. . Hanna Aalto . .

Step by step images of painting wolf.

Our brain process and edit information that comes from our eyes and usually we don’t realize this thing. This phenomenon causes problems to artists all the time, because our brain tries to make us paint or draw things how we know them to be instead of how we see them. Especially small children can’t escape this. For example girl figures would have eye lashed and long hair even if the model would not have these.

Brain has to be forced to stop knowing and focus to seeing. There are many tricks how to do it. Easiest way is to draw or paint upside down or one small part at the time, so it is difficult see what you are making. Some artists keep their knowing brain part busy by listening radio. Hearing human voices also help not to feel too alone.

I have found out that for me listening familiar movies works the best. If the movie is new to me or I haven’t seen it long time, the trick won’t work. New movies draw too much attention also from more creative brain half and this causes interruptions. It feels like movie would last forever and painting work moves on very slowly. If the movie is familiar affect is totally different. I often loose sense of time totally and feel relaxed even after hours of work. After painting work day it can feel like coming home from couple of days holiday! Of course painting work had to go smoothly without any problems.

For this purpose I choose movies that have good audio track. There has to be good actors that talk enough and great music. Best composers have been Alexandre Desplat, Howard Shore and John Williams.

This newt painting has been made between resin layers. There are at least six paint layers and on top of each has been casted 1 mm of slightly dyed clear resin. After this picture was taken, one layer of paint has been painted. and couple of more resin layers casted.

Information boards to Ähtäri Zoo

Ähtäri Zoo has its 40 years celebration this year. New buildings are being built, information boards remade and park cleaned. My part is to make together with Toteemi oy new information boards for the zoo. One third is already ready and largest two boards are almost ready.

I had a change to visit this zoo during weekend. It was interesting to see how ready boards looked in their places. I also had a good change to take reference pictures for those boards that I will make latter this year. Animals were busy even if it was very cold during mornings. Young bears were already awake and clamming behind the steel door. When the doors were opened they ran and crawl in to the soft snow. It was funny to watch! Most amazing experience was the wolves. They howled during dawn. Listeners got goose pumps because the sound.

This large board will be in aviary.

I tested Sukerukun and Luna clay for a first time. The biggest difference is that Sukerukun dries transparent and gum like and Luna clay is more like paper mache. After drying both feel strong and flexible enough to last for years. Both clays have smell of white glue. It is easy to dye them with small drops of acrylic paint mixed in. They shrink during drying process.

First testing’s were not very successful. I did not realize how thin layers I should make and I also learned that it is better to make parts separately and glue them together after drying. First test was calypso flower made of Luna clay. Next proper calypso should be made of Sukerukun that I think will produce more realistic look.

Next I started to work with water soldier plant for Siikalahti exhibition. This plant leaves are like a saw when you look close. First leaf attempts were far too thigh and not at all realistic. Finally I found technique that worked: I rolled clay to very thin layer between foils. Then some acrylic paint shades on the top, couple of minutes wait and cutting with self made cutting tool. Every leaf was pressed against veiner tool and shaped to different forms.

I was not happy with the first plants so I dissembled them and made more better leafs for next version. It is possible to re shape leaves a bit with heating them. Next steps are final shaping, painting and making saw edge to all leaves.