Picture Stories - Fishermen's Friends
- Susan Brenning
- Nov 30, 2021
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 24
Introducing Picture Stories
A little introduction
Hi, I’m Susan and I’d like to share a little with you about my painting. I started painting in Jr. high and High school and tested several different methods.
For over 10 years, my sister-in-law, her daughter, and I attended a three-day summer painting class at my former workplace, Gullbrannagården.
Before then I had dabbled in oil painting after taking a class for a term in a study circle. After testing acrylics, I soon found that I enjoyed them better as they are water-soluble and easy to clean without strong chemicals. Also, you can make it look like oil with more paint and less water, or like watercolors by using more water.
It is a flexible medium that dries quickly, allowing you to work faster and layer colors without risking bleeding or mixing. If you need the paint to dry slower you can add a Gel Medium (matte or glossy). The gel lengthens the drying time of the paint as well as making the texture more liquid and thinning the paint.
Video Introduction
In the video below I talk freely about a particular attempt at painting with acrylic paint. I have written in more detail, the thoughts I speak of, in the text below.
A parenthesis: Although I am American I have done most of my painting in Sweden. I have learned the painting terms in Swedish and have difficulties finding the right words in English. The word ‘canvas’ escapes me often for example among other words. I leave my language mistakes just for the fun of it. It might give someone a laugh who can understand the difficulties of being bilingual.
Read about Fishermen's Friends
Painting a reminder of home at home
This painting I painted in 2017 at home and not at the course where most of my paintings were done. It doesn’t feel like it was such a long time ago that I painted this and yet it has been several years.
This is also from an original photo from a Gant magazine. I love their photos and use them often in my process of learning how to paint through a good motif.
The painting is rather dark but it reminds me of where I was born on the Oregon coast in New Port. My parents lived in Depoe Bay at the time.
I found this Travel Inspiration Guide on Depoe Bay's visitor's site. The area is truly beautiful.
East Coast vs. West Coast Motif
The siding of the building is made of shingles that at one time were popular for coastal homes. As you can see there are different lobster buoys on the wall. (I had to Google what they were called since making this video) Many Gant photos are from the East Coast. Since doing this video I have also read about lobster and the West Coast. There is lobster in the Pacific but they don’t have claws like the East Coast lobster do, just powerful jaws.
Details of Fishermen's Friends
What was showing in the window was difficult to discern so I blacked most of it out and left a bottle and something the shape of what I saw without knowing what it was.
There was a lot of detail to get down. Each shingle required me to paint cracks, shadows, and nail holes. Then I covered most of the wall with all the detail in the lobster buoys. It made me think ‘Was it really necessary to do all that detail just to cover it up?’
Before I got the lobster buoys in place, I didn’t know what sections of the wall they would be covering, so yes, the background detail was necessary for me at this time. You might be able to leave the space white if you are an experienced painter but I would have to do so much repair work around the buoys that it was worth the added work.
I think those who use watercolor have to leave areas white that they need open for other objects because you can’t layer the paint the same way you can with acrylic.
Painter's Friends: Acrylic paper pads and floater frames
I did enjoy painting this even though it took time to do it. It’s on paper made for acrylic paints. You can find acrylic paper pads in stores that have hobby and painting supplies. The floater frame was new to me but I found them when visiting home in the U.S. They were perfect for the acrylic paper paintings I’d made. To keep the paper flat I had to use masking tape and tape it to a flat surface. The wetness of the paint would make it curl or bubble otherwise.
I checked the internet for pictures of floater frames and they look different than the frame I bought. They can be used for canvases as well. The one I used was for photos. The clear glass area lets the wall color show through.
Old and New friends
When it comes to finding detail, compartmentalizing, and taking care of things in your life, sometimes you have to hang things up.
You have to put what is obvious on a wall and step back. Let it hang there for a while until you can see what should remain and what should go.
In November, people are starting to wind down a little. We are getting ready for Christmas and winter. When you are getting ready for a new season or time in life you start to put things away to make space for the new. You put away your boat if you have one, I don’t. You put away the summer and fall things that you had and get out the winter things. It’s a time to sort and go through your life and the details.
It takes time well spent to sort and organize
I enjoy those times in life because I like to sort and organize. But it is also a bit disturbing because it takes time to do that. It takes time to put the clothes away that are too cold for the season and get out the winter clothes. You want to have time to go through them and you don’t because there are just so many things to do. But if you take the time to do that, it makes the next season so much easier to meet because you are prepared in a way that you wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t taken that time.
Also, if you sort things out and put them where they are supposed to be, it is so much easier to bring them out again the next time you want to use them.
Declutter your spiritual and emotional life
I find that happens in my personal life as well. Not just in material things, but in spiritual matters and emotional situations.
For example, I might need to hang up an emotion that I’ve been holding onto too long, like hatred, anger, disappointment, or jealousy. I don’t need to carry this emotion any longer. It’s taking space and energy. I don’t need it in my life.
Give it to God
I can hang it on a wall that God is in charge of and He can take it and throw it away.
Sometimes He takes it and cleanses it instead. But I have to start by hanging it up, giving it to Him, and putting it in His hands before I can move on.
At the same time, I might need to take joy and trust that I have neglected to use, down from the wall.
That’s my challenge for this month, to try and hang things up that I don’t need. Give them to God and trust that He will take care of them.
Then take back the neglected positive attitudes that God freely gives.
He will help me and He will be with me during the next process and take care of the time that is already past. He can and will do the same for you, friend.
Praise the Lord!
Sharing Picture Stories
I plan on sharing my paintings and a little story of each here on my website. I hope that somehow, I can inspire you to use the gifts God has given you to spread joy and the knowledge of our Lord, giving others a desire to seek a deeper personal relationship with Him.
Keep in touch
You can also follow me on Social Media. I am most active on Facebook and Instagram.
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