Finding A New Inspiration

I have to interrupt our beginning painting series to interject thoughts on an experience I had at my daughter's  conference this week.  I volunteered to run an art auction to raise money for her policy network.  These people were some of the most highly educated, selfless, kind people I have ever met.  The artist was donating 20 oil paintings that took him a year to complete.  He also told me he was donating a series of paintings to the local homeless shelter and some paintings for a small DC chapel.  All this while working full-time. 

Suddenly, I felt ashamed that I had done so little with my art for others.  I vowed that I would donate my paintings to the local shelter and hospital and set about other ways I could help others with my art.  I am excited to start my new projects!  

It's funny how God works.  I have been trying to sell my paintings with little success in the last few months.  As soon as I started to put others first, several people have reached out to me and wanted to buy paintings!

                                                                     Silver River Path

Begin Painting

Ok, so now you have your supplies.  I will do my best to help you along.  Of course, it is better to get instruction in person.  I can teach you personally if you live in the area or I know of some other artists that teach also.  Just contact me here.   Another resource that I have used that is free, is you tube.  Just search for that site and type in whatever kind of painting you are interested in and you can watch all kinds of painters for free.

Some would disagree, but in my opinion you should start with acrylics.  That is what I started in and it is very forgiving.  If you don't like what you painted, you can paint over it and start over.  Also, you can paint over it with oils later if you like.  You can't paint over oil with acrylic.  Eventually it will crack or peel.

You will need to decide what your subject will be.  What do you want to paint?  I paint landscapes because I love them.  Your subject should be something you love and makes you feel something.  I would recommend you paint from a photo, a still life (a simple grouping of fruit, blocks, balls, etc.), or another painting

So, with that said:

Here are some more things you will need:

You will need: A palette to mix your paints on.  Craft stores have many kinds.  I recommend the largest one they have that has a cover.  You can also use a paper plate or anything flat and glass, etc.

  You will also need: A plastic or glass container of water nearby to clean your brushes with that you don't mind getting dirty (I cut the top half off a gallon milk jug).

Place a drop cloth under you and your easel and cover any furniture nearby (paint splatters), it's also nice to have a small table next to you to put your paints on. 

To Start: 

Step one:  Place your canvas on the easel in a well-lit area facing a window preferably.  You can sit or stand.

Step two:  Place your subject where you can see it easily.

Step three:  We are going to put a tinted gesso on the canvas.  For a landscape on a sunny day, I use a warm tint.  Raw Umber or red and yellow mixed with gesso will do (for a cloudy day, blue and gesso mixed will do.

So, for a sunny day, squeeze a tablespoon or more of gesso and a teaspoon or more of raw umber or other warm mixture onto palette.  Using your palette knife or largest brush, mix together loosely.  Paint onto your canvas using side to side strokes and then up and down.  It doesn't have to be mixed perfectly.  A few streaks are fine.  Let dry (probably half to an hour).  If you would like, also paint sides for a wrapped canvas.

We will stop there for today.  I feel this is a lot to take in.  Make sure you rinse your brush right away and take it to the sink and wash bristles with soap and water.  Lay brush flat to dry.

Great job!  Until next time....Happy Painting!

Beginner Acrylic painting

When I first started painting, it was so hard finding information, unless I doled out quite a bit of money for lessons.  So I decided I would help other beginning painters.  Do you want to be a painter?   I have only been painting for two years, but I would like to share with you some of the basics.  I paint landscapes in acrylic and oils.  I also paint plein air (or outside).  So far, I only use acrylics outside.  I find they dry quickly and you can do quick paintings.  You can paint oil over acrylics and I sometimes paint the acrylics outside and then go over it in oils indoors.

Today we will start with the basic materials for an acrylic painting.  You will need:

A material to paint on.  I use canvas from the craft store.  It is easiest to start on a small size.  8x10 or smaller.
You can also use watercolor paper, wood, canvas on board, etc.

Acrylic gesso

Acrylic paints in the following colors:

Cadmium red
Cadmium yellow
Ultramarine Blue
Titanium White

You can make almost any color with hese basic colors, but I like to also use these for landscapes:
Raw Sienna
Ivory Black
Alizarin Red
Light Cadmium or Lemon Yellow
Pthalo blue (blue or green tint)
Ochre
Again, these are not absolutely necessary as they can all be mixed by using the primary colors above!

If you are painting abstracts, you may want to add some of the brighter colors you like.

Brushes

Rounds, at least two sizes, large and medium
One or two flat brushes
A small liner brush
Filbert
A 2" large flat brush

If you want to save, just get a small round and a small flat brush to start.

Round pallette knife

Easel
There are lots of kinds.  A table-top one is the cheapest, or a fold-up metal one.  Make sure it is sturdy and will not fall apart easily.

Some of these materials are not absolutely necessary if you just want to do one painting.  It will depend on your level of commitment.

Realize it doesn't happen overnight.  Painting is a long process and results do not happen until a lot of work and commitment has taken place.  It took me a year of failing before I was able to produce something I felt halfway good about.  Give yourself room to fail and keep trying.  It is worth it in the end and you will love it so much it will become a part of you.

My next blog will be starting to paint!

Showtime

I am getting ready for my fourth show and am now in my second year of painting.  I have to say my artist ego has taken a beating.  However, I have grown by leaps and bounds as an artist and personally.  A year ago I was on top of the moon just to be accepted at a show and get lots of praise from friends and strangers.  Now after a few more shows I am still getting lots of praise but few sales and I am starting to think less of the business of shows.  There is a tremendous amount of money and time put into shows and I have only made enough to make some of my investment back.  I have seen other artists and how they talk potential buyers into loving and buying their art.  One thing I know about myself is I am not a good salesperson.  I would rather just say hi to people and ask them questions about themselves than to yammer on about my art and how great it is.  Don't get me wrong, I love painting and even looking at my art and showing it to friends, but am a bit insecure when it comes to selling it.

All that being said, I will do this show and possibly one or two more, but unless sales get better, I may stop doing them after that.  My problem is, I love to paint a lot, so I will have to either learn another way of marketing them or start giving them away!  My house is becoming overrun with paintings!

Seasons of Work

I am in a phase of painting for others.  My latest endeavors were painting three acrylics for my son's new house, a snow scene with wolves, a painting for my nephew's house, a hunting cabin scene, and one for my neice, a volleyball net at the beach.  It was fun painting some different things and quite challenging.  I think they turned out well and since I used acrylics, very quickly done.

Soon I will focus on more serious painting for an upcoming show.  I am waiting for this hot weather to abate so I can go outside and paint without wilting!

God has a Plan

I have always believed God has a purpose for my life and if my paintings bring someone joy, that is all I can ask for.  I spent many years doing engineering drawings as a Landscape Architect and never felt 'natural' to me.  I always felt I was really out of my element, only coming alive whenever I was called on to render a plan artistically.  Loving plants, it is much more satisfying for me to paint them naturally than to place them in the landscape.  The few art classes I took, the professors questioned why I was in my major and not art.  If given the opportunity, I would love to go back to school and get my masters in art.  Maybe one day soon!

All of this to say to you, if you are fighting what you thought was your calling and hating every day you do it, stop fighting it.  Don't just do what society says is valuable.  My mother said attain the highest degree (that meant be a doctor, lawyer, etc.).  Well, I wanted to make her proud, so I chose the most prestigious degree I thought I may have an interest in.  I wish I had become an artist back then, but God had me on another journey and I value the path He had me on and I can't change it, so I embrace to lessons I've learned.  So maybe part of my calling is to tell young and old, do what you love and you will be passionate and will become who God created you to be!

An example is my son.  His whole life we put him in every sport and outdoor activity from camping to hunting.  He struggled in math in his high school engineering program, but we were trying to find something he would excel in.  My husband finally forced him to take guitar lessons when he was 11.  Well, it stuck.  He wrote song after song and became passionate about his music.  We then told him he had to pick a real career and to look at music as a hobby.  But God had a different plan, because all of a sudden he is being recognized for the some 50 songs he has written and a music licensing company just sent him a contract.  God had a plan for him all along.  It was not a conventional one, but if it's His will, it will be right!

Artists That Have Inspired Me

Part of my journey as an artist has been to open myself up to learning from others.  Having painted only two years, I am nearly an open canvas to change.  The painting above resulted from a copy of Jackie Schindehette's original painting (I take no credit for this painting and it is, of course, not for sale!).  I took lessons from her and this was the result of several months of work.  Not having painted much in oils, it added a high amount of difficulty.  It was excruciatingly hard to paint and frustrating, but I am happy with the end result.  I will always treasure this painting.

I am a big fan of Jackie's and she is a patient, wonderful teacher.  She is quite famous and has even painted ornaments for the White House!  I learned the most about skies and clouds and depth and how to achieve it.
 

I painted this after a clouds workshop at Linda Blondeim's studio.  Her daughter provided snacks and we painted, laughed and ate.  All my favorite things!

Linda Blondeim is another favorite of mine.  I have taken some group workshops and I find her fun and easy-going.  Her students love her.  I also think she is a genius at marketing her art.  Her greatest talent, in my opinion is capturing the light and feeling of nature.  I love the fact that she can take a simple natural setting and make me want to go there and experience it!


And, of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention my good friend, Donna Leeward.  She is the teacher that got me going on painting and she and I still go on adventures and paint together.  I treasure her friendship and love our lalapaloosa days riding bikes, finding bbq and looking for the perfect painting spots.

Donna grew up exploring the backwoods and byways of Florida.  Her father taught her to paint and was a real Florida cowboy.  He is an incredible artist in his own right.  Some of Donna's greatest gifts are simplifying the scene and using brilliant color in her paintings.  She loves Florida history and seeks to educate about Florida history with her paintings.

She tried to teach me to paint for a year.  I was so frustrated as I had always sketched and felt very comfortable with that.  Somehow I could never 'get' painting.  Then one day, we went out together and she very patiently helped me through my first successful plein aire painting.  Something clicked, and I have been painting ever since!  Thank you friend, because of you, I have now spent countless days loving painting!

This was that painting.  It sold and was one of the first I sold at an art show.  Very exciting for me!