Jocelyn Ball-Hansen

Durability, flexibility and longevity are traits of this more contemporary medium. My acrylic portraits and paintings were completed using professional artist grade heavy body pigments, preferably Liquitex brand, on cotton duck primed canvas or primed hard board.

Working with a more natural earth tone colour based palette, staying away from the more synthetic, man made sort of colours, helps me create more traditional looking paintings and portraits with acrylic. It has always been my adage to work With the medium and its natural quick drying tendencies, than to try to extend the pigments with slow dry mediums. I use small amounts of water and some blending fluid, for glazing when needed, as a vehicle, as well as work in a dry brushing, scumbling or circular rubbing motion method with mainly just the damp paint. Paper towels are always handy right by my palette for ridding the brush of excess pigment first.

The key to developing good drawing skills that can be applied to working up a drawing for a painting, come from constantly maintaining good observational abilities, visual memory, and plenty of continuous practice. Though I did begin life drawing at age sixteen in high school, continuing two times a week for four years during art college, as well as attending drop in life drawing groups off and on, there is no need to go to any expense to practice this. Though you could search out artist groups or drop in life drawing groups in your area. However, lots of artists sketch from life in public, there is the option of working from still life at home, in natural or artificial direct light, as well as drawing pets and family members. One idea is to begin by practicing drawing quick thirty second to one minute gestures from people and pets that move around you, either at home or in public.