Preparing the finishing touches on the “Not #MeToo” painting
You thought my painting was done, when the visible surface was covered with paint and refined? Not quite! Here are some of the next steps in realizing my large Not #MeToo: No More Casting Couch project for Art Prize 10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan:
My wife Michaela came to visit me at St. Petersburg College’s painting studio in Clearwater, where we both teach. I put her to work painting the edges of the piece. While I fully intend to frame this painting, I want such an expensive work to have a finished look. Michaela teaches art history, but she has a painting degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as one of her undergraduate degrees.
It takes four utility tables to support this acrylic on canvas painting sufficiently to work on it.
Next up is the varnishing step. I use Windsor Newton oil painting varnish and apply it carefully. I have had difficulties with varnish turning milky on paintings in the past, so I am cautious when working with varnish. However, once the acrylic paint dried on the canvas, the colors became dull. That meant that what is a rich black looked more dark grey without varnish. By adding 1-2 layers of varnish, I can restore the color to look as it did when I painted it. Furthermore, the varnish protects the painting, so that someone can dust it off with a damp microfiber cloth in the future.
If you were here in person, you could easily tell the difference between a varnished and an unvarnished painting. However, that is something that does not photograph well, so you will have to take my word for it. I hope you will get to see this piece in person some time, because in real life it looks much better than it does in my photos.
Thanks for reading my blog. Please check back next week for the next step in this process.
To see my entire portfolio of paintings, please check out www.kevingrass.art! You can purchase original paintings and fine art print reproductions directly from my website.
Blog post 18 of 22
