M. H. Dunaway

idharryloularry asked: Can I ask what kind of sketch composition books you use?

Absolutely.

I am a devoted Moleskine sketchbook owner. I find the thick, glossy paper in the standard sketchbook to be surprisingly versatile. It can accommodate graphite, pens, ink and paint. So far, I haven’t found a medium that it can’t handle. I hear Moleskine makes sketchbooks specifically for painting with watercolors, but so far I haven’t felt the need to experiment with one.

artdomain asked: What a pretty record of sketchbooks. Very inspiring, and what's better, fraught with an emotional sense of the artist's soul. Can you tell us what paint do you use for the average moleskine entry? Thank you

Hi Artdomain,

I’d be delighted to talk shop. Generally, my Moleskine paintings are made with two types of ink: Daler Rowney FW Acrylic Inks, and Windsor & Newton Drawing Inks.

Daler Rowney FW acrylic inks are thick and easy to layer, but they still have the slick and fluid texture of ink. Best of all— thanks to their acrylic binders, the colors won’t fade over time.

I also use natural inks from a variety of companies, including Winsor & Newton. These inks are more delicate. If not taken care of and kept out of sunlight, they will fade over time. However, they’re worth the risk because natural color is always bright, pure, and quite frankly, more beautiful.

If you don’t mind, I’d love to go slightly off topic to discuss paint and color chemistry, because it plays a large part in my process: Synthetic colors are heavy and opaque, and natural colors are translucent and stain-like. You can tell if a paint is synthetic or natural by reading the label. Acrylic inks will be labeled as such, but you should also take the color into consideration. Colors that are named after a mineral or stone (ex: cobalt, umber, sienna, ultramarine) actually use those elements to make the paint. This explains why they’re so expensive. Colors with names that sound more descriptive (sky blue, flame red) were concocted in a lab. This holds true with most paints, including oils.

…you should hear me go on about brushes in my Kolinsky Sable Brushes post!

Cheers,

Missy

exceldior asked: You are so talented and I am extremely jealous of you haha. Where do you find inspiration for your artwork? Whenever I try to create something, I become completely stumped as to what I should paint/sketch. x

Exceldior,

Thank you for checking out my blog, and for the very nice things you have to say about my work- although I have mixed feelings about inspiring jealousy in others :)

I’ve been keeping a sketchbook since I was 19 (I’m 25 now). I don’t post most of my early work because it’s very self conscious. Looking at the work now, I can tell I was over thinking everything, mentally mapping out the drawing before even touching pen to paper. But I kept drawing and took my sketchbook everywhere. Over the years, I got in the habit of drawing daily and my work became impulsive- and the ideas started flowing.

When you have a writing assignment and you have no idea what you want to say, your professors tell you to write stream of consciously. Write about how you have nothing to say, how you’re bored and this assignment will never be complete, and then before you know it- you’re writing. A lot. When I approach a blank page, paint brush in hand, I apply the same tactic. I don’t think, I just paint. I’m not precious. Really, every painting you see on this blog has two failed attempts beneath it. If a painting fails, it’s not a waste of time. It will undoubtably lead to a better idea and you can trash the first. And so on.

Hope this helps!

Missy