Tag Archives: art blog

Proof reading

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As many times I looked at the painting of Adam and his car I never noticed I forget to paint the “e” in the website that is painted on the back of my car. Joan noticed it today!!!Thank goodness she did and I had enough time to fix it and resubmit it to the juried show. Wow! Can’t believe I missed it. Maybe it wouldn’t have mattered? IDK,,,,but glad the mistake was caught in time, the deadline is Monday. Tip: double and triple check the spellings in the composition. Plus, when you sign your work give a bit of space; in other words don’t sign on the edge. Awe…what an art day today!  Also, do not write your name large enough to see it before you notice the artwork itself! Do not be so vain……it kills the attitude of the artwork. If you want to write your name in large print….do a painting of your signature. Seriously, your signature should be discrete towards the bottom not seen unless looked for or in the pattern of the composition. Look at the Masters.

Watercolor continued.

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I knew when I started to draw this times three this was going to be “One of those” pieces! Very frustrating composition….maybe it’s my summer so far? Hot and humid as anything outside and just crappy weather. I wanted to paint a few landscape watercolor paintings this summer outside, but It is really hard to enjoy the day in the blazing heat. Anyway…could be 100 inches of snow.

Saturday; I need to draw up some lessons plans on how to Follow the form 101 for an artist friend of mine and I will post them. Maybe they will help some whom need drawing advice regarding realism. I will post these by Wednesday.

I had a chance to work a bit more, but I made the man’s head too small. So, now I need to figure out how to make the head larger on established wc. I can do it, “I mmm skilled” lol… Tip: when working realism use one color for the flesh tone; Burnt Umber is a nice base for flesh tone. Watercolor realism is about layers. FOLLOW THE FORM. Paint in the direction of a shape or form.  All the tones so far on the people are a base of Burnt Umber. After the forms are in then I will start to add washes of pinks, crimsons. Paint your people with the base color first. Every layer added even with the same base will add increased color to the form or shape; every layer adds to the depth of color. There are NO LINES on a face; they are creases, hills and vallies. In my old set I don’t have fancy colors, I am trained “Old school”. Make your own shades and colors. “Learn how to paint with less” Mr. Sorrels would say. If you need a richer brown add a bit of Vandyke brown. If your portrait needs more of an olive skin type add a bit Raw Umber; found in Fancy sets. I was taught the less you have in a paint selection the better you will learn to mix color! It is true. Today there are too many colors, shades of color, hues of colors and you don’t learn how to mix colors on your own!  With the 12 pan set or less you learn how to mix any color you may need. I just knew I didn’t have the money as some of my peers in college for art supplies and felt quite poor actually. BUT,,,,I can mix you any shade or color you need from my tiny 12 pan set which I still have. So, who benefited? I can afford the 45 pan set now and it really doesn’t impress me as I thought it would.

This is the point I painted too. I need to detail the hands and fingers and start to work the detail. I have time, the show isn’t until Dec. something deadline. I also need to draw up a background. I don’t mind comments and some are really nice, then there are ones for enhancing drugs and porn ads….please don’t send me them! It is a pain in a**  to weed through the crappy nasty sex comments and I have decided to pray for you all with such conflict or feel you have the need to email such exposing subject matter to everyone in your lives. Thanks. I do appreciate the nice comments and look forward to reading/answering them……over 500 and counting!

Watercolor 101

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I believe I will have a window of time to continue working on this watercolor,  it is quite large. Which is obviously taking longer to work the entire composition, but taking more time and patience on my part. I wanted to finish this and enter two watercolors instead of one for a juried show in New York, but I realize if I rush it will not turn out like I expect and envision. So, the mature thing is to wait, not get frustrated, finish on a timely manner and look for another show to enter. There will always be shows to enter somewhere. Why add more stress to already the stresses that come with each new day? Just do the best you can today and let God handle the rest.

This watercolour had been a challenge for the size like I said before and I decided to paint the two boys a bit older when this photograph was taken. I don’t know why….I drew it three times and I realized the painting was coming out that way so I went with it! Maybe a bad idea? Sort of has a new level of challenge. I have too much time in now to toss it….and never just put a piece of artwork to the side and think you will finish it sometime,,,,,later never comes.  I like the way the forms are starting to define themselves in the legs for example. This wc has a long long way to go. As you can see in the photo the background is a bit busy, I need to tone that down when I sketch that out. I like the idea of the fence on a diagonal, it adds to good composition. You want objects in the composition taking your eye through the painting. So, the diagonal fence I will sketch in and some blacked eyed Susans, other than that I am stuck. If I raise the fence in the background I can add more grass and less sky? I don’t want to paint trees in, the subject matter is a more up close view. Always look at the distance in composition and how the foreground subjects are. Awe….this needs a lot of work. This new show called Splash 15 has a deadline Dec. 3rd., so that works.

watercolor and water….

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Saturday: I did paint a bit more and I have come to the conclusion that this wc I won’t be able to rush and place in an upcoming juried show. There just isn’t enough time to finish the way I’d like. If I rush then it will not host the skill level I wanted respresented. There will be other shows……awe.

This is how far I was able to get so far today. Now I need to come up with a background….I have something in mind  just need to draw it out.

watercolor painting

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LOL! This doesn’t look like the people in my picture….augh. At first the hair didn’t look like it should, then the highlights! Remember the highlights when painting, not after. Adding lighter highlights  afterwards is harder and the paint [watercolor] looks thick then. Plus, the flesh color layers of color are really sun-kissed and that is throwing me a bit too. Just remember to paint the face as form and normal color first, then add the tan rosy hues. I only had about an hour to work on this late last night, so once a background goes in I hope it starts to resemble Adam better.

It has taken me until to now to realize I rather paint up close realism, but I need to expand my artwork subjects and not get stuck painting the same subjects just in different comps. If I do that my work will get boring even though the skill is top-notch. This wc is large and hard to arrange the board to hold or put the board an angle to actually paint. The size is a bit overwhelming at first. I drew this three times! Once it came out too small for the subject matter and the second I had it drawn larger and beautifully….I had spaghetti sauce on the back of my hand and didn’t see it and I even washed my hands very well! Guess where the sauce went? If that isn’t a kick in the ass…..I drew it again. Understand, this is what it is to “keep pressing through” the situation you’re in. Here I have this great composition to paint, which I think has a good shot at least getting a mention in a show if I paint it well. Then here is the devil coming against me trying to destroy me through stupid sh** like the spaghetti sauce. He knows the Great things God has for me and if I give up too quickly or don’t keep trying I will lose and he wins. Thought for the day; Don’t give up and be defeated….keep pressig through”.

Sometimes in your drawing or painting  [and the actual artwork skill is good] but, something just does not look right to you? Maybe it is the size? Are you drawing it too small? Some subjects need to be larger drawn to “MatcH” the subject matter. For example; when I drew this smaller it didn’t look right to me. When I drew it again larger it “Fit”. But don’t overwhelm yourself at first with size…..work your way up to sized compositions.

Thank you to Gabrill and the office mates for all the kind words and checking out my artwork…….God Bless.

Juried shows

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Entering juried shows today is so easy compared to the “Olden days” before heavy use of ordinary people computer usage. I have found two kind of juried shows so far; a show where you are only required to enter online by submitting digital imagines without being matted. Other juried shows where you first submit a digital imagine and then if you make the first cut you will need to take the actual artwork to the show location. Make sure of the rules before you enter; you don’t want to enter a show half way across the US. I guess you can mail an entry, but you better check with the show before you mail. Most shows will not be responsible for the condition once received and or returning the art to you. If you are looking for art completions to enter the best way is to get an art magazine such as The Artist’s magazine or American Artist magazine and or go to your local book store; most will have several to choose from.

TIP: When taking a good photograph take the picture in natural light if you can and not in direct sunlight. Direct bright sunlight will wash the colors out in the picture. Do not add color and change color or whatever in a photo program!!! If the show requires art submitted created in the past 10 years for example don’t change the date and enter. Firstly, it is cheating, dishonest and simply wrong. God can’t and will not take your art to the next level based on a lie and you want to be Blessed for the get go!.

 I entered a juried show today for the first time in a long time. Honestly, who has an extra $100 just lying around? It cost $60.00 for three entries which was the cheapest I have come across compared to some other shows. What are you gonna do? If you want your art to be “Out there” you need an extra $100. Bucks!

Watercolor completed and the Elements of drawing 101.

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When I first started to paint this watercolor I really thought and considered not finishing it! At first it was overwhelming in size and felt intimating to paint. I rather paint closer up realism vs. in a large busy composition. It is a good thing really; signs of growing as an artist! I am working outside my comfort zone and the only way to grow as an artist is to work and challenge yourself in scale or subject matter. At the same time though you need to be able to admit the challenge may be too much out of your reach at this point. Now I need to figure out what I need to do in order to enter this in a juried show? Need to cut a matt and framing. Do read the rules prior to entering, which I did…but now need to actually take a moment to understand and carry them out. Wish me luck! Where’s my old drawing prof now!  *******Notice the edges! Neat and clean. That is what artist tape does for ya! I could matt about a quarter inch bigger to show the edges off if I wanted too.******The neatest part taking off the tape!

The Elements of drawing:

1. Line: gestural line, contour line, construction line, cross contour line and lines of shading. Line, shape, shade, form, color, value, space and texture.

In order to understand value range in scale and shape, form and line you need to have a strong foundation in understanding these elements and drawing. I suggest starting in graphite, a black and white medium. You need at least three to five solid compositions under your experience in order to start to understand value of shades along with solid composition. If the composition doesn’t work then the entire drawing will not work neither. There are several drawing exercises you should practice as well. These I can teach you. As soon as I get an extra moment I will post pictures of these exercises that you can follow. If you think you do not need them….then your wrong. You need a strong foundation of principles. Once you master these principles on all the elements your work will come more easily to you. Plus, a Life drawing class is the strongest foundation you can start with. You will learn to see all the elements with out too much pressure when working on a composition. When you are working on a drawing or any artwork you want the artistic magic to flow and it will with a strong foundation. Trust me on this. I am sure you have seen still life set-ups with circular shapes, sphere, cylinder, and cone shapes? These still life  are to teach you basic shapes that can relate to all things found in the natural. This teaches you the elements and how to draw them, but how to see the changing light on one object and how they affect each other in light. The following pictures may help you understand what I am saying when I say elements. One picture is from a drawing book [ Drawing the creative process by Seymour Simmons III and Winer] the sphere is one of  mine from college. These are great drawing exercises to practice.

“His first car”

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Almost finished. Next day: now that this has had a good night to dry [in natural air not ac.] I will go back and detail and fine tune the realism. I could leave it at this point, but I want to showcase my skill and knowledge about painting realism. {plus it bothers me if I don’t!}. It has to be REAl to me. ONly certain art can be left unfinished or not realism.  See what today brings?

If painting or drawing realism is your goal then you must follow a simple rule; take lessons with me or follow the law of layering color or graphite. You can not just simply put down the last vivid hue of color first,,,,,must be a layering building process to form the shapes. Go through all the prior post on this picture and notice the building of color.

Thank you.

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I just wanted to say a quick Thank you for all the kind words and feedback for my blog site. I am new to blogging and this site; I just wanted to show-case my artwork.  I did read every comment made and approved them, but I am not sure where to read them after they get approved or are posted? LOL! I am getting there.

 It has been a long journey getting to this point and at times I tell ya I wanted to give up!  It only has been the past year that I actually felt like putting forth effort, if that makes sense? Like I did write on my blog somewhere that between being Super Mom, the captain of this House and my health there wasn’t any time for me! And if there isn’t anytime for me I can’t give something or anything away if I don’t have it myself. We all want to be a better parent, a better spouse, and or sister etc.  I love Joyce Meyer and she says; ” You can’t give something away you don’t have”.  Example: you can’t give love if you don’t love yourself or you can’t  give respect to someone if you don’t respect yourself. The big one is: Hurting people hurt people!  IDK……my point is I am a happier person if I can create my art and feel good about myself creating.  I try to watch Joyce Meyer everyday and study The Word [Bible] with her and except the love God has for me through His Son Jesus. I have learned that { I } we do not have all the answers to life; Why did that happen? or why am I in this situation? etc. God lets things happen in our lives so we draw closer to Him and learn to Trust Him with absolute Faith. I wouldn’t be standing if not for my Lord and Savior Jesus.

I have no idea why I am writing this but in short story someone out there in cyber space must need to read this: 

I always wanted to be a Mom. God knows our hearts. I was Not able to have children because of Endometriosis and I lost count of how many surgeries later. I knew that I knew that the Lord God ways are not ours. I had to release my Faith in prayer and believe what God says about  circumstances.  Look up Matthew 7-24. The scriptures states anyone who stands on Christ will not fall.  My first child was born on 7-24 time. My second child was born on day 7-24 and my third child was born in room 724. Do Not ever say there is no God or Jesus.  If you are one of those people who say; “OH….not me” where is He in my life? Well, shut up, stop believing the devil, and invite Jesus into your heart and see not what you lose but how your life will change for the better.  As simple as; “Jesus, I invite you to come into my heart, I am a sinner, please forgive me and I make you my Lord and Savior”. Aman.  Watch your life change for the better.