I painted this clothes dryer on jute, also known as burlap, the coarse material used to make gunny sacks. I wanted to see how acrylic paints would look on a very very rough surface. The initial result (above) was disappointing; even over a couple coats of gesso, the paint sank deep into the substrate and looked washed out, dull. A coat of varnish didn't help much. I actually put it aside for many months. Then I had an idea: try coating it with epoxy resin, rolled out thin. It popped. All the elements came together in a satisfying way - the rough, rudimentary substrate, the candy-hued paints, the las-vegas-gloss on the bumpy texture.
Unfortunately, photographs taken after the epoxy resin coating don't turn out well, because of the glare. See next photo - looks darker and harsher than the real thing.
I mounted it on a black board, keeping the jute edges a bit rough, and letting the black backing show through the holes left scattered cross the painting.
The following photos give an idea - but I hope I can figure out how to photograph future paintings on jute to do them justice.
22 x 20
Acrylics on jute, varnished with a thin but effective coat of epoxy resin
Acrylics on jute, varnished with a thin but effective coat of epoxy resin
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And the painting found a new home.
And the painting found a new home.
