Close up of Peach Blossoms in Peach Blossom Village near Longquan, Sichuan Province, China.
This is a picture of peach blossoms that I was testing out my acrylic painting gear on in my room before I venture out on the street--I coud really use some liquid courage for the size of the crowds around here. Unfortunately tea is not strong enough and I don't drink alcohol. While I was working in my room, (luckily we were finally able to change to a bigger room that has a nice little alcove that I was able to set up with my easel in as a little painting studio) I was having a few glitches so so far I only have my basic outline done in acrylic. I wanted to paint this nice closeup image of the branch of peach blossoms but my travel computer didn't have any photoimage editing software so I couldn't actually crop the image I wanted to paint.
Kelsey and I have managed to work in watercolours twice when we have been out touring around at the temple and at the mountains. I have been busy trying to organize my gear and figure out where is a spot that I will be a little more inconspicuous to start working on acrylics while being on location. It would be best if there would be a nice quiet place near our hotel that I could walk to. Unfortunately for me the river right in front of our hotel is barred off from view for miles due to a massive reconstruction project of the whole riverfront. They are working on putting in large rock paved pathways. I am still looking for a suitable location to work at on my own. When Kelsey is with me and there are two of us then I am braver to attempt to work in a crowd.
Standard Equipment to Staple Canvas to Frame is too Heavy to Take Traveling
Also, before I get out to paint in acrylics, I had to set up my canvases. Being here for 6 weeks I figured I could go through alot of canvas and they are quite bulky with the wooden stretcher frames to fit in my suitcase. Canvas boards without frames are too heavy to bring many and would have more than used up all of my allowable luggage weight. So just before I left I got a 12", 16", 18", 20", and 24" pair of wooden stretcher bars. I bought gessoed canvas at home and cut it to fit 12x16, 16x20, 18x20, and 20x24 frames. I just brought a regular small household stapler because the standard framing staple gun and canvas stretching pliers are way to heavy to bring on an international flight. So now I have a nice selection of canvases that will be alot easier to take home when I am finished. Acrylics dry very quickly and I can just remove them from the frame after a day or two and then I can put new canvas on the frame to do a new painting. I can just roll up the completed paintings on the canvas to bring home. I could have never fit or had the weight to bring 12 complete frames the size I have here with me in my suitcase. As it is, my clothes were a very small portion of my luggage weight what with my suitcase being filled with tubes of acrylic paints, brushes, squirt bottles, and a fairly lightweight set of watercolour gear. Now if I had known I could find the same portable painting chair I brought here, in the store for $2, I could have left mine at home. I had also considered trying to purchase paints and canvas here but it is a good thing I didn't do that. I am sure there are art supply stores somewhere around but I haven't been able to find one. I have been asking all of our guides and Chinese friends but so far I have struck out on finding one. Good thing I pretty much have everything I need with me. Now to just get the courage to get out and paint when there are bound to be many people stopping to look over my shoulder. Oh well, I guess if they are critical I won't understand what they are saying.
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