Tag Archives: art blog

Artistic Desire comes from within.

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Creating any type of artwork you must have a desire to be…….any one thing; an artist painter, an artist drawer,  crafters, a photographer and so on. The desire really can’t be given to you from a teacher to say, a teacher or an artist can inspire and motivate  you.  The artistic desire must come from within yourself first. There are no magic graphite pencils nor brushes to avoid hard work to achieve a successful gratifying piece of artwork.  Always go to class prepared and ready to work and learn valuable tools to improve your skills. Practice drawing exercises, learn the value scales, practice drawing and rendering spheres then other shapes. Keep a positive attitude and do not give up, eventually your efforts will start to pay off in great results.

I can teach you on the basis you have artwork to work from. How much effort you apply to learning is how much more I can teach you new skills. Do not work from or have the practice of looking at other artist artwork/pictures to copy. You may be inspired by another artist, just take from their work an idea and recreate the idea to make it your own. Take your own pictures and work from those. It’s good work ethic and good respect standards amongst fellow artist.

Life goes so quickly and nobody is promised tomorrow. Enjoy your life the best you can in any given moment. Every moment or group of moments are a season and shall pass.

Time never stays the same for anyone.

Enjoy your life and produce art from emotion. I suggest doing something that you enjoy and like spending time doing and start there. There are seasons of life that change continually and we can not do one blessed thing to change that. So instead of going against the tide……. try to swim with the waves [events and everyday life]. Believe me I understand about stress in life; from major health issues and not knowing I would make it through the illness. I raised three kids that all live at home yet! I understand. The point is if there is no desire to create or time is a huge issue then decide if art is what you want to do. If so, use the time you have to either store-up reference photos or sketches for future use. The time will come before you know it. When we are going through situations the time passes what seems to be slow and the situations just seem to take forever to pass. Then when we look back and reflect on the seasons or passed situations we ask ourself where did the time go? The time just simply went so fast and we over reacted when we should have embraced all the moments good or bad.

I am trying to understand and questioning life I suppose in my art, especially my photography. I have been challenging myself in a series of self portraits which have been forcing me not only to push past ordinary portraiture, but compositions with the lighting telling my story. Trying to find what my life means to me now and pictures to portray my life to this point in time. It has not been an easy journey to arrive here, what I am seeing in my photography. I guess I would say soul searching for meaning and direction.

When there seems to be no direction in your artwork photograph yourself in film. You need a hard copy to look at in a group, not a click on the computer. You can hold art and the impact will be greater vs. digital work where there is no hard copy or proof of creation. Hit the wrong button and your artwork is gone. In film you have negatives as proof of hard-working creativity. Shoot at least three rolls of yourself; keep two rolls for onetime usage in one or two environments and then another roll for shooting at random. The first two rolls will force you to look at yourself past the normal composition and force you to see what you want to portray. It may take ten rolls before you start to see what you are looking for, but a few will speak to you. There you will see new direction in your artwork.

I hope to enter a few shows once I have this series somewhat mastered. I’d post but there are too many people copy and pasting my artwork. I don’t have the time to inject my name in bold letters across the pictures. I’d really would like to post so then you could see what I am stating…..Before we get to the promise land we all must go through first. As artist we use all moments to produce our work.

Entitlement.

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I must say thank you for the sincere comments, but the others are simply spam.  I don’t care if you discovered my website while suffering zoo; which isn’t a search anyway. Time is valuable and I don’t have the time to read through lame comments that do not refer to my website. You’ve been blocked anyway. I should have found that button sooner.

Getting back to important art related subjects. In the last post I stated how our own artwork is an extension of ourself and as artist we need to express emotion, create the other part of us that is needed to come out on paper. What makes us an artist and how good we are at it is how much time we spend learning to improve our skills in which ever mediums. There is no magic brush or graphite pencil that will record what we envisioned to represent us. You must do the time and practice value scales, spheres, shapes and pay close attention to light and shadows. The only way you will improve your skills which will improve your artwork is to work at them. Think of the exercises in comparison to learning to play the piano, you must practice and practice some more. If you want it bad enough than you will do what it takes to improve your skills.

Assignment #1: Life drawing is key for a strong foundation in drawing and painting. You can’t paint well until you know how to draw. sketch family members, friends and co-workers in simple clothed three-five minute poses. One newsprint tablet a month!

Being an artist is a gift and we must be thankful and not take our God-given talent for granted. Use our talent to bless others in which they can connect and relate to what we are conveying through paint. Artwork will give you a chance to work through life and it’s issues if your approach is raw and honest.

Assignment #2:  I suggested before of photographing yourself at least 48 times or two rolls of film [film is better, a raw pure actual product in your hand] no touched-up pictures neither. If you want an honest approach for answers on what your pictures are saying to you then they need to be pure and raw…..no easy out method of pictures. I want you to have an actual piece of work in your hand. Learn to see the art elements through the lens of the camera. The way you capture yourself on film will speak to you. You will understand what they are conveying and how they are connected to emotion. They might even say more than you are willing to look at in your life. It will certainly give you a direction to follow in your artwork.

Like I also stated before creating a self-portrait is the hardest art assignment I could give you. It truly forces you to look at yourself on paper, before you know it the emotion and creativity will flow. It may just open up the avenue or new direction you need. It is not necessary to share with anyone unless you want. Start with an artist friend or teacher first, someone who understands art and knows you.

I have started on my fourth roll today already, spent many hours in the darkroom figuring out what was these pictures saying to me. Not surprised they speak volume and gave me clarity. The understanding will come when you lie them out in front of you on a table, there you will see the connection. Because of what I was seeing in the mirror was only a reflection and I thought I looked good with my life and emotions in control.  What I saw on paper was my true soul speaking to me and it looked like another person, someone I couldn’t hide from any longer. If we are to create pure, honest heart-felt artwork then we need to be true in who we are if we will affect other people with our work. I would post my recent work but I have trouble with people feeling they can help themselves to it! I need to put my name across it first, then I may post some of the photography.

Your artwork is your best friend.

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Your artwork can be your best indication reader of your emotions. Have you ever looked at your work and relate it too your life at one particular emotion? Your artwork will reflect what your life is about or what you need to deal with in your life. I find when I am going through something life changing my artwork is a carbon copy of my emotional state. It has been very interesting to me what my work in photography has spoken to me these past two months or so. It is all inter-woven, our life and what our artwork says about us.

In another post I wrote about how important it is to work on a self-portrait. It doesn’t mean you need to share with anyone else, it can be just for your eyes only. The work will speak volume to you on so many levels. Sometimes when artwork seems to be steal or you are not sure where to go in an artwork direction ……working on a self-portrait will give you a direction and even clarify useful information to build upon.  One important factor is you need to take at least 48 pictures or two rolls of film of yourself. The first ten shots will be normal everyday poses; but I want you to push beyond the normal pose. Keep photographing yourself in a similar environment.  Go beyond the norm and think outside the box. Look for natural lighting in the room or a light source outside to use to help or portray what you want to say about the portrait. Set a tripod up with camera inside and just put it in place where you’d like to take the photographs or background you think you’d like. You don’t need to take all the pictures at one time. Nor do you need makeup on and look all perfect. You want to learn to see soul through exposure and pureness of truth. Let  the camera take pictures of you that are “real” and simple in character.

I like complex reflections or shadows in my work. I love black and white film photography and that is what I usually work in. I enjoy full value range, but then sometimes a pose will require more contrast. Let the pictures speak to you, look at your expressions and compare how you are feeling when they were taken. Learn to read how you perceive yourself and how certain poses echo emotion. This is not an easy process, but you will learn to see yourself and how your emotions reflect and represent  in your artwork.  I will add a few of the photos I have been working on in the next day or so.

Working on emotion.

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Remember to practice the value scales in graphite or color. See what the mediums can do for you and how it can be used in your artwork. Look through the recent postings for examples or use the search box on the menu.

Here I am working on emotion in Life drawing. I like this pose, it was a 15 minute pose. For some reason I see dispar in her eyes. I am connecting to the sadness I guess? The proportion is wrong and foreshortening, but I was concentrating on the face. Her head is too large for this pose, But I like it. Life drawing is about learning proportions, angles and weighted objects and many more aspects related to drawing. Keep drawing even if your work doesn’t look like you imagined. Keep pressing through, you will see improvement after one filled newsprint pad.

Defining your artwork.

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Not everyone has the same understanding what realism entails or any other style actually means to each person. My perception of what impressionism for example compared to someone else’s can be very different; plus the way it is approached and painted. For example; to me painting Realism is not necessarily Photo realism; two different approaches. Photo realism is the painting dot to dot for an exact copy. Realism is the enjoyment of a style portraying life-like perception.

Like I have stated before do not ever be afraid of trying a style of painting because you think you can not or know how to approach or even begin. As an artist we want to say we are or like realism for example and paint that way. Try not to put yourself in a box of style. You can say or paint realism in or with an expressive background. Remember each medium has  limits to what it can do and not do. Pick your mediums to what you expect your artwork to look like. Use the mediums’ strength to enhance your work. This is your job to figure it out, there are no quick answers. A medium or artwork style will define itself over time and many paintings later. You also may think you want to paint in one medium vs. another, but do not be too quick to judge yourself. When I first started painting watercolor landscapes they were awful! I never really knew I could paint tightly refined portraits until I just sat and tried. Don’t give up! You need a smart talented teacher to help you. Take a few lessons with me and I can help you. Send me your questions and I can try to demonstrate a few post.

You can not paint if you do not know how to draw!

I am very serious and I suggest saying a prayer before you begin. I tell you the truth when I say God is interested in what makes you happy and what you desire as long as it is on the right path of course. I never knew I could paint portraits, I was painting fire hydrants for six weeks in a lame ass class with a lame ass teacher that painted orange people! I am serious, it was awful. The black and white watercolor painting on my blog was my first watercolor attempt painting people in which I earned a big fat “F”!  Who cares?  I know it is good.

My point today is you need to learn the medium and what it can do for you. Watercolor  and all other mediums have their own identity. These mediums deserve respect for what they can do; you need to learn their capabilities. Watercolor can be loose and free of course and it can made tight or realistic style. It is all about learning what each layer of wc can do and learning what your brushes can do as well. Use what the medium can do to enhance your work, you may never think that acrylics for example is your thing but it may Fit your style and convey what you are trying to portray. Maybe the raised paint or thickness of the paint can be more expressive for you. Think about what the mediums capabilities are and how they can benefit your work?

The following picture is Joan’s and the first layers of color; now if this is the level of realism that you want you can keep it at this stage. I suggest working the entire painting to a certain point and then go back into the painting to add more realism. The pear started out with a citrine green followed by a little spot of red. To start to define shape a raw Siena was added all on a wet surface. Remember the highlights and where the light is coming from? Now this pear can stay at this stage or be fine tuned for realism. Work up the entire painting then looking at it from far away [5 feet] to see what you want to add or continue with.

Very important: The value scale of colors. Every layer of the same color will add one level or shade of value to the color or hue. Watercolor is about Layers.

Watercolor techniques

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There are amazing watercolor techniques out to try, here are some.

There are several artist that work with the results of one or all of these techniques in their work; it just takes time to try each way and figure out how the results work for you. Sometimes it is fun to play with these following techniques and see what the picture or painting turns into. It is a freer style way to work and can be very relaxing if you are just painting and enjoying the style. If you need a still life to work from I suggest a subject matter of nature; a daisy, a flower, a glass vase or a stream with rocks. Make a sketch on wc paper of a landscape and apply each technique to the individual parts; wax paper to rocks etc.

1. Use scran warp from your kitchen; take a piece of plastic wrap and pull at both ends until it is tightly stretched and lay it over a well wet surface with the color already down on your paper. Press the wrap down and you will see the markings it begins to make. Let it there on the paper for a few minutes, once the paper has dried a bit remove the scran wrap. You should have ripple type markings that work well for water and a wave effect.There are two paintings in this shot, the aqua painting on the top is upside down. Look closely at the scran wrap and see how it is pulled or sketched at the ends to create the wave shapes. Leave the scran wrap on for about a good half hour. Play with the design as well; press down the wrap and move it around.

2. Freezer paper works for a pointillism or a speckled look. Tear the freezer paper into pieces and lay the torn pieces down onto wet colored watercolor paper. The shape of the torn paper will be the design left by the freezer paper.

3. Wax paper works in the same way freezer paper does. Freezer paper gives you a more solid design because it is thicker than wax paper. Excellent look for rocks, dirt and ground. You want the freezer paper and wax paper to be flat on the colored surface.In this picture Kaitlyn is adding torn pieces of wax paper to create rocks. Fill in all the spaces and where the paper is seen you can paint in some darker colors or darker value of brown if you want to stay within the same color or hue. In the section where the green is that is the glaze wrap. Glaze is tricky to work with; put a lot of color down because the cotton glaze will suck up the paint. Add the color first and keep the paper really wet with colors. Add color after the glaze is in place as well.

4. Glaze cotton wrap works very well for landscape; trees, bushes. Wet your paper and place the glaze flat on the paper and then color. Leave until the glaze starts to dry. Remember to put down a lot of pigment.

5. Epsom salt will give you larger burst of whiteness and design vs, table salt. A larger salt granule will give you a larger burst. Place salt onto a wet surface of color, let dry and brush away salt.

The techniques will define themselves into shapes to work from. Go with the results! Use what the techniques have provided you and look at the results and use the results to enhance your painting. Experimenting with the techniques and evaluating what each one produces and how it can relate to your artwork will take a little bit of time to figure out how you can incorporate them into your work. Have fun!Kaitlyn’s masterpiece!  For the first time working with these techniques the painting is Fabulous! Way to go Kaitlyn!!!

Added light.

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Check this picture out; I went outside for a moment to notice that a neighbor’s house about 300 yards away had a fern by her mailbox lite by the setting sun. Really beautiful.

Please don’t steal my artwork. You may refer to my page and give credit.

Thank you for the kind words and awesome comments!

Ever changing seasons.

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Isn’t this beautiful? The oranges and the blue sky, just love the beauty all around us. I suggest to carry your camera with you and most use their phones, but if you are feeling somewhat “art-less” and complain you don’t have time to create your artwork anymore for whatever reason carry your cameras with you. Put them in your car and take the opportunity to reconnect with your art once again. You will be surprised how self-fulfilling it can be using your camera vs. the phone. If you are the negative Willie than stop! Stop complaining and start doing. Start to train your eye again and look at what interest you. You are worth the time it takes to stop and take a picture on the way of car-pooling to a kid’s game. You may not have the time to create as you would like, but use this time to gather the information you may use in the future. Tip: Look for complementary colors such as; orange and blue, purple and yellow, green and red. The combinations will make strong compositions.

When to call it finished?

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Every piece of artwork has a time when it is time to put down the brushes. There is a saying “Artwork is never finished” But that is a very thin fine line. Do not over-work a piece by playing attention to every tiny detail. In this painting I tilted; “DAD, HOLD STILL!”; I added a few dandelions here and there  for a dot of color to break up the green. Be careful how you add details;  I didn’t want the viewer’ eyes to go to the dandelions first. I like this……there are things I would have changed, but every artist is their own worst  critic.

 

 “DAD, HOLD STILL!”.  Watercolor; 16.75″ x 27.75″.

Blessed to be busy working on my artwork.

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Firstly, Thanks to God for all His Blessings everyday and especially answering prayers.

I have been very busy with artwork these past few weeks and it has been great. I joined an Art Palette Club in my area which I believe will be beneficial for me; meeting new artist and being a part of a great organization. I had the chance to meet a well-known artist Jim MacFarlane and watch him start a watercolor. I took from that demonstration how he uses complementaries in color to value the artwork. Very interesting. He gave an idea or theory he uses; skim milk, milk, cream and heavy cream in watercolor consistency in layer of paint.This applies to each layer of watercolor that should be used in every watercolor painting. There should be layers of colors or the same color. I believe his site is jimmacfarlanestudio.com

I suggest asking yourself if there is a light source and then check the composition for balance and rhythm or movement throughout the composition. I am trying to paint into a more loose style but still keeping the realism. Not as easy as it sounds. I think finding the right composition is key to help with the focus or subject in the painting and then the secondary subject matters can be loose. I suggest taking a lot of pictures of the same subject; this will force you to look at the subject in an unique way producing interesting composition. Check for a strong light source also.

Life drawing class has started and I LOVE it! I also have a few pictures to post! Look for inspiration in everyday life, find subject matters that you are passionate about. Painting or your artwork is a reflection of your soul.   Have a great week.