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Heliocyan β€” Artroot!

Published: 2014-07-16 17:43:00 +0000 UTC; Views: 2135; Favourites: 87; Downloads: 0
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Description

What to do when no paint at hand?Β Paint with what you have. Or find in the kitchen. In this case: beetroot!

I always find it slightly irritating when people ask what was used, to get exactly the same paints, paper, pens and brushes as the artist they admire and think their art will improve...

Here's my opinion: To your art and creativity itself it matters not. Yes, of course I do love a decent set of paints and fancy materials myself, but sometimes they are just far out of reach. The other day I saw a beautiful set of pastels, priced higher than what I earn on average in three months. I'm sure they are wonderful and such, but what I'm saying is: it's not necessary. It is what *you* make of *what* you have available. I used to use cheap supermarket paints for years, which didn't stop me producing some decent work with them. And to be creative, more expensive materials are often not helpful at all; one doesn't want to 'waste' them - as they did cost so much - and therefore not use them at all. My personal example are all those beautiful, but expensive sketchbooks I own ...and then use paper scraps and napkins to sketch down ideas.

The wonderful vibrant pink is the juice left from cooking beets, not the raw juice! I have not tried using raw beetroot juice, but I suspect it will get brown very quickly. That's what it does when I spill it on the table cloth by accident, anyway. Of course, I am not sure how they will stand the test of time, but for now those colours look beautiful and vibrant.Β 

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Comments: 59

Heliocyan In reply to ??? [2014-08-01 10:43:28 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much!!

I have now finished the painting, in case you have not seen it. I uploaded it a few weeks ago into my gallery. I used tea to paint the leaves, to distinguish them from the flowers.

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Phil-FR [2014-07-21 12:10:33 +0000 UTC]

You Said It All!!!Β 

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Heliocyan In reply to Phil-FR [2014-07-21 16:31:37 +0000 UTC]

Β 

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Opheliac-noire [2014-07-17 09:19:16 +0000 UTC]

that is a pretty piece ( already!), and it only proves your point of view - a real artist can make amazing pieces using anything at hand

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Heliocyan In reply to Opheliac-noire [2014-07-21 16:31:59 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much!

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DiamondBeautyInk [2014-07-17 08:34:01 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful

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Heliocyan In reply to DiamondBeautyInk [2014-07-21 16:32:06 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! Β 

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Dagger-13 [2014-07-17 06:27:58 +0000 UTC]

You, madam, are some kind of art god. This is looking stunning - I really hope the pink stays that colour!

I'm always curious about what medium people use because I like to see what is possible technique-wise. Especially when it's acrylics-vs-oils, since I only ever use acrylics and am trying to work out whether the benefits of oils outweigh the negatives.

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Heliocyan In reply to Dagger-13 [2014-07-21 16:39:46 +0000 UTC]

I know what you mean about the art materials. I do like experimenting myself. Who knows, maybe you can find a way of applying the paint in a way no one has tried before?Β 

I think it's sad when people think they *have* to buy a certain brand of paint or pen, just to feel save. There are so many ways of being creative, and there should not be any rules. That is, for me, the beauty of creativity! No rules! Just trying out, it's just paper, after all! If it doesn't work, I bin it... (As I told my parents, years ago: If I wanted rules I would have become a lawyer. )Β 

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Dagger-13 In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-21 18:32:37 +0000 UTC]

Ha ha, that's a good one! I'll have to remember that

I see what you mean though, thinking on it I see that I'm more interested in the material rather than the brand. Mainly because I'm a cheapskate, but also because I don't think the brand matters if the skill isn't there.

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pyro-helfier [2014-07-17 05:47:34 +0000 UTC]

I kind of like the metaphorical essence of painting flowers with beet juice and seeing if it will hold up over time.Β  It might be interesting and kind of cool to watch as the colors fade to duller brownish tones as the flowers "die."

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Heliocyan In reply to pyro-helfier [2014-07-21 16:51:10 +0000 UTC]

Indeed! I just hope I can finish it before the first flowers start to fade.

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pyro-helfier In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-21 17:30:12 +0000 UTC]

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TLTaylor [2014-07-16 23:27:09 +0000 UTC]

Does Chinese green tea keep its colour, I wonder, or does it fade? None of these would be colour fast, I would think. What an interesting experiment.

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Heliocyan In reply to TLTaylor [2014-07-21 16:50:42 +0000 UTC]

Hm, I think green tea will become brown. A good friend of mine is using tea to stain his water colour paper, and it seems the green tea is becoming brown:Β himmapaan.deviantart.com/art/G…

I think I will still try tea, I think the brown in combination with the pink will look great!Β 

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TLTaylor In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-21 17:30:24 +0000 UTC]

I think you are right about the colour, but your having way to much fun with this, I can tell.Β 

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Heliocyan In reply to TLTaylor [2014-07-21 18:21:10 +0000 UTC]

Indeed!! Β 

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agataylor [2014-07-16 22:25:10 +0000 UTC]

This is wonderful! Although I think it will also end up brown after some time...I've used a lot of natural pigments from vegetables in the past, which had beautiful tones, but after some time all of them go to some sort of brown-ish shade, hehe.

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Heliocyan In reply to agataylor [2014-07-21 16:51:58 +0000 UTC]

Hehe, let's hope I can scan it before that happens! Β 

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ArtbyMaryC [2014-07-16 20:19:33 +0000 UTC]

WOW.
and I concur about the materials

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Heliocyan In reply to ArtbyMaryC [2014-07-16 20:21:39 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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TLTaylor [2014-07-16 19:57:47 +0000 UTC]

And I thought coffee was clever!

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Heliocyan In reply to TLTaylor [2014-07-16 20:23:52 +0000 UTC]

I was thinking of adding tea for either the leaves or the whole background. But I guess I wait to see how the beetroot changes before I decide what to do (you see, I haven't really planned any of this! )

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TLTaylor In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-16 22:35:35 +0000 UTC]

The unplanned projects are sometimes the most rewarding. I did a portrait with coffee at the beginning of july just for fun and people where amazed that you could paint with anything other than paint.Β 

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Heliocyan In reply to TLTaylor [2014-07-21 16:53:23 +0000 UTC]

Isn't it interesting how people are so attracted to anything 'different'?! I find it's the beauty of creativity itself, there should be no rules, everything can be tried out! Β 

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TLTaylor In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-21 17:11:04 +0000 UTC]

You are absolutely right, the tried and true 'purists' have missed the point. If there is no adventure how can there be growth?

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Heliocyan In reply to TLTaylor [2014-07-21 17:13:26 +0000 UTC]

Indeed! And if I wanted ruled, I would have chosen a different career path. Β 

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TLTaylor In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-21 17:21:20 +0000 UTC]

Agreed!

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rjler [2014-07-16 19:43:08 +0000 UTC]

I wondered if it was cooked beet water/juice/whatever! Beautiful color. Can't wait to see the finished piece.

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Heliocyan In reply to rjler [2014-07-16 19:55:04 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! I'll hurry up, I'm curious myself! As well, I'm worried it might change it's colour, so I want to finish and scan it so it is preserved.

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GabeGault [2014-07-16 19:28:23 +0000 UTC]

very nice

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Heliocyan In reply to GabeGault [2014-07-16 19:55:11 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!Β 

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jenninn [2014-07-16 19:13:29 +0000 UTC]

It looks so incredibly good already, love the color! Β 

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Heliocyan In reply to jenninn [2014-07-16 19:55:40 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! Yes, I love the colour as well, it's so vibrant.

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Whippetluvpony [2014-07-16 18:44:28 +0000 UTC]

That brush however does look pretty fantastic. I have not yet worked with asian style brushes and this does make me want to try. The detail here is lovely. well done, I hope the color stays true, but even faded it should look lovely.

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Heliocyan In reply to Whippetluvpony [2014-07-16 18:53:08 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much!! Yes, I do love those very fine Asian brushes. Somehow, the tip on those is much finer than on any "normal" brush. It must be the way they are cut. Especially very thin and runny inks, watercolours and, in fact, beetroot juice, are much easier applied with those. They are useless for acrylic, though. I tried it, and it was hopeless.Β 

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GreenLadyMonster [2014-07-16 18:35:19 +0000 UTC]

What an excellent idea! I haven't though of using cooked beetroot juice yet. It'd be a shame if it did brown though, but hey if it does you know it looked beautiful initially anyway. Just another experiment, at least. Even if the colors dulled, I bet it would still have a certain...quality to it.

I hear you on the supplies bit; there are certain tools I like to pay the extra bit of money for (especially paper; I can use cheap pencils and crayons as long as I'm using them on good paper), but I've used so-called "low end" media and was more than satisfied with the outcome; for example I use this pack of 6 dollar ballpoints I got at Staples and they perform beautifully, arguably better than the more expensive Staedtler ballpoints I have, even.

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Heliocyan In reply to GreenLadyMonster [2014-07-16 19:02:13 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! Yes, I try to finish it as soon as I can to get a decent scan before it might brown or fade. I'm surprised it kept the colour as it did, there is still no discolouring although it's on the paper for three days already. On clothes it starts getting brown or purple within hours...

You are right about the paper! I found as well that cheap paper gets yellow-brownish after a while. I guess that's what 'acid free' compared to 'with acid' does. I know exactly what you mean about the pens! I often find those free pens in banks/ hotels / restaurants really great! I feel like an idiot when I take them - as if I can't afford to buy any! But when I find a nice one, I can't help it!

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GreenLadyMonster In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-19 20:39:16 +0000 UTC]

Hey, maybe this experiment will be a rousing success if the color holds!

Yep, I've learned the hard way when trying to use cheap paper (or even, *gasp* copier paper...). For me, nothing is worse than working on paper that can't take anything, so I've cut corners with costs by getting slightly cheaper media and done just fine with them but I just...can't do it with paper, haha. I've done that with pens so many times now I can't even count; you never know when one you have might run out and you need another!

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Heliocyan In reply to GreenLadyMonster [2014-07-21 17:01:01 +0000 UTC]

Oh yes, the cheap thin copy paper! And it waves like an ocean!Β 

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Woodswallow [2014-07-16 18:12:28 +0000 UTC]

I just love how you're painting plants, so fascinating!

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Heliocyan In reply to Woodswallow [2014-07-16 18:23:02 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much! My biggest influence is probably the Eastern Asian art, I love the old Chinese and Japanese hanging scroll paintings.
For ages, I tried to avoid all foliage all together and painted the animals alone, so it's still a bit of a challenge for me. Β 

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Woodswallow In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-16 20:04:29 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome
I think I'm still in that "animals alone"-phase...backgrounds annoy me so much.
But they look so good when you do them!

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Heliocyan In reply to Woodswallow [2014-07-16 20:26:17 +0000 UTC]

I think it's really worth it, and even if it's just a couple of leaves coming from the side or a few branches. It seems to make the paintings so much more interesting! Β 

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Woodswallow In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-16 20:40:13 +0000 UTC]

That's so true! I should work on that

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Samarai [2014-07-16 18:08:42 +0000 UTC]

Will you marry me..?

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Heliocyan In reply to Samarai [2014-07-16 18:15:37 +0000 UTC]

It doesn't happen often that I am left for words!!

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Samarai In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-16 19:26:34 +0000 UTC]

I leave a lot of folks speechless. Β It's my knack for saying the one thing NO-one anticipated. Β 

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Heliocyan In reply to Samarai [2014-07-16 19:53:10 +0000 UTC]

That's a wonderful trade to have!

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Samarai In reply to Heliocyan [2014-07-16 20:32:29 +0000 UTC]

Kind of your basic blessing and curse sorta thing. Β There is no disconnect between my brain and my mouth, f'rinstance and the things that I say sometimes gets me in whatcha call your basic hot water. Β On the other hand, I can be hysterically funny. Β 

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