Tag Archives: art lessons

Deja Vu

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Have you ever been somewhere and you know the place, but you have never been there before? The surroundings are familiar and you know what lies beyond the corner. This is Deja Vu I believe. Is it a spiritual thing, a past life prehaps? It is very profound especially if you are praying and talking to God about the same experience or subject matter. Then is it a vision of something good in your future?  It is the same thing as Seed, time and harvest I believe. You plant a seed of Faith about something you hope for or work for in your life. Then time…..good old time…the test of virtue and patience. When you are going through   [fill in the blank] it takes forever and you feel it will never be over. Then when the time has passed and you reflect on the waiting you just went through and passing of the time seems like a week ago, but in reality it was a year or so ago. In retrospect we need to Trust God and His way even when it doesn’t seem like the situation will work out in our favor; the Time.  Then the Gift…….the Harvest and Blessings. My father always told me you get out of life what you put in into it……..seed, time and harvest. Very interesting. When God opens a door…..No man can shut. Take a moment to reflect on your blessings and notice how and where God is in the mix. Saying no where is NOT an option.

Just thought I’d share. I think it makes me the artist I am. Do not ever be afraid to be who you are or someone you were create to be. Don’t be afraid to dream Big dreams for yourself…..God will fulfill the desires of our hearts to those whom Love Him.

Loud House.

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Here I sit in front of the computer and a watercolor waiting behind me waiting for my attention. Awe. Loud house! All the family is home, the friends are coming and going and just too many distractions to paint. I need to find a mellow zone so I can concentrate for a certain bit of time. Now, someone wants a haircut…..I just want to paint and create my art. I am patiently waiting for that season to show itself. Count my blessings right? I think at a certain point in a super Mom’s life we need our needs met.

On a happy note, life drawing is awesome. I love Thursday nights at Lafayette College. A special Thank you to Lafayette College for hosting and Crayola for sponsoring. Life drawing is the foundation for all art. You need to know how to draw realism before you can manipulate it, plain and simple. I will post a few new sketches as follows. I love drawing Elizabeth when she models for us; she is so elegant and her persona as a greek goddess would look. My drawings are not picking up on that like I’d like to portray. I am really beat and much need of a rest in every aspect and I see my artwork here is reflecting it. By Thursday evening I was exhausted, but didn’t want to miss the class time. The perspective is off………But, with every drawing comes a store-house of solid foundation for the next drawing. Keep pressing through. I enjoy this next sketch, but I ran out of room at the bottom of the paper. I like challenging myself with foreshortening views.

Another day.

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Tonight is the last night for life drawing at Lafayette College for the next two months. I am a bit sad because once in life drawing studio again I realize how much the class has reinforced what I have already studied. That life drawing in the foundation for all art, either if you are a painter or whatever medium you work in. It is hard to manipulate realism if you do not have a basis or understnding for it first. Like I stated before sometimes I am not in the mood to draw by 7 pm at night! For the simple reason it has been a long day, I have back pain and really don’t do not feel like putting forth effort….many other reasons, but I need to prove to myself this is the only way I will improve as an artist on all levels. I need to have a strong foundation in order to stand tall so to speak. So, today I will attend in hopes to draw a professional model that doesn’t move so much. If I get tired of sketching gesture poses I will and need to concentrate on drawing hands and foreshortening views.  I have this watercolor I am starting in hopes to enter this juried show in NY by the end of July. I have it drawn out and I like it so far; I am having some trouble with the foreshortening of the one hand. I will try to work on that in a bit.

I have included a picture of my sketch that was drawn out in a “H” graphite pencil. If you use the H pencils be careful not to press hard on the paper/board because it will impress your paper with a mark or indent that will not come out. Do not press hard!  Also when starting to prepare your watercolors make enough of the base color, for example: This wc has blue as the base color of the car which means I need a lot of blue pigment. I use a porcelain egg tray for my palette, I find it works better than a porcelain plate because of the wells. I will make at least three pots “wells” of the same color blue in sure that I have enough of the same color blue to pull from. If one dries up it doesn’t matter just add water once again. Covering up a watercolor palette until next time just makes the paint have a funny texture for the next time…..just re-water to activate again.

This composition is starting to come into a 18 inch square and this I don’t care for. If it was Folk art then it would work, but I need to extend it somehow. Maybe by continuing the car a bit longer on the left side? That will give me the opportunity to show off some reflection work. I will see once I work a little longer on this.

 I ended up changing the arm angle and drawing in the hand larger in the picture below. Took the composition to 16×20, this way it wont be so expensive to frame because 16×20 is a standard size. I need about three hours straight to start painting and right now it’s late…home from life drawing which eas excellent as always. Now, for two months I can have Thursday night free.

Follow the Form.

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It is very important to follow the form in drawing when trying to create realism. Shade in the form in the direction of the object you are trying to render. In the next two pictures notice how the cat’s backside is flat in the first picture below. Notice how the backside looks after the highlights were added in the shape of the form. Use the light and dark contrast to your advantage. We worked on composition and putting in darker values.

I know how intimating drawing can be and it gets very frustrating when you are not sure what to do next, but keep trying and don’t be afraid to use rich “B’s” pencils. Squint at the picture and see how your drawing looks….is there a value range in graphite? Joan still needs to fine tune the drawing; the darks need to be added and don’t be afraid of the eraser. This drawing of Belle Looks Fabulous! Way to go Joan! A+. Great job!

Artist tip: The “H” pencils are hard and warm tone and the “B” pencils are cool tone and softer graphite. The coolness in value shades will sink into the background while warm tones will come forward in space.

Art shows

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http://www.artistsnetwork.com/competitions. Great site for juried show listings.

Remember before you get completely wrapped up in a protenial show read all the fine print! The shows have requirements such as size, material, medium, framing, title of show/entry, theme of the show and dead lines etc. Know that you may need to take your artwork to a certain place on a certain date, so make sure you can get the artwork to the place they tell you at the time they state.

Also read who the judges are and look up what style of artwork they create. It is helpful to view their work on line so you know what to expect. The show may also be for members only and closed to the public. Just make sure you read all the fine print.

Art Competitions as follows:

www.watermediashowcase@fwmedia.com

deadline is July 16th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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All Media Art Competition

This competition is now accepting entries.  The top winner will appear in our July/August 2013 issue.

Click here for guidelines and to enter.

 
 

Pastel Journal Pastel 100 Competition

The 14th Annual Pastel 100 is now accepting entries. Winners will be featured in the April 2013 issue and will be awarded more than $15,000 in cash and prizes.

Click here to learn more and enter
   
 

Over 60 Art Competition

The Over 60 Competition presented by The Artist’s Magazine is now accepting entries. Winners will appear in the March 2013 issue.

Click here to learn more about this competition

 

Southwest Art Artistic Excellence Competition

Southwest Art’s newest competition is now accepting entries. Winners appear in the December 2012 issue. Deadline to enter is July 15, 2012

Click here for details and to enter

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Being an artist; part 2

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Hey there, I finally had a chance to print the two pictures I want to take this new watercolor from. IDK why I am so afraid of my photo printer? Anyway, I have two pictures I am going to pull from. I decided it is time I start to enter juried shows. The show entries’ fee can be expensive and it adds up quickly. Who really has an extra hundred dollars lying around these days? I am gonna bit the bullet so too speak and enter a show coming up by the end of July. Who knows maybe my lucky stars are with me and I can win something right? As soon as I get this new watercolor drawn out I will start to post the progression.

How light changes colors.

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I always knew but recently noticed how the color of the water changes so much in the water reflection of my fountain. I will photograph more pictures of the fountain at different times  and post the comparisons. Here are the few I have; Pre evening below.DaytimePre sunset.

Prepare for art.

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Life can be busy sometimes if we let it …..

and a bit overwhelming. If you are an artist and I am assuming you are even if you don’t actually have the time to sit down and paint/draw, but have a great idea for a piece of art…… keep a drawing journal. Jot down small thumbnail pictures or quick sketches for later when you have a bit more time. Look around you there are beautiful pending pictures or ideas everywhere. Last night I had a few hours of silence in this house and it was a welcomed quite. I took the time to sit on my porch and just listen to the birds and watch the sun set. I like to spend the time listening for God to speak into my life [heart]. I worked on my fountain and tried to get it not too leak! I am adding a few pictures of the water, which looks amazing up close. It’d be a hard watercolor I think, not sure what medium I’d use? I will look again tonight to see how the sun comes in over the water. I just love these pictures.  I also photographed a bowl of hard-boiled eggs; fabulous shadows and value study. I believe I will work on a drawing of the eggs, maybe wc. The water photos I will work on in the near future; I just want to catch the water when there is more colorfull light. God is so good.

A season for everything.

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Another quick Thank you to all the people who took the time to comment on my blog with such kind inspiring words. I read all of them and like one person said that I inspired her by what I wrote even though we most likely will never meet.  How beautiful. If we don’t tell our story how is anyone else going to benefit from our experiences? People all over the world of every race have a common core and it’s to be loved.

I was thinking about how I am closer to 50 then 45….OMG! Say that out loud! It hurts a little! lol. It’s funny and its true age is just a number; it is what we learn in life and what we pass on that is important. There is a season for every part, every stage of life that we must embrace because it happens if we want it to or not. I am at a point that I want to celebrate!!! I raised three amazing children, my youngest just got the big driver’s licence! Yeepee!!! I can take the taxi sign off my car! My mom said to me “Oh, I am so sad they are all grown up and I wish they were little again”.  “Are you serious?”. I am thanking God for this new season in my life. I can actually start to remember who I am as an artist and take “back time” for myself. There is a light at the end of the tunnel that is getting a bit brighter!  I am glad my kids are growing up and hopefully flying the nest in the near future or few years. I am tired. Tried of cleaning up and following everyone’s schedule!  I did the best I could to be a great solid Mom they can always count on and they know that. They know my story that I was not able to have children because of endrometriosis and God granted me three;  He has a great plan for their life. Well, He has a great plan for all of our lives…. we just need to invite Him into it. If I did anything right they all know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Just because the world says something that certainly doesn’t mean God feels that way. His ways are not the worlds.

Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)

  I love being a Mom, super I may add! And I wouldn’t give that up for anything……but I am tired……..I am looking forward to my new approaching season in my life. I want to be able to dedicate more time to my artwork and I actually want to enter some juried shows! Who knows maybe I might win one!

 When I was teaching High School art my children were young, just babies and the common feeling amongst all my students was that they wished there was a parent home when they got home from school just to ask them how their day was. Even if they were mad at their Mom or Dad;  Just a parent to listen to them complain about whatever……Not nesseccarliy give any answers….just Listen. Possibly a hug and a simple “I love ya kiddo” or “I am proud of ya”. Answers that do not cost a penny, we can not Buy our children with stuff because we feel guilty because we need to work and don’t set time apart to spend with them. Then material items are more important to ya than your kids. Turn the dumb TV off and eat dinner together.  I taught my kids responsiblity when they were just small; I remember once when I was giving my second baby a bath in the kitchen sink. My oldest was about three then, He wanted to help me and I knew there would be a bit more water on the floor! But, it was important to make him feel proud of himself for helping Mommy and it taught him some responsibility. It didn’t really matter the diaper went on backwards! He felt great about himself for helping and He felt loved.  Never fails baby always poop after their bath anyway, so just do another diaper change and put the second one on right! Don’t sweat the small stuff. Looking back into my teaching career my students taught me more about raising teenagers and the teenage years then any book ever could.  The point is if any is to enjoy your kids at every age and stage; time goes like that!  Children are a gift from God and we should respect that. As a parent {if you are one} you know how we feel about our kids sometimes? You think OMG will I survive this kid? Lets be honest as parents we all go through crazy times, but remember Love and encouragement are gifts to give everyday. It doesn’t cost a penny and we’d be so much more richer for it in the ways that count. At the end of the day we all just want to be loved.

My Studio!

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One of the best decision I ever made was to make a space for myself to work on my artwork. I like to call it my studio, makes me feel inspired to create. If I added my sewing machine it would be an old lady’s craft room! Anyway, I cleaned my space tonight and of course I wish it was larger…..but I am grateful for what I have.  My dollhouse is in the other corner to the left. I was thinking of trying to turn my dollhouse’s large table somehow thinking I would have more space…….but I love to look at Zanadu Mansion in all its unfinished splender.