REPAIRING A RIPPED/TORN CANVAS: PT 1

ALFRED TORRES June 7, 2016

THE FOLLOWING BLOG IS ON HOW TO REPAIR A CANVAS AND "SAVE" YOUR PAINTING....

KEEP IN MIND THESE ARE SMALLER RIPS/TEARS-----

***YOU WILL HAVE TO PAINT OVER RIPS/TEARS TO MAKE THE MASTERPIECE (LOL) LOOK NORMAL AGAIN***

USE YOUR CREATIVITY TO BRING YOUR PIECE BACK TO LIFE... I DON'T RECOMMEND TRYING TO "MATCH COLORS/PATTERNS" TO FIX THE DAMAGED AREAS. THAT MAY DRIVE YOU INSANE.

IT'S TIME TO GET CREATIVE!!! THINK OUT OF THE BOX, MODERN ART-ISH.... SPLATTER SOME COLOR AND GO WITH IT.

Recently I was setting up my artwork prior to a craftshow. It was a windy afternoon in Orlando. Some of my pieces fell off my lattice rack. When I went to pick two of the pieces up, I discovered TWO...not ONE...BUT TWO of my 8 x 10's had been ripped. A 16 x 20 had fallen on top of them.

I was disappointed, but I didn't freak out. I remembered having to repair a brand new canvas a couple of months ago.

This is how I repaired both canvas.

FIRST: I CUT SOME PIECES OF CANVAS FROM THE BACKSIDE, TO "PATCH UP" THE TEAR FROM THE BACKSIDE.

SECOND: I USED GLUE TO SECURE THE PATCHING PIECES OF CANVAS.

THIRD: I USED PAINTER'S TAPE TO SECURE THE PATCHING PIECES OF CANVAS, UNTIL THE GLUE CURED.

FOURTH: USE A PAINTER'S "MODELING PASTE" TO FILL IN THE GAPS ON THE FRONT SIDE OF CANVAS. ARTIST'S LOFT MAKES A GOOD ONE. YOU CAN FIND IT AT MICHAEL'S WITH THE ACRYLIC PAINTS. YOU CAN USE A PAINTING KNIFE TO FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE PASTE.

FIFTH: FIGURE OUT A GAME PLAN ON HOW TO MASK RIP/TEARS THAT WILL GIVE YOUR MASTERPIECE A FINISHED LOOK.

I think the most important lesson I learned from this experience was, that I DIDN'T FREAK OUT.

I simply, put the damaged pieces to the side, and finished setting up my tent for the show.

I'm not sure how I will exactly "paint" over the rips...I do have a couple of ideas....

That will be PART 2 of this blog.

PEACE OUT YA'LL

Happening now...ABSOLUTELY AVALON

ALFRED TORRES May 28, 2016

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WATERFALL @ THE FLAMINGO IN VEGAS

ALFRED TORRES May 18, 2016

I recently visited Vegas for a friend's wedding. That's about the fifth time I've been there in my adult life. My first visit was as a child with my family. I was probably five or six, and we stayed at Circus Circus.

For My recent trip I stayed at the Luxor. That was my second time there. I love the Fact that I can say I have slept inside of a pyramid. I also love symbols and the Luxor is teeming with symbology and an Obelisk to boot. Super pagan.

I met up with my friends at the Flamingo, and we took a stroll through the wildlife habitat. It's truly a paradise in the desert and a hidden jem nestled just off of the noisy and sometimes ab- noxious strip.

I saw this cool waterfall and caught some inspiration in Vegas. Inspiration is everywhere if you just look.

When I got back I was excited to paint my interpretation of the "Flamingo Waterfall".

This was it... I wanted the waterfall to be more intense. I used the palette knife for the rocks. They have lots of texture.

The Wildlife Sanctuary at the Flamingo is free and even has a bar to boot.

The highlight at the Sanctuary is a flock of Chilean Flamingos. Maybe I should add one. Hmmmm.

Peace out ya'll

C.A.M.

FRIDAY'S FLOWERS

ALFRED TORRES May 6, 2016

These three little guys exploded out of my brushes today. TGIF

SUNFLOWERS & FRIENDS

ALFRED TORRES April 28, 2016

Hello everyone. I've been wanting to paint a Sunflower for some time now. I guess today was the day. It's getting warmer here in Orlando, but I got up early and finished before noon.

It's pretty amazing what you can do with a paint knife. I also used a broken stroke technique in the middle and captured some magic. At times you are holding the brush so lightly it almost falls right out your hand...

FRAMED, STAINED, AND READY TO BE HUNG! Put some sun in your life!

Peace out ya'll

C.A.M

SUNDAY FUNDAY: EYE OF RA & STAINING FRAMES

ALFRED TORRES April 24, 2016

It's a beautiful Sunday here in OTOWN... This is what I got into this morning. An Eye of Ra painting. I love symbols & this is definitely one of my favs. This is acrylic on a 12" X 24" canvas.

I also decided to put my Mother to work, since she had been interested in the art work I've been doing. I had her stain the frames to these three smaller pieces. Thanks, Ma! The one in the middle is actually stained with a "Bordeaux" color tint made especially for wood. I bought that tint at a hardware store in Towson, Maryland about five years ago. It's expensive but worth it! This is the first time I've used it. I have to say it's pretty bad ass. The picture doesn't do the color justice.

Peace Out Ya'll!

These cool little canvases came with their own frames.  I got em on sale at Michael's & they are a blast to paint on.  5" X 7" and the square one is 6" x 6".  TRUE STORY:  The flower started off just as a practice canvas. &nb… — These cool little canvases came with their own frames. I got em on sale at Michael's & they are a blast to paint on. 5" X 7" and the square one is 6" x 6".
TRUE STORY: The flower started off just as a practice canvas. I had some leftover black paint, so I decided to work on some brush strokes. I got into a flower pattern groove. The idea was to keep this one in black and white tones. I noticed I had some leftover purple, so I threw it in the mix. Playing off of the Breaking Away flower I painted a while back, I continued with the same style and finished this one off with the purple highlights and touches...
When I came inside the house and turned on the television, there were early reports indicating that PRINCE may have passed away. A few minutes later, it was confirmed. A musical legend and guitar genius, (during my lifetime) the likes of the great Jimi Hendrix, had passed away. Another great one gone.
Prince: "You had a great run, your Highness. I hope you and Jimi are engaged in an epic battle of 'dueling guitars' right now, in the celestial bodies up above."
I think I will call this flower, "PURPLE REIGN"

THREE LITTLE PIECES

ALFRED TORRES April 22, 2016

SUNDAY FUNDAY TOUCH UPS.

ALFRED TORRES April 17, 2016

I've been sick for three & a half days. I'm finally feeling better, so I decided to do some touch up work today.

First I touched up "Medieval Doors" by adding some gold highlights on the doors.

SIDEBAR: This painting has a simple "Caesar Cipher" code embedded below the door handles. Drop me a line if you decipher it. The doors are from the "Church of the Holy City" in Washington D.C. I visited this church several times while living in Annapolis. I also painted the church in "Diesel's Journey Home/Leap of Faith". I dreamed about these doors by themselves one night and this is what it looked like...sort of:)

Next I re-applied another coat of gloss finish. This time brushing it on, as opposed to spraying it on. The spray gloss is very tricky to apply. I find it easier to apply it onto small pieces. Generally 8 X 10 & smaller. It's scary good on those sizes.

After that, I decided that I needed to add "something" to "Pink Skies & Sunflowers". I decided to add a tree to give the painting more depth. I used a paint knife technique for this tree. I re-applied a coat of gloss afterwards.

FINALLY...I took the honeycombs out of this latest piece (KEY TO MY DREAMS) I've been working on, changed the pink clouds to black/white, and added the eye of ra where the honeycombs were.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT: There was a cloud where the Eye of Ra is. It looked like a giant gator chomping it's way through the painting...Although I'm a Florida Gators fan...HE HAD TO GO!

PEACE OUT YA'LL!

HAPPY LITTLE FIELD TRIP

ALFRED TORRES April 9, 2016

So I recently found out that Legendary landscape artist Bob Ross, or as I like to call him: The "Pbs Art Gangsta", has a gallery in New Smyrna Beach Florida. I planned a Saturday morning trip, only to arrive at a dark & empty shop...It seems they were closed, due to a "happy little vacation."

Oh well, on to explore New Smyrna Beach's art scene. PEACE OUT YA'LL

Look...He's laughing at me from the afterlife...LOL🙀

My "Happy Lilttle Face" b4 discovering they were closed...

CANVAS PREP

ALFRED TORRES April 8, 2016

T.G.I.F. YA'LL. Recently I was prepping (priming) a canvas for a new piece. I took a pic of the canvas because I wanted to remember how I started the piece (memento moment😜). After finishing the piece, I realized I really liked what I did in the initial prep stages, and decided that "idea" could work as the basis for a future painting. This was what the "prep" looked like.