Fuchsia - Day 23 of #jan30in30 - experimenting with aquabord

 

4"x4" oil on aquabord (product by Ampersand)

For more information, or to purchase, click here. 

This piece was a bit of experimentation and not entirely on purpose.  The first time I laid oil on this panel I realized I had something different. I thought it was a gessobord panel (a product made by Ampersand). Then I realized it was either claybord, or aquabord, other products also made by the Ampersand company for other painting purposed. And yes, they spell board as 'bord' in their product line. Then I remembered, I had bought these little aquabord panels to try out with watercolor...and NOT oils. It is so absorbent, it pulls the oil right out of the paint. It makes it quite impossible to move...however, it does cause it to dry incredibly quickly (which could be handy in certain circumstances).  I remember a good friend had brought two claybord panels to a plein air competition, and her paintings were beautiful...and probably the only oils hanging in the show that were actually dry! I don't know that I'll try that again.  It's do-able, but not my favorite way to work. I like painting wet into wet, and allowing certain colors to mix & mingle, and this was much more challenging to paint on, even if it did have an interesting effect. 

And the flower itself? A single Fuchsia blossom - they grow wild in huge hedgerows over in southwest Ireland. (The same lovely plants that we buy at the nursery in hanging baskets and promptly kill off because they seem so delicate!)  Every summer they are just one of the many wildflowers that charm the fairies in this magical place!