Artist Daily

Go For Awesome

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:38:00 GMT


Looks Like Heaven by John Budicin, 2002, oil painting, 32 x 40.

Almost any artist will tell you that there's a certain appeal to working outdoors that can't be found anywhere else. With spring in full swing, many of us have left our studios for our porches, backyards, and beyond. To celebrate the season and all of the landscape art being made, here are 10 ways you can make the most of your next outdoor painting session.

Start with a good, long look. Painting landscapes lets you create work that can take the viewer on a journey into a new environment. To create a truly expressive work of art, it helps to take more than a cursory look around and quickly set up shop. Walk around, sit a spell, and really soak in the landscape around you.

Focus your eye. Whether's it a rocky cliff or a busy urban street, outdoor settings can offer a myriad of potential subjects. Sometimes, however, it can be too much to take in, leading to a painting that feels busy, cluttered, and lacking a center of interest. Massachusetts-based artist Nancy Colella starts every composition based on what she's visually drawn to. She makes those elements the focal point of her painting, and tones down everything else so that they come to the fore.

It's all about the light. Light changes throughout the day, which makes accurately capturing it one of the biggest challenges of painting outdoors. The flip side, of course, is that when one is able to do this correctly, a painting is instantly elevated. Observe the quality of light, aiming for a spontaneous interpretation that still takes observation skills into consideration.


	Birds Wading by Stephanie Sanchez, 1989, oil on panel, 32 x 46, private collection.


	Marble Cascades by Jane Bertram Miluski, 2003, watercolor, 14 x 21.

Don't paint a blue sky. They rarely exist! California watercolorist Dick Cole acknowledges that landscape painting has enhanced his skills as a colorist and helped him to realize that the sky, along with many elements in nature, are made up of a variety of colors and not just one pure hue.

Strike a balance. Spend as much time observing as you do painting. For artist Glenn Rudderow, this is a crucial part of his plein air practice. "Nothing can take the place of direct observation—of being there, seeing, communicating, and expressing the spirit of one's subject," he says.

Go for awesome. Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran of the Hudson River School produced paintings of the American landscape that were technically masterful, but most of all they were awe-inspiring. They created luminous paintings that seemed too bright to be true. They amplified the elements of the landscape that inspired them most, leaving the viewer with the same sentiments.

Don't bring your studio outdoors. The thrill of working en plein air is that you can shake up your routine and work differently than you might usually. Use the change in location to try new techniques, such as working on a smaller scale or focusing predominantly on light and other atmospheric qualities.

Colors contribute to a sense of space. When creating her landscape paintings, Kansas artist Kim Casebeer adjusts her palette in order to accurately render atmospheric changes and a sense of space. For example, there is usually more red, orange, and yellow running through objects in the foreground, and blue, indigo, and violet for shapes that recede in the distance.

Go with the flow—of air. Air moves objects. It ripples water, curls leaves, and sways limbs of trees. Use brush strokes and shading to create movement in your work.

Perfection isn't everything. You can spend all day looking for a "perfect" composition that just doesn't exist. Embrace the reality around you—smog, power lines, even debris—and open yourself up to telling interesting stories with new subjects.

How have you been taking advantage of spring in your work? Leave a comment and let us know. If you want to learn more about painting landscapes—including how to paint mountainous vistas accurately, avoid compositions that lack cohesion, and more—Donna Dewberry's Essential Guide to Flower and Landscape Painting gives you all the one-on-one instruction you'll want to successfully paint landscapes and all the elements you'll find there. Enjoy!

Caption Contest: What Does This Photo Say to You?

Courtney Jordan — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:21:00 GMT

This cutie is wielding a paintbrush like a pro, right? When you look at the photo, what caption would you give it? Leave your caption in the comments section below and you could win an art resources bundle from Artist Daily. It's as simple as that. Entries will be taken until the contest is over on May 26, 11.59 EST.

Three members will be randomly selected to win. It could be you so get your thinking cap on and enjoy!

How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Painting from Photographs

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:18:00 GMT

I’ve spent way too much time in murky classrooms looking at slides, slides, and more slides. I’m convinced that the entire academic field of art history would grind to a halt without projectors, carousels, and slides. But what is weird about looking at so many images is that I find myself thinking that I know exactly what a sculpture or a painting really looks like because I’ve seen a photograph of it. Photographs can never tell you the full story of an object, landscape, or person’s face, but they are convenient references for artists. The reality is that most artists use source photos in some capacity when they work, whether to jog their memory of a particular place and time or to record specific visual details to incorporate in later pieces.


El Mercado by Mark Haworth, 2006, oil painting, 16 x 20.

But to produce a successful piece of art, an artist has to be wary and attentive to what he or she is seeing—and not seeing—in a photograph. That starts with understanding the limitations of reference photos. Artist Mark Haworth puts it this way: “The camera cannot see like the eye can when it comes to color accuracy, depth of field, and the warms and cools of highlights and shadows. There’s a lot of distortion that comes along with photographs.”

Pastel artist and instructor Denise LaRue Mahlke agrees. “Following a photo to a ‘T’ is a big mistake, because the camera lies,” she says. “Photos can be indispensible as a jumping off point, but even if the photo is an excellent one, you want to reinvent the scene for a painting to work.”

Haworth, for one, puts decidedly less emphasis on reference photos than on preliminary sketches made on-site or notes written in the field. “When I’m traveling through an area, I write what I am seeing,” he says. “My notes often give me what I can’t get in a picture. Photos don’t give the subtleties I look for to capture the look and feel of a place.”

When Mahlke is on-site and doesn’t have time to paint, she’ll often do the same—sketch and take notes. But she acknowledges that sometimes she takes as many photos as she can. “Having that multitude of photos can give you a lot to work with,” she says. “When I’m ready to start a piece, I’ll pull from many different photos for inspiration and do thumbnail sketches to familiarize myself with the subject and composition I’m working toward.”

I asked Haworth and Mahlke if constantly referring back to photos can lead to overworking or to a painting filled with a bunch of little details instead of a cohesive composition. Both artists knew just what I meant. “It can go from painting to documenting,” says Haworth. “You can take in all the details and go crazy.”


	Winter Stream by Denise LaRue Mahlke, 2008, pastel, 14 x 18.

Another point both artists stressed is the importance of working from photos they’ve taken themselves. “When using someone else’s photos, you aren’t painting your own concepts, just copying,” says Mahlke. “I tell my students, ‘Work from your own photos—your ideas are there.’”

What’s more, a reference photo, no matter who clicked the shutter, shouldn’t lead to a sense of obligation to show exactly what is depicted in the shot. Instead, an artist should feel free and inspired to manipulate or leave behind a reference any way he or she chooses. That assures there’s vitality in a piece of art and means you won’t miss seeing—and hopefully recapturing—the moments that will make a painting great.

With the Photo Reference for Artists: Landscapes, you'll be able to hone your skill with using reference photos, coming away with creative and technical food for thought on the advantages and potential pitfalls of working with photographs. Enjoy!

Paint Every Figure With the Power of a Portrait

Courtney Jordan — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:26:00 GMT


First Bite, 17 x 16, 2009, oil painting. All works by Michael de Brito. Courtesy Eleanor Ettinger Gallery.

Painting the people and places one sees every day can be either a mind-numbing trial or an impetus for creativity that just happens to be homeward bound. For New Jersey-based artist Michael de Brito—who has spent the last several years painting family members and friends in familiar surroundings, such as his grandmother's kitchen—it is the latter.

In De Brito's work, domesticity is not the stuff of clichéd gender roles or snapshot tedium. Instead, his scenes show the family matriarch caught in moments of arrested action or sitters sinking into introspection in the midst of a chattering group. Meals are readied or consumed, and conversations meander over a bottle of wine. The occasions are simple, but De Brito's portrayals linger in the viewer's mind as if they are our own memories, producing a rapport between us and the figures.

The artist's ability to invest his paintings with such immediacy comes from his deep-seated connection to the figures he depicts. "The paintings are almost like a diary," he says. "Each day is different—people age, and the place ages, too. I'm capturing them in the moment, so I won't forget how they are. In some ways this allows me to know them better." This personal connection also dovetails with the artist's relish for the technical aspects of painting—drawing, composition, and the materiality of oil paint.


	Sunday Guests, 17 x 21, 2009, oil painting.


	The Gathering, 29 x 39, 2006, oil painting.

"I have my sketchbook with me all the time," De Brito explains. "A good painting comes from a good drawing, so I make a small drawing to get a grasp of the composition before I do the actual painting." From there, the artist creates a full-size charcoal sketch of the painting directly on the canvas. Once he's satisfied with it, he sprays it with fixative. "Then I can focus on applying the paint as opposed to dealing with a figure's hand that doesn't look quite right," he says.

Delving into the feel and look of the paint is an integral part of the painting process for De Brito. "The application of the paint and the way it feels is a major part of my process-and definitely the most appealing part," he says. "I just love the lusciousness of the paint on the canvas." The artist works wet-in-wet and doesn't use glazes: "With wet-in-wet, you can create soft edges almost by accident, and subtle mistakes can still be used to create what you want. For me, glazing takes too long. I want to see it done quickly, and working wet-in-wet helps get me there."


Conversation After Lunch, 12 x 16, 2005, oil painting.

The immediacy and "in the moment" atmosphere of De Brito's works can also be attributed to the fact that each figure is depicted with a level of detail that is usually reserved for a painted portrait. A grimace, searching glance, or slouching stance individualizes each figure and gives the viewer an inkling of who these people are. The depictions are not idealized, but they are honest, and there's a dignity to them that makes the viewer feel like another guest instead of an intruder or voyeur.

De Brito doesn't describe himself as a portraitist, but the figures in his paintings possess the poise and individuality that mark successfully painted portraits. To enhance your ability to capture a likeness and better understand the nuances of painting figures realistically, consider any and all art resources on sale now at the North Light Shop. Enjoy!

New Free eBook on the Color Wheel and Color Schemes!

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:35:00 GMT

It feels right to talk about color and art during this time of the year, when flowers are blooming, trees are budding, and skies are (mostly) blue. After months of dull-colored scenery, everything seems to be flourishing wherever I look, which makes me want to do whatever I can to capture that beauty and vibrancy in my art.


Cafe Terrace at Night by Vincent van Gogh, oil on canvas, 1888.

In our latest Artist Daily eBook, The Color Wheel and Beyond: Color Theory, Mixing Colors, and How to Create Complementary Color Schemes, the groundwork is set so that you can focus on color whether you are painting an indoor still life, an outdoor painting, or hoping to spend studio sessions looking at masterworks by famous artists and being able to visually understand what you see and why it evokes certain reactions in you.

To start, you'll find an introduction to color theory and the basic tenets behind how we interpret the spectrum of colors in The Color Wheel and Beyond: Color Theory, Mixing Colors, and How to Create Complementary Color Schemes. Then there is a whole chapter focused on color mixing and how to create and use a complementary color palette, a foundational part of any color-mixing lessons.

There is also a chapter devoted entirely to color mixing for the landscape painter or plein air artist, including how to mix colors with correct values and how to create harmonious color relationships in your work.

Whether we are viewing or creating works of art, understanding the basics of color-from color schemes and contrasts to basic color theory and mixing color for varied effects-means giving yourself the opportunity to see how artworks are created stroke by stroke, layer by layer. With this information you can start to explore your subject matter in new ways and articulate your own ideas about color. So download your free copy of The Color Wheel and Beyond: Color Theory, Mixing Colors, and How to Create Complementary Color Schemes now, and enjoy!

And if you know a fellow artist who would appreciate The Color Wheel and Beyond: Color Theory, Mixing Colors, and How to Create Complementary Color Schemes, feel free to forward this to them!

Proven Steps of Watercolor Painting Mastery

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 15 May 2013 03:19:00 GMT


Procida, Italy IV by Keiko Tanabe, watercolor, 14 x 21, 2008.

One of the best things about being at Artist Daily is seeing incredible artwork on a daily basis. This is especially true in the area of watercolor painting. I wasn't too familiar with many contemporary artists working in the medium before I started working here, but I've become quite the watercolor fan in the last few years with quite a few watercolor artists on my "watch" list.

In the spirit of supporting the watercolorists out there and in a desire to highlight how evocative a medium it can be, here's a top-five list of watercolor tips for those just starting out, and those who could use a little help along the way.

Load your brush. When starting out, and to avoid creating a piece that looks overworked, paint with a sure stroke and don't shirk on color.

Go abstract. To understand what watercolor can do, give up control to gain insight. See how the paint and water move, and what kind of effects you can achieve by playing with the water-to-pigment ratio, surface and surface tilt, and color layering.


	Living on the Streets by Dean Mitchell, watercolor, 15 x 11, 2009.

Don't forget to sketch. Like any performer or musician, an artist should explore his or her chosen medium by experimenting in a loose, pressure-free manner. Using larger brushes when sketching in watercolor helps you to concentrate on overarching compositional shapes that every good painting needs.

Find the light. Watercolorists typically work from light to dark, which means that hoarding and protecting those segments of paper where highlights will appear is crucial. Using masking fluid and tape are options but be mindful of the distinct edges these can leave.


Seattle Newsstand by John Salminen, watercolor painting, 22 x 30, 2007.

Consider a limited palette. When just starting out, a select group of colors helps simplify the painting process and helps you develop your color-mixing skills. Avoid dark browns and opaque colors, as they tend to appear somewhat muddy and dull. Try a warm and cool of each color you want.

There are as many techniques and skills to master within watercolor painting as there are in any other. To help you accelerate your process and produce the best watercolor paintings you can, consider Soon Warren's new DVD, Watercolor Crystal. You'll find instruction on composition, subject matter, and formal execution. To share your own hard-won tips and skill, as well as the kind of challenges you are addressing in your work, leave a comment.

An All-Or-Nothing Proposition?

Courtney Jordan — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:15:00 GMT

One of the best conversations I’ve had about art wasn’t with an artist. It wasn’t with an art historian, curator, or gallery owner, either. It was with a mechanical engineer. We went from discussing his latest design project to the artfulness of historical blueprints to Leonardo’s notebooks—and I think we may have even touched on Umberto Boccioni and Futurism.

The City Rises by Umberto Boccioni, oil painting, 1910.

Looking back on it, I’m not too surprised that someone with a scientific mind would be so knowledgeable about art. It’s become quite clear that art and technology share quite a few commonalities. Both are driven by innovation, experimentation, and observation. Trial-and-error is a cornerstone in both fields. Neither stands still for long; they are both ever-changing frontiers. So it seems natural that technology can lead artists in interesting directions, whether by making what they already do a little easier or by introducing new tools that help transform their process.


Artist Jove Wang uses a source photo to transfer his composition to canvas.

For example, digital photography means no more lugging around film, having the ability to see photos as they are shot, and being able to make adjustments in the moment. Computer programs of 3-D human poses allow artists to practice the fundamentals of rendering even if they don’t have a mannequin or aren’t yet ready to work from a live model. Software such as Photoshop allows one to manipulate photos, make color corrections, and play around with compositions.

It seems that technology, from the first metal oil painting tubes to climate-controlled studios, has a useful place in the art world, regardless of your medium or style. Allowing technology to play a part in your process is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Regardless of the source, artistic innovation always comes back to the artist—after all, a tool is only as useful as the hand that wields it. Taking advantage of technological innovations doesn’t elevate or delegitimize an artist, or make his or her execution more or less skillful. It is just another example of how an artist chooses how to paint or draw, and that choice is a deeply individual and creative right.

Building on solid technique allows artists to take their work in any direction they choose. Capturing the gesture and form of the human body is one such essential technique and if you are looking for resources in acrylic painting, drawing and sketching, or colored pencil, Lee Hammond's DVDs can help you, whether you are just starting out or want to enhance your skills.

What Artists Reveal with Self-Portraits

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 10 May 2013 03:25:00 GMT

When I walk through a museum or gallery, there are certain paintings that I breeze past and others that always draw me in. Self-portraits definitely fall into the latter category. I’m always intrigued by how artists choose to represent themselves and perpetuate their own personal mythologies.


My World by Daniel Graves oil on linen, 59 x 49 3/8, 2010. Images courtesy Eleanor Ettinger Gallery.


Homage to Gretchen Rogers by Gabriela Gonzalez Dellosso, oil on linen, 16 x 12, 2010.

True, a self-portrait at its most basic is a simple likeness. Historically, in fact, artists used self-portraits as a kind of calling card, attesting to their ability to capture a likeness and giving a sense of their capabilities. And, yes, self-portraits are convenient exercises because the model is always available and works for free. But a self-portrait can evoke and reveal much more when taken beyond the bounds of straightforward exercise.


	Mertz Self-Portrait by John Morra oil on canvas, 28 x 40, 2010.

In many self-portraits, the artist’s status can come into play. Centuries ago, Diego Velázquez famously depicted himself as an accomplished, courtly, and knighted painter situated among royalty in Las Meninas, raising both his status and the status of the practice of art. Contemporary artist Daniel Graves riffs on the theme in a more subdued way in his self-portrait titled My World. Graves stares confidently out at the viewer, gesturing emphatically with brush in hand. His surroundings are presumably his personal studio, where objects seem to signify the artist’s interest in classicism and his focus on the study of the human form and anatomy.


	My Father's Son by Frank Arcuri, oil on linen, 14 x 12, 2010.

John Morra’s Mertz Self-Portrait shows the artist as something of a humble tinkerer. The artist, dressed in a worn pullover sweatshirt, stands in the center of the composition, the ostensible focus of the painting. But on further study, it is the quirky objects surrounding Morra (many of which often appear in the artist’s signature still life paintings) that steal the show—quite possibly the artist’s intention.

Then there are those artists who use self-portraiture as a chance to take on a silly, somewhat self-deprecating persona, as Frank Arcuri does in his painting, My Father’s Son, in which the artist plays a bit of a class clown by pinching a paintbrush between his nose and upper lip. Or the artist can use the self-portrait as a way to honor and acknowledge a fellow artist. Gabriela Gonzalez Dellosso’s Homage to Gretchen Rogers, the early-20th-century American artist, does just that.

In Hunter Eddy’s Self-Portrait, a darker set of emotions is explored. The artist positions himself directly in the foreground of the painting, bare-chested and starkly gazing out at the viewer. Self-doubt, uncertainty, and stoicism all seem to reside in his gaze. In much the same way, Dana Levin’s Max and Me shows Levin holding a small child (her firstborn) so close to her face that his head partially blocks our view of the artist, though her distant, somewhat vacant expression is still apparent.


Self-Portrait by Hunter Eddy oil on linen, 19 3/4 x 15 3/4, 2010.

Max and Me by Dana Levin,
oil on panel, 10 x 8, 2010.

Obviously, self-portraiture is an expressive outlet that can lead an artist down many different roads. But a successful self-portrait, like any other piece of art, starts with a meaningful, sincere idea from the artist. Self-expression isn’t any one thing. It can be geared toward a realistic depiction of your face and physicality, or less so. Most of all, artists need to push to design and imagine without limits, strengthening their own creative points of view.

For inspiration and portrait painting tips from contemporary and past masters alike, take a look at the 2012 CD Collection of The Artist's Magazine. Enjoy!

How Do You Paint on the Go?

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:20:00 GMT

It’s only May, and already I’m fantasizing about summer road trips and exotic jaunts. But then I remember that almost every time I go on vacation my glow wears off once the artists show up. Inevitably, I see a traveler who is painting landscapes or sketching, creating significant and personal mementos while I am left envious and grumpy because all I have to take home are cheesy postcards and tacky magnets. This can’t go on!

Ville Franche, France
by Eric Wiegardt, 2009, watercolor painting, 22 x 30.

I sleuthed around to find an art medium that is a facile traveler, and almost immediately my pity party was over. Landscape painting in watercolor! The supplies are minimal, there’s nothing heavy or cumbersome to lug around, pieces dry quickly so you can paint and move on with your journey, and storage can be as simple as closing a sketchbook. Watercolors can also be used to enhance and complement graphite and pen-and-ink sketches, which opens up even more options. But for those who really love oils, if you carry a small pack and use a condensed palette, painting on the go is totally doable as well.

The approach to painting on the go is more a mindset than what you are painting with. Painting quickly is the goal, but that’s not about time management as much as working intuitively. Therefore it helps that loose yet controlled brushwork often shows watercolors and oils to their best advantage. Painting quickly also provides good practice in not getting bogged down in details of the landscape artwork you create and, instead, using broad swathes of color to build a sense of atmosphere.

Let me know how you paint when you are on the go—leave a comment and let me know. And for more tried and true tips to improve your landscape art skills when you are on the go, consider Painting on Location. Whether you are planning your next trip abroad or refining sketches you do on location in the studio, the technical demonstrations, artist tips, and painting tutorials in the book will help you learn how to become a better artist.

And to see more of Eric Wiegardt's watercolors like the one above (which put me in a decidedly vacation state of mind!), visit his website. Enjoy,

Discover the Enduring Appeal of Sketching

Courtney Jordan — Mon, 06 May 2013 03:33:00 GMT


Attitude by Patricia Hannaway, 2006, pastel sketch drawing, 21 x 12.

Human figure sketching, especially learning how to sketch from a model, is one of the most rewarding ways of practicing art because it can enhance your abilities in ways that are both practical and inspirational. It's practical in that creating figure sketch drawings develops skills that will serve you again and again as an artist—contour, shading, line, and the relationship of parts to a whole. It's inspirational in that the landscape of the human body contains almost every form, texture, shape, and curve that an artist could possibly want to recreate, and there is an endless array of ways to do so.

Sketch drawing figures is not just about drawing anatomy, though that knowledge certainly helps me recognize why the body looks the way it does and the reasons for its movements. But drawing figures is often about finding an emphatic action or gesture that animates and energizes the rendering. For artist and animator Patricia Hannaway, that means finding and accentuating the action line of a figure. “My thought process as I’m drawing is, The model is sort of doing this and kind of doing that," she says. "I become engaged with what the model is doing and mentally take the pose myself, feeling the movement in my own body. This is transferred to the page via an energized line; the drawing proceeds outward from an inward feeling."

Using a model as the stepping off point, Hannaway creates sketch drawings that emphasize pivotal moments of action where the figure is about to move or is in the act of doing so. Perfecting your ability to render the human form means practicing doing the same thing. As you get stronger in identifying the angles of motion in a figure, your skill in sketching that motion will likely increase as well, making for more productive and dynamic sketching sessions.

Drawing magazine is our top resource to help solidify your drawing skills with articles in every issue that give you insights on figure drawing, sketching, and so much more. You'll see in every issue how rendering well and seeing dynamically are two essentials every artist needs to have in order to capture the essence of his or her subject, so enjoy your subscription!

Step by Step to a Virtuosic Figure Drawing

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 03 May 2013 03:30:00 GMT

Seeing a painting or figure drawing progress from beginning to end allows the finished artwork to be understood as a series of discrete steps leading to a virtuosic whole. During a recent tour of the Grand Central Academy (GCA), in New York City, I observed instructor Joshua LaRock developing a drawing of Michelangelo's marble sculpture Dying Slave, based on a cast bust of the master's sculpture.

LaRock approached the human figure drawing as if he were sculpting on the page, striving for a trompe-l'oeil sense of form in space. He documented his progress along the way and shared his approach with us.

		When preparing the figure sketch setup of the bust, it was critical to have one isolated light source on the cast. LaRock's rule of thumb is to position the light source at a distance from the subject that is approximately two to three times the length of the subject's largest dimension. The artist sat eye level with the bust and positioned it to emphasize strong, clean lines. He also took note of the exact placement of the bust and his position in relation to it, to prevent even the slightest change in perspective from sitting to sitting.
		The artist began his figure drawing very loosely to get the general proportions of the bust and develop points of stability-the height and width of the subject and any comparative measurements that could act as visual points of reference throughout the process. LaRock then produced the "block-in," in which every element is defined, from the thin and crisp contours, form shadows and cast shadows, to loose and lightly valued plane changes.
		Once the block-in was complete, the artist stepped back to evaluate the overall hierarchy of light and dark over the form, asking himself what the brightest and darkest regions were, the second brightest and darkest regions, and so forth. LaRock points out that assigning these demarcations while drawing figures isn't guesswork but is done in direct relation to how perpendicular a particular feature of the object is to the light source, with the brightest piece being the most perpendicular to the light.
		Once the darkest and lightest areas were established, the illusion of three-dimensionality was created, and it became possible to see the full arc of light over the face of the figure. In this stage of the figure sketch, LaRock focused on preserving the spectrum between the two extremes with minute changes made with pencil and eraser.
		In the final stage of the drawing, LaRock wanted to answer one crucial question: Does this two-dimensional drawing seem to sit in space and suggest the gesture of the figure? Are the figure drawing proportions correct? He went back to his initial rationale for the drawing-a desire to accentuate the long arc of the right side of the figure's neck as it leads to the ear and continues around where the hairline meets the forehead. To accomplish this successfully without creating unnecessary distractions, LaRock went back in and played with the left side of the face, darkening certain areas so that they seemed to sit back farther in space and lightening other areas so that the right balance of volume was created. All of this involved very minor touches of graphite and also making a point on the eraser and using it as a drawing tool, hatching as you would with a pencil.

LaRock's expert drawing is based on sound understanding of light and form and skilled execution of those principles. His willingness to break down his approach to every eye-deceiving "curve" is similar to the "real life" exploration and instruction you can receive with a copy of Life Drawing: How to Portray the Figure with Accuracy and Expression. You'll gain access to thoughtful instruction on the basics of figure anatomy, proportion, and design that puts you on the road to being your artistic best. Enjoy!

A Great Way to Greet May: The Artist Daily Facebook Painting of the Month

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:12:00 GMT

The May Facebook Painting of the Month has been selected. Take a look, congratulate the winner, and enjoy this (hopefully) gorgeous first day of May!

Dark Tidings

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 01 May 2013 03:24:00 GMT

Sounds mysterious and threatening, right? No worries! It's just that when Liz Haywood-Sullivan began to create pastel drawings, she was dismayed with the range of dark colors available. "Rich, dark pastels were hard to find," she says. "Most of the time the darks just weren't dark enough. Now, fortunately, times have changed and colorful, dark pastels are easier to come by."

Fanfare by Liz Haywood-Sullivan, pastel painting, 24 x 24.

But Haywood-Sullivan also uses two approaches for painting pastels that achieve powerful and intriguing dark effects--working on black paper and layering colors with alcohol washes. The result is that the dark areas in her pastel paintings command attention and enhance the glow of the highlights and give the paintings a solid, grounded appearance where the eye can rest. Here's a rundown of these two valuable pastel-painting techniques.

Pastel Painting Using Black Paper


Roadtrip by Liz Haywood-Sullivan, pastel painting, 36 x 24. Adapted from an article by Christopher Willard.

Although Haywood-Sullivan never uses pure-black pastel, she does not shy away from using black paper for her ground. "This allows me to get more light into a work," she says. "If I took a light-yellow pastel and put it onto a white paper, the yellow and white would look very similar. I would therefore try to compensate and make the yellow stand out by using a more highly pigmented yellow. On black paper, however, the difference is clearer, and I end up using more color. Such a dark ground also keeps me honest as an artist: It's more challenging to work on, it's not as forgiving, and it won't take unlimited layers. I have to think and plan more in advance."

Alcohol Washes for Painting Pastels

Haywood-Sullivan takes an entirely different approach when creating darks on lighter papers. She begins with a white pastel paper. "I block in the darks very roughly and then take out a flat 3/4" brush and rubbing alcohol," she says. "This is where the fun begins. I start washing down the dark pastels with the alcohol, delineating major shapes, such as tree trunks. I find it very much like working in watercolor, except that the alcohol dries more quickly. As I work, I'm careful to preserve any areas of light paper I want to shine through."

After Haywood-Sullivan is satisfied with the appearance and placement of the darks in her pastel drawings, she lets the work dry fully. "This takes about 15 minutes," she explains. "At this point I can actually rub my hand over the whole paper, and the pastel won't rub off. The other nice thing about the alcohol method is that it restores the grit to the sanded paper."

Two exciting possibilities for pastel painting that can give you eye-catching passages in your work. For more pastel instruction and pastel lessons that are keyed in to allowing you to grow exponentially in your skills and methods, consider the Essentials of Pastel Landscapes Premium and Deluxe Palettes that include six to eight book, DVD, and digital resources--so you can learn the way you want to. Enjoy!

Working Toward a Masterpiece

Courtney Jordan — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 03:09:00 GMT

The very idea of me creating a "masterpiece" is hilarious. I mean, I'm still trying to figure out how to paint! But the fact is that by learning oil-painting techniques and absorbing all of the information and advice from oil-painting artists that I can, with every stroke and every finished painting, I am getting better, so I guess a masterpiece could be in my future.

If you are a little bit farther ahead of the game than I am, you may have started copying works of other master artists. Pursuing your oil-painting instruction directly from the surfaces of the paintings of great artists is a savvy way to strengthen your observational abilities and paint in the footsteps of painters who have inspired generations.

View of Toledo by El Greco, 1596-1600, oil on canvas.

Here are a few tips about copying artworks so that as you paint other masterpieces, you get what you want out of the effort and can eventually turn your attention to a masterpiece of your very own:

Choose wisely. Of course, you should choose a painting to copy that you don't mind looking at...a lot. But also choose a work that is in line with the goals you have for yourself as an artist. Honestly assess where you need to improve and choose a master work that demonstrates strength in those areas.

Do many copies. What you want out of this endeavor is a feel for the way the great master painted it. Your work should be as bold as the original. The exercise is not about making an exact replica; it is about harnessing the skills that created the painting in the first place. So do a few copies, and do them with feeling!

Landscape with Factory Chimney by Wassily Kandinsky, 1910, oil on canvas.

Remember your palette. A copy can certainly be done with the exact palette the master used, but if you don't have that information at hand, don't give up. You can also create a copy using a limited palette or your own palette.

For additional key insights and approaches to the oil painting techniques you want to master, Oil Painter's Solutions is available. It is an oil-painting landscape workshop, cover to cover. Enjoy!

Watercolor Painting Pencils? Sure, Tell Me Another One!

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 03:38:00 GMT

For just a few seconds, I thought that watercolor pencils were some kind of April Fool's come lately prank. I mean, everything I think of and know about watercolor painting is that it is fluid and kind of uncontrollable. In a pencil, how can watercolor art still have that same looseness? But then I thought about the reverse of this-watercolor pencils might mean no more watercolor paintings going off the rails. With a pencil, I would be able to guide the forms more and give them the overall shape that I want, right? Well, I was a little right and a little wrong. Watercolor painting pencils can give you a bit more control, but the fluidity of the medium is still there.

Farmers' Market Peonies by Kristy Ann Kutch,
watercolor painting, 2002, 15 x 20.


Step 1-2. Adapted from Drawing and Painting With Colored Pencils: Basic Techniques for Mastering Traditional and Watersoluble Colored Pencils (Watson-Guptill, New York, New York).

Here's a step-by-step watercolor tutorial on using the wet-in-wet watercolor-pencil technique to create a lovely peony painting from watercolor artist Kristy Ann Kutch, so you can see for yourself!

Step 1 & 2: Prepare a line drawing of a peony blossom using either a light blue, lavender, or HB pencil on hot-pressed watercolor paper. Save the central light-colored stamen area of the peony with masking fluid, and allow it to dry.

Step 3 & 4: Stroke on dry layers of these watercolor pencils, beginning with the lightest values and ending with the darkest: light magenta, pink madder lake, light purple pink, and mauve. Dissolve these layers by stroking from the lightest to the darkest areas with a damp, size 6 round brush. Wet only one petal at a time. The top petal in this illustration has been wetted and the pigment dissolved into a wash.


		Step 3-4.

Step 5: Touch a wet, size 2 rigger brush directly to the lead of a violet or pink carmine watercolor pencil so the entire brush is saturated with pigment. Lightly dab the brush's tip with a tissue. Touch this brush directly to the wet petal area, and drag it through the length of the petal in one continuous stroke. Only brush in one direction. The wetter the petal, the more the color will spread and flow. Repeat this process for each petal, but be sure to wait until adjacent petals are dry to keep each petal distinct.

Step 6: When the entire blossom is dry, peel away the making fluid, and apply strokes of cadmium yellow and cadmium orange to the stamens. Wet them with either the fine tip of a colorless blender marker or a wet size 2 round brush. If desired, enhance the colors with either traditional or watercolor pencils in the appropriate color. Use a Tuscan red Verithin pencil on the stamens and along the petal edges to refine these details.


Step 5-6.

Did this open your mind to the possibilities of how to paint with watercolor pencils? It certainly did with me! For more watercolor painting tips and watercolor lessons from professional artists and skilled watercolor instructors, consider a subscription to Watercolor Artist magazine. It will have all the inspiration and methods you need to keep your art going strong! Enjoy your subscription!