. Other pieces of multi-media paintings related to his family and personal stories might include:
(1) Mayflower ship, Town Hall of Hyde Park and Roosevelt’s Residence at Springwood, representing his family history;
(2) Portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt the First Lady as a symbol of American women’s contribution to social progress under his presidency;
(3) Wine bottle and glasses symbol of the end of Prohibition;
(4) Images of breads, fruits and vegetables symbolic of the achievement in social justice with the establishment of the Social Security Administration;
(5) Images symbolic of public arts program under the New Deal;
(6) Tennessee Valley Authority dams and crop fields as a representation of public works;
(7) Portrait of Winston Churchill, his best international ally;
(8) Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles as a project of the Work Progress Administration;
(9) Sierra Nevada in the Sequoia National Forest, California as a symbol of National Forest program;
(10) NBC microphone used for his fireside chat radio broadcasts, as a symbol of his connection with American people at the grass-root level;
(11) Image of a dime symbolic of the March of Dimes project representing his contribution to charitable causes;
(12) United Nations headquarters building and logo as a symbol of his progressive international legacy; and
(13) Waterfall at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial as a symbol of his permanent impact on American social life.
The whole project will be part of the America the Beautiful Series Project, which celebrates great heroes and beautiful scenes in America (https://suniseacreation.weebly.com/america-the-beautiful.html). In terms of story-telling strategy, the Portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is quite “straightforward” in terms of his warm smile and the warm colors used in his face, creating an image of a kind, gentle and friendly leader. In terms of style, Van Gogh’s two impressionist self-portrait paintings (Figures 4 and 5) will provide insights on using broad and expressive brush and nozzle strokes, for visual description of volumes and shapes, and for establishing contrasts between lights and shades, and between warm and cool colors.
(1) Mayflower ship, Town Hall of Hyde Park and Roosevelt’s Residence at Springwood, representing his family history;
(2) Portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt the First Lady as a symbol of American women’s contribution to social progress under his presidency;
(3) Wine bottle and glasses symbol of the end of Prohibition;
(4) Images of breads, fruits and vegetables symbolic of the achievement in social justice with the establishment of the Social Security Administration;
(5) Images symbolic of public arts program under the New Deal;
(6) Tennessee Valley Authority dams and crop fields as a representation of public works;
(7) Portrait of Winston Churchill, his best international ally;
(8) Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles as a project of the Work Progress Administration;
(9) Sierra Nevada in the Sequoia National Forest, California as a symbol of National Forest program;
(10) NBC microphone used for his fireside chat radio broadcasts, as a symbol of his connection with American people at the grass-root level;
(11) Image of a dime symbolic of the March of Dimes project representing his contribution to charitable causes;
(12) United Nations headquarters building and logo as a symbol of his progressive international legacy; and
(13) Waterfall at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial as a symbol of his permanent impact on American social life.
The whole project will be part of the America the Beautiful Series Project, which celebrates great heroes and beautiful scenes in America (https://suniseacreation.weebly.com/america-the-beautiful.html). In terms of story-telling strategy, the Portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is quite “straightforward” in terms of his warm smile and the warm colors used in his face, creating an image of a kind, gentle and friendly leader. In terms of style, Van Gogh’s two impressionist self-portrait paintings (Figures 4 and 5) will provide insights on using broad and expressive brush and nozzle strokes, for visual description of volumes and shapes, and for establishing contrasts between lights and shades, and between warm and cool colors.
Please click the thumbnails below to view the details of the image.
Acrylic Pouring Painting Project
In this project, liquid acrylic pouring techniques have been tried on many stretched canvases to study the potentials of the techniques to create interesting and colorful organic patterns. As shown in the figures, these patterns often suggest images of some creatures or sceneries in a semi-abstract way; and many pieces have been painted over with corresponding images of creatures or sceneries.
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First Group of Acrylic Pour Painting
12 inch by 12 inch stretched canvasses have been used in this group of liquid flow acrylic paintings. This group has been used in the Flow Forward Forever" Mantra Project.
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Second Group of Acrylic Pour Painting
12 inch by 12 inch stretched canvasses have been used in this group of liquid flow acrylic paintings.
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Third Group of Acrylic Pour Painting
12 inch by 16 inch stretched canvasses have been used in this group of liquid flow acrylic paintings. The whole group has been used in the Balance Project.
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Fourth Group of Acrylic Pour Painting
12 inch by 12 inch stretched canvasses have been used in this group of liquid flow acrylic paintings.
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Fifth Group of Acrylic Pour Painting
12 inch by 12 inch stretched canvasses have been used in this group of liquid flow acrylic paintings.
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Sixth Group of Acrylic Pour Painting
12 inch by 12 inch stretched canvasses have been used in this group of liquid flow acrylic paintings.
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Seventh Group of Acrylic Pour Painting
16 inch by 20 inch stretched canvasses have been used in this group of liquid flow acrylic paintings.
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Eighth Group of Acrylic Pour Painting
18 inch by 24 inch stretched canvasses have been used in the 1st and 2nd pieces of this group of liquid flow acrylic paintings; and 24 inch by 24 inch stretched canvasses have been used in the 3rd and 4th pieces.
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The "Flow Forward Forever" Mantra Project
The word “mantra” translated literally from Sanskrit and means “instrument of thought.” According to Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, a “mantra” is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit believed by practitioners to have psychological and spiritual powers. Mantra meditation helps to induce an altered state of consciousness. A mantra may or may not have a syntactic structure or literal meaning. […] The earliest mantras were composed in Vedic Sanskrit by Hindus in India, and are at least 3000 years old. Mantras now exist in various schools of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. In Japanese Shingon tradition, the word Shingon means mantra. Similar hymns, chants, compositions, and concepts are found in Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Christianity, and elsewhere.
In this project, I choose the words “Flow Forward Forever” as the mantra to express the idea of change, progress and evolution of humankind and the universe in a constant continuum of time and space, moving forward in various directions. To express this idea of constant change in multiple directions, two methods of acrylic painting have been used. The first one is the fluid acrylic pouring technique used to create a basic color layout with natural, marble-like patterns, as shown in the pictures below; these marble-like patterns visually convey the concept of “flow” of space and time, and of the life-less elements of the universe which provide the environment for the activities of the living creatures. The second method is a set of regular acrylic painting techniques such as glazing and painting with palette knife, used to create imageries of living creatures such as fish, plant and others; these creatures are merged with the natural shapes of marble-like patterns to convey the concept of harmony of all living and non-living, beings. In terms of composition, the project is made of four 12 inch by 12 inch stretched canvas to be attached by corner plates and screws on the back. In terms of color scheme, pastel colors, both warm and cool, constitute the dominant range for the background layout created in the pouring process; fresh colors including the three primaries are used to paint the imageries of living creatures. In the pouring stage, handshaking of the canvas with fluid acrylic paint is executed with vivid gestures; in the painting stage, bold strokes are used to convey the concept of “free flow.”
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The Balance Project
The word balance could be defined as an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady, or a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. In art, balance could be in terms of colors, values, texture, shapes or volumes. In this project, the concept of balance is embedded in the contrast between solid and liquid, and of warm colors versus cool colors. In this project, several Golden Gel Medium products have been tried to create diverse textures on the surface of the canvases.
The Smiling Bryce Canyon Project
In this project, the personified smiling images of rocks in the Bryce Canyon have been painted over a 2 feet by 3 feet stretched canvas, which has been previously covered with colorful organic patterns created with liquid acrylic pouring techniques. As shown in the figures below, the expressive and impressionistic brush strokes naturally integrate with the organic patterns, creating interesting visual illusions.
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About the Bryce Canyon National Park, SW UtahAccording to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, “Bryce Canyon National Park is an American national park located in southwestern Utah. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon, which despite its name, is not a canyon, but a collection of giant natural amphitheaters along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce is distinctive due to geological structures called hoodoos, formed by frost weathering and stream erosion of the river and lake bed sedimentary rocks. The red, orange, and white colors of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors. Bryce sits at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park. The rim at Bryce varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,400 to 2,700 m). The Bryce
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Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the image.
Canyon area was settled by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s and was named after Ebenezer Bryce, who homesteaded in the area in 1874. The area around Bryce Canyon was originally designated as a national monument by President Warren G. Harding in 1923 and was redesignated as a national park by Congress in 1928. The park covers 35,835 acres (55.992 sq mi; 14,502 ha; 145.02 km2) and receives substantially fewer visitors than Zion National Park (nearly 4.3 million in 2016) or Grand Canyon National Park (nearly 6 million in 2016), largely due to Bryce's more remote location. In 2016, Bryce Canyon received 2,365,110 recreational visitors, representing an increase of 35% from the prior year.”
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About the Mormons and their religious and social practices ...
The Mormons are members of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a native-born American religion. The Mormons are generally known as good law-abiding citizens, hard-working, friendly and humanitarian throughout the world. In the Unite States, they are also known as friends of the Native-Americans. Historically, they have made significant and positive contributions to the social and economic development of Utah, Arizona, California and other States in the South-Western parts of the United States. The beliefs and cultural patterns of the Mormons could be found in the following websites:
- Mormonism 101: What is Mormonism? from the Mormon News Room, the Official Resource for News Media, Opinion Leaders and the Public
- Mormonism, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Self-Portrait Project
In this project, my self-portrait has been painted over a 2 feet by 2 feet stretched canvas, covered with organic patterns created with liquid acrylic pouring techniques.The impressionistic brush strokes naturally integrate with the organic patterns.
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Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the image.
The Happy Cacti of California Project
One of the canvases prepared with free flow patterns created with acrylic pouring techniques in the above-mentioned Eighth Group of Acrylic Pour Painting has been used to create this multi-media painting which combines three sets of painting techniques: (1) liquid acrylic pouring techniques (as shown in Figure ACR-8A), (2) regular acrylic painting techniques with Van Gogh style impressionistic brush strokes, to establish the shapes and colors of the graphical elements, and (3) drawing and painting using 3D fabric paints to add details.
Scenes from the Rock and Cactus Garden in memory of Professor Judith Kay Greenlee at Pasadena City College, California, have been used as visual references in the creation of this painting.
Scenes from the Rock and Cactus Garden in memory of Professor Judith Kay Greenlee at Pasadena City College, California, have been used as visual references in the creation of this painting.
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Figure ACR-8E. Two selected versions of the TradePeace logo.
Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the image.
The Red Lilies Blossom Crimson and Bright -
Half the Sky Turns Oppression into Opportunity Project
One of the canvases prepared with free flow patterns created with acrylic pouring techniques in the above-mentioned Seventh Group of Acrylic Pour Painting has been used to create this multi-media painting which combines three sets of painting techniques: (1) liquid acrylic pouring techniques (as shown in Figure ACR-9A), (2) drawing and painting using 3D fabric paints to establish the shapes and colors of the graphical elements, and to add most of the details needed, with Van Gogh style impressionistic nozzle strokes; and (3) regular acrylic painting's glazing techniques to add final details and to readjust hues in some portions of the painting. Plastic stars have been used to create the image of the Polaris (North Star), the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper, and plastic eyes have been glued to the surface of the canvas on the corresponding portions of the personified Red Dragon, Giant Red Lily and Women's Power sign.
The title of this painting is The Red Lilies Crimson and Bight and Half the Sky Turns Oppression into Opportunity. This painting celebrates the publication of a best-seller book Half The Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, by Kristof, Nicholas D and Kristof, Nicholas D, two American contemporary writers. This book has been selected for student reading by East Los Angeles College. The book talks about how women in Asian countries nowadays break the traditional boundaries for their "appropriate role" to become productive forces in social economic spheres. |
Figure ACR-9E. The completed Red Lilies Blossom Crimson and Bright - Half the Sky Turns Oppression into Opportunity project, after 3D fabric paints and Golden brand Heavy Body Acrylic paints have been used to create the graphical elements, and plastic stars and eyes have been glued onto the surface with Liquitex Extra Heavy Gloss Gel medium as adhesive.
Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the painting.
The Red Lilies Blossom Crimson and Bright -
Tall Crops and Reed Marsh Cover the Homeland Project
The multi-media painting project below, titled The Red Lilies Blossom Crimson and Bright - Tall Crops and Reed Marsh Cover the Homeland, is a companion project with The above Red Lilies Blossom Crimson and Bright - Half the Sky Turns Oppression into Opportunity project. Both use similar techniques and materials. The Red Lilies Blossom Crimson and Bright - Tall Crops and Reed Marsh Cover the Homeland is painted over an 18 inch by 24 inch stretched canvasses previously prepared with organic free-flowing patterns. which are created with fluid acrylic pouring techniques, from the above Eight Group of Acrylic Pour Painting.
The graphic elements used in this painting include: (1) personified and smiling Women's Power sign sitting on top of a V-shape ("victory") red lily tree trunk (top right), (2) personified and smiling red lily (top left), (3) personified TradePeace sign (center, also see Figure ACR-8E for details), (4) smiling peony flower symbolic of prosperity (bottom left), (5) water flows of the Yellow River and Yangtze River, (6) tall crops (bottom middle), (7) reed marsh (top left and bottom right, (8) a tree trunk molded into the shape of a plough ware, symbolic of peasants, and (9) small red lilies (bottom left and middle right). The graphic elements (5) through (9) are symbols of Chinese and Asian resistance against Japanese aggression during World War Two, inspired by their war time stories.
Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the painting.
The Starry Silent Nights at Bryce Canyon
One of the canvases prepared with free flow patterns created with acrylic pouring techniques in the above-mentioned Seventh Group of Acrylic Pour Painting has been used to create this multi-media painting which combines three sets of painting techniques: (1) liquid acrylic pouring techniques (as shown in Figure ACR-10A); (2) regular acrylic painting with mostly glazing techniques, with free flow strokes in an impressionist style, to create the basic shapes and volumes of the mountains, and to add details; (3) drawing and painting using 3D fabric paints to add more details with "bas-relief" effect, with Van Gogh style impressionistic nozzle strokes; and (4) use regular acrylic paints again to readjust hues and add final details in some portions of the painting.
The painting intends to convey a feeling of peace and serenity. Same as the previous project, The Smiling Bryce Canyon Project, this project intends to describe the natural beauty of one of the most important National Parks in the United States. |
Please click the thumbnails above to view the details of the image.
Mural Painting Project - Foo Chow Restaurant
The two acrylic mural paintings have been previously painted on the exterior wall of Foo Chow Restaurant in Chinatown. Due to problems of graffiti, the mural paintings no longer exist.
Mural Painting Project - Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
The Still Life Project
the two acrylic painting exercises use realist and photo-realist styles.
Marbling Exercises
The marbling exercises displayed below have been completed in the Acrylic Painting III course, in the Fall 2018 semester at East Los Angeles College, using water-based and oil-based marbling supplies. The organic patterns create some optical illusions suggesting different objects or creatures.
Scenic Art Painting Projects
The projects below are completed in the Scenic Art course at the Theater Department in the Fall 2018 semester at East Los Angeles College, on stretched canvas, with acrylic scenic paint. In the Greater Los Angeles Area, scenic painting tools and materials could be purchase at Mann's Brother, Meoded, Rosebrand, Mark's Paint and other stores.
Textbooks:
Reference Books
Basic Techniques
Liquid Acrylic Techniques
Techniques for Creating Special Effects and Projects
Mural Painting Techniques
Scenic Painting Techniques
Websites and YouTube Videos on Acrylic Painting Techniques
Acrylic painting techniques:
Liquid acrylic pouring techniques:
Transfer photo images onto acrylic painting surfaces:
- Barclay Sheaks, The Acrylic Book Materials and Techniques for Today's Artists, ISBN 0-8230-0063-X, PPL Call Number 751.426 SHE, LACC Call Number 751.426 Sh31a (Edward Locke's Note: This book could be used as the principal textbook for a college-level beginning and intermediate acrylics painting course).
- Barron's, 101 Acrylics Techniques, ISBN 978-1-4380-0336-8, Pasadena Hill Lib. Call No. 751.426 SAN
- DK Penguin Random House, Artist's Painting Techniques Explore Watercolors, Acrylics and Oils, ISBN 978-1-4654-5095-1, PPL Call Number 751-4 ART (Edward Locke's Note: This book could be used as the textbook for a college-level introduction to painting course, which covers watercolors, acrylics and oils).
- Jean-Paul van Boxtel, Incredible Acrylics: Techniques, Ideas and New Ways to Use This Versatile Medium, ISBN 978-1-84448-537-6, PCC Call Number ND 1535 .B68 2010 (Edward Locke's Note: This book could be used as a supplementary textbook for a college-level beginning and intermediate acrylics painting course, for learning special effects in acrylics).
- Nancy Reyner, Acrylic Illuminations Reflective and Luminous Acrylic Painting Techniques, ISBN 978-1-4403-2703-2, PPL Call Number 751.426 REY (Edward Locke's Note: This book could be used as a supplementary textbook for a college-level beginning and intermediate acrylics painting course).
- Rheni Tauchid, New Acrylics Essential Sourcebook,: Materials, Techniques, and Contemporary Applications for Today's Artist, ISBN 978-0-8230-9926-9, LACC Call Number 751.426 T191n (Edward Locke's Note: This book could be used as a supplementary textbook for a college-level beginning and intermediate acrylics painting course, for learning special effects in acrylics).
Reference Books
Basic Techniques
- Kalon Baughan and Brook McClintic Baughan, Painting the Faces of Wild Life Step-by-Step, ISBN 0-89134-962-6, ELAC Call Number ND 1380 .B38 2000 (Edward Locke's Note: This is a wonderful textbook for painting wild life animals' faces in oil and acrylic).
- Lexi Sundell, The Acrylic Flower Painter's A to Z, ISBN 9781844482948, PPL Call Number 751.426 SUN (Edward Locke's Note: This book could be used as a supplementary textbook for a college-level beginning and intermediate acrylics painting course, for learning how to paint flowers).
- Paula Guhin & Geri Greenman, The Complete Photo Guide to Creative Painting, ISBN 978-58923-540-3, Pasadena Lib. Hill Branch Call Number 751.4 GUH
- Rod Lawrence, Painting Wild Life Textures Step-by-Step, ISBN 0-89134-669-4, ELAC Call Number ND 1380 .L38 1997 (Edward Locke's Note: This is a wonderful textbook for painting wild life animals' furs in oil, acrylic and watercolor).Terry Isaac, Painting Drama of Wildlife Step by Step, ISBN 0-89134-812-3, ELAC Call Number ND 1380 .I82 1998 (Edward Locke's Note: This is a wonderful textbook for painting wild life animals' action poses in acrylic).
- Wendy Jelbert, Creative Acrylic Landscapes, ISBN 978-1-84448-171-2, PPL Call Number 751.426 JEL (Edward Locke's Note: This book could be used as a supplementary textbook for a college-level beginning and intermediate acrylics painting course, for learning how to paint landscapes).
Liquid Acrylic Techniques
- Amanda Van Ever, The Art of Paint Pouring: Tips, techniques, and step-by-step instructions for creating colorful poured art in acrylic, ISBN 978-1-63322-737-8
Techniques for Creating Special Effects and Projects
- Dave White, Sea & Sky in Acrylics: Techniques & Inspiration, ISBN 978-1-78221-067-2
- DK, Artist's Painting Techniques, ISBN 978-1-4654-5095-1
- Jo Toye, Abstract Explorations in Acrylic Painting: Fun, Creative and Innovative Techniques, ISBN 978-1-4403-4153-3
- Lexi Sundell, The Acrylic Flower Painter's A-Z: An Illustrated Directory of Techniques for Painting 40 Popular Flowers, ISBN 978-1-84448-294-8
- Mia Tavonatti, 101 Textures in Oil & Acrylic: Practical Techniques for Rendering a Variety of Surfaces, ISBN 978-1-60058299-8
- Nancy Reyner, Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks and Techniques for Working with the World's Most Versatile Medium, ISBN 978-1-58180-804-9
- North Lights Books, Creative Acrylic Painting Techniques, ISBN 0-89134-710-0, Call Number 751.426 CRE
- Parramon Editorial Team, 101 Techniques: Acrylics, ISBN 978-1-4380-0336-8
- Patti Brady, Rethinking Acrylic: Radical Solutions for Exploiting the World's Most Versatile Medium, ISBN 978-1-60061-013-4, LACC Call Number 751.426 B729r
- Sandra Duran Wilson, Acrylic Painting for Encaustic Effects, ISBN 978-1-4403-4002-4, PPL Call Number 751.426 DUR (Edward Locke's Note: This book could be used as a supplementary textbook for a college-level beginning and advanced acrylics painting course, for learning how to create "encaustic" effect in acrylic paintings).
- Tera Leigh, The Complete Book of Decorative Painting, ISBN 1-58180-062-2, LACC Call Number 745.723 L533c (Edward Locke's Note: This book offers a great wealth of information on using a variety of painting medium to paint decorative arts and crafts items).
- William F. Powell, 1,500 Color Mixing Recipes for Oil, Acrylic & Watercolor: Achieve Precise Color When Painting Landscapes, Portraits, Still Lifes, and More, ISBN 978-1-60058-283-7
Mural Painting Techniques
- Charles Grund, Painting Murals Step by Step, ISBN 1-58180-141-6, PPL Call Number 751.73 GRU
- Desmond Rochfort, Mexican Muralists: Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros, ISBN 0-8118 1928-0, LACC Call Number 751.73 R587m c.2 (Edward Locke's Note: This book offers valuable information on mural paintings from Mexican artists. In East Los Angeles, along Avenida Cesar Chavez, there are a lot of murals created by Mexican-Americans as well; this is recorded in my research paper Artistic Expressions in Public Spaces in Los Angeles and Some Other American Cities, 1st file, 2nd file, 3rd file, and 4th file).
- Jane Golden, Robin Rice, and Natalie Pompilio, More Philadelphia Murals and the Stories They Tell. ISBN 1-59213-527-7, ELAC Call Number ND 2638.P48 G648 2006
- Patricia Slligman, Painting Murals: Images, Ideas, and Techniques, ISBN 0-89134-265-6, LACC Call Number 751.4 Se48p
Scenic Painting Techniques
- Ina Brosseau Marx, Llen Marx and Robert Marx, Professional Painted Finishes: A Guide to the Art and Business of Decorative Painting, ISBN 0-8230-4418-1
- Judy A. Juracek, Surfaces: Visual Research for Artists, Architects, and Designers (Surfaces Series), ISBN 0-393-73007-7
- Stephen G. Sherwin, Scene Painting Projects for Theatre, ISBN 978-0-240-80813-0
- Susan Crabtree and Peter Beudert, Scenic Art for the Theatre, ISBN 978-0-240-81290-8
Websites and YouTube Videos on Acrylic Painting Techniques
Acrylic painting techniques:
- Step-by-Step Painting
- 13 Acrylic Painting Techniques All Beginners Should Try
- 14 Acrylic Painting Techniques Used by the Masters
- A Few Painting Techniques Artists Use, Explained
- Acrylic is Versatile: 25+ Fun Acrylic Painting Techniques
Liquid acrylic pouring techniques:
- Acrylic Pouring Floetrol HUGE Cells
- Acrylic Pour Painting: Control The Chaos--How To Define Your Shapes
- Acrylic Paint Pouring: Create Flowers With a Blown Puddle Pour
- Acrylic Pour Painting: Ocean Theme With Cells Using The Simple Swipe Technique
- Fluid-Art: Open Cup with Alcohol Technique and How to Never give Up on a Painting
- Fluid-Art: "Swirl" technique Acrylic Pouring Easy Way of Creating Circular, Tree Ring Like Pattern
- Sakura - Easy DIY Cherry Blossoms Fluid Acrylic Poured Painting Technique
- Seven Minutes In The Studio- Acrylic Paint Pouring. flow art, fluid painting
- Fluid Acrylic Painting - FLUORESCENT FUN!
Transfer photo images onto acrylic painting surfaces:
Recommended YouTube Videos: Realistic Acrylic Painting Techniques
(Landscapes and Still Life)
Edward Locke's SuniSea Studio
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