New Acquisition

Last evening, I bought another art book to add to my library. And I'm very excited to immerse myself on learning how to use watercolor properly. I skimmed it last night and it's filled with illustrations, and inspirational techniques and insights on watercolor painting. 

To tell the truth, I had been feeling extremely guilty as I hadn't been able to accomplish the tasks I had been planning for so long. Procrastination sets in, but most often, the apprehension that settles in when starting to work on something is what dominates in me. Perhaps I haven't got that much will or courage to face that kind of negativity. But based from experience, whenever these things happen to me, it's usually kind of like gaining energy or momentum. At one point, I might be very sluggish or lazy, but then a minute strikes, then I start to get working. It's more like having a mood swing of some sort.

As regards to the tasks I had been mentioning, the first one is that I haven't started translating the booklet which my mom requested me to write. It's written in English and I have to translate it in Filipino. Honestly, I feel very uncomfortable in reading and writing on this language; as I've been dealing with English almost all of the time. Filipino is more of like using so many adjectives and flowery language which are only equivalent to one word in English. And another thing is that I find it very challenging to translate well and capture the essence of the original writing in English. Perhaps I have to get working on that soon.

The second task is that the blank canvas hadn't been painted yet. The tubed paints are getting dry and this year's coming to end and yet I haven't started painting yet...

I had been so preoccupied on taking and processing pictures, preaching about religion on a website called facebook, etc. And for that matter, I think it's really time to step back from all of these and then focus on what's really important and get them done. I've done my part and spent a lot of my time on informing people about religion.

It's a great relief to be free from following the expectations of people, isn't it? It really means a lot to me now that I've learned to protect my heart from unnecessary disappointments. It's not a matter of being accepted based on following their expectations. It's a matter of accepting oneself, and respecting ones self worth. It's about staying away from what's not deserving of our attention and energy, of not allowing anybody gain the upper hand over our identity and self-respect, and focusing on the bright and positive things in life.

35th Update

Art Medium and Brands I use

Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Pencil Tin - 36 count (#117536)

Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Pencils provide artists with great versatility of expression when drawing, shading, and painting in watercolors. Rich pigments dissolve completely when blended with a wet brush. These high quality watercolor pencils are offered in 120 colors that are permanent when dry and color matched to all other Faber-Castell lines. (source: http://artgraphic.fabercastell.com)

Color & Co Oil Colours 

Color & Co fine oil painting sets are high quality colours for traditional oil painting. They have a high level of pigmentation, a smooth full bodied consistency, good covering power, uniform consistency, good lightfastness, and good working properties.

• Canvas or canvas board
• Good pigmentation
• Good covering power 

(source: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au)

REEVES Water Mixable Oil, Colour Set, 12 ml Tube, 24 Tubes

Paint with genuine oil colors without using solvents. Looks, feels, and performs like traditional oil paint. Features a high level of pigmentation, smooth-bodied consistency, and good lightfastness. Colors include: lemon yellow, medium yellow, brilliant red, crimson, phthalo blue, ultramarine, sap green, viridian hue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, ivory black, titanium white, orange, flesh tint, violet, permanent light green, burnt sienna, Payne’s gray, deep yellow, magenta, rose madder, cerulean blue, cobalt blue, and raw umber. (source: http://www.enasco.com)

Winsor & Newton's Artisan Water-Mixable Linseed Oil 

Winsor & Newton's Artisan range of mediums has been specifically designed for use with the Artisan Water-Mixable Oil Paints, allowing you to continue working with the same mediums you would use in oil painting but maintain the ability to use water to thin youroil colour and to clean your brushes and painting equipment. Winsor & Newton's Artisan Water-Mixable Linseed Oil is the main binder used in the manufacturing of Artisan Oil Colours, and adding it as a medium will allow you to reduce the consistency and improve the flow of your oil paints. It is also the most popula rmedium of the Artisan range. (source: http://www.artstore.co.uk)

Marie's Professional Gouache Color

Renowned for their brilliance, opacity and great tinting strength, Marie's Gouache colors is a finely ground, water based paint and ideal for students and artists of all ages. The sets contain most popular colors. Conforms to U.S. health ASTM D4236 and Europe EN-71 standard.12/14/18 color set available. All the tubes are secured in white plastic tray (source: http://www.arttool.com)

Stabilo Carb Othello Pastel Pencil 

This pencil is simply a chalk pastel with a wood casing and can be sharpened to a fine point. It can be dry mixed and blended or by adding water used as watercolour. There are 60 colours. They have high pigmentation, great luminosity and opacity plus brilliant results when used on dark backgrounds. They are easily blendable and completely non-toxic. Wonderfully dry and dusty, just like charcoal, the soft lead will also draw perfectly on delicate paper. Can be bought individually or in robust metal tins. (source: http://www.artshopmaterials.co.uk)