Artist Daily : Pastel

3 Tips for Summertime Sketching

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 03:47:00 GMT

I love summer because I’m always on the go. It’s the best time of year to travel, and I just can’t seem to say no to any outing or adventure that comes my way. Want to take a road trip through the Carolinas, Court? I’m there. A holiday to Chicago? Sign me up. A vacation in California’s wine country? I wish, but yes!


Pastels, like the ones used to create Convict Lake by Colleen Howe, have such rich color and are easy to transport.

But with all this moving around, I want to make sure that my sketchbook doesn’t get ignored, so I’ve come up with a few on-the-go sketching and painting strategies that I want to share with you.

A Part, Not the Whole: Even with pastel, I find that I still work pretty slowly. When it comes time for me to set out on my travels, I know that time is going to be of the essence, so my plan is to target one part of the scene instead of hurriedly sketching everything in.



	Pencil sketches and color notes can allowyou to create art while traveling. Artwork by Colleen Howe.

For instance, at a roadside fruit stand, I may see bunches of people and dozens of inspiring compositions, but I’m going to focus on just a corner of the action. This way I can make the most of my limited drawing time.

Color Notes: I love sketching with color, so pastel drawing is a great travel option. One of the ways I like to work best is to abstract a scene and just focus on color. This can be a great way to make a sketch for something you might paint later in the studio. It can also stand alone as a fun memento of a time and place that meant something to you.

Different Strokes: Paring down what I work with when I travel means using versatile tools and getting creative about the different strokes I use. I really give my implement a workout. The few tools I bring must allow me to create fine lines and broad strokes, hatching or dotting on my surface, or incorporating wet brush techniques that I only need a single brush and some water to do. For example, wet brushing pastel softens my lines and disperses color in a really subtle way.

Thinking this way has gotten me even more excited about the sights I will see this summer because I’ll have a way to take a little piece of them with me when I leave. But to get ready for this, I want to sharpen my technical abilities so I feel confident about the way I work when I’m on the road. That’s where The Pastel Emag came in for me. As a resource guide it covers all media and gives instruction for techniques that work great whether you are practicing pastel drawing on vacation or in your studio. And do you have any summer sketch tips to share? Leave a comment and help me add to my list.

Hybrid Method of Painting and Drawing

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 31 May 2013 03:52:00 GMT

When I'm hiking or walking on the beach, my attention span is really short. I flit from activity to activity, sight to sight, just trying to take it all in. That's why pastel painting is a perfect fit for me when I want to create art outdoors. I can work quickly and see results equally fast, creating a pastel landscape painting in a short span of time. And I'm by no means an expert in pastel drawing, but it is great for painting outdoors, and I have a few tips for getting the most out of the medium and the experience if you decide to sketch outside with them too.


Magnificent Malibu by Gerald Rahm, 2005, pastel painting, 16 x 20.

Pastel painting is sort of a hybrid, blending methods of drawing and painting. One of the drawing aspects of pastels that I have really glommed on to is using all the available surface edges of the stick, just as if it was charcoal. I start with the broad side, covering the expanse of my surface with broad shapes and adding definition with the sharp edge or blunt tip of the pastel.

When making a pastel drawing, I want to give myself options when I'm in the midst of working. Techniques, like dusting, are best done with my drawing surface in a horizontal position, so before I plant myself down to work I try to think ahead about how I'll manage that if I decide I want to do it. Though sometimes dusting is an effort in futility on a breezy day out by the water!


	Hazy Sunset by Peter Adams, pastel painting, 12 x 16.

The most important of all the pastel painting lessons I've learned or, let's face it, stumbled upon after much trial and error, is to use a testing strip. What I do to keep values true on any work is to start with a larger piece of paper than I intend to use and mark off an area on one edge to test my pastels before I use them. This is crucial because you don't use a palette with pastels, so the testing strip is the only place you can play around before putting color and marks down right on your final surface. The rule with the testing strip is to put colors side by side—if there is a distinct edge, you've got colors of different value, so try again. It's a rule of thumb I've found has helped me a lot. Later on, I just cut the testing strip away.

Really thinking on it, I realize that I enjoy pastels so much because they combine vivid color and drawing—two of my favorite things when I am creating art outdoors. They will always be what I reach for first, and that's why I've tried so hard to work on my compositional skills and pastel techniques of late. The Pastel Journal has helped me on that road. It is beautifully illustrated with tons of examples and the artists featured are ones I respect and hope to learn from in person eventually. That's how much I've grown from their instruction. I hope you decide to do the same with a subscription to The Pastel Journal. 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!

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!

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!

Love Them Extra Because They're Weird

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 03:12:00 GMT

I own up to the fact that I am drawn to the portraits artist Jenny Morgan creates because they are unconventional. Yet they capture qualities of the human face and our other human qualities in ways that read very true and lifelike. I like them because they are different, but not just because they are different.


	Merging the Phantom by Jenny Morgan, oil on canvas, 42 x 32, 2012.

When learning how to draw faces, there is a lot of rote visual information to take care of--two eyes, one nose, one mouth. Yes, each face is different, but the nuts and bolts of the work are the same. This can sometimes standardize the way we work. Maybe you've seen this. Taking a portrait class, everyone's works can look the same. And this makes absolute sense in a class setting. But individual artists need to discover their own way of drawing faces and painting the human figure that is theirs and theirs alone. Morgan has, and she doesn't let the baseline of similarity implicit in all portraits (two eyes, one nose, one mouth) prevent her from articulating things through the human face in new ways.


Bunny by Jenny Morgan, oil on canvas, 37 x 32, 2012.

She uses color, shadows, angles and a collage effect of images (a profile versus a frontal portrait, for example) to create moments that are psychologically intense and visually stunning. To do this in a genre of painting that has been around for centuries, such as portrait drawing, I consider to be even more impressive.

If you've found the person or model who makes you want to start drawing faces but you want to make sure you do your subject justice with strong skills and sensitivity, Expressive Portraits: Watercolor and Mixed Media Techniques will give you the instruction you need with demonstrations in watercolor, pencil, pastel, and more, including information on using brushwork techniques and layering to give each face you draw liveliness and spirit. Enjoy!

When a Photo Can Do It Right

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 03:43:00 GMT

Certainly, there are pitfalls to making paintings from photos. One problem occurs when an artist thinks that a photo is magic and that he or she can turn a photo into a painting with a snap of the fingers. It isn't that easy, of course. And even if it were possible to easily reproduce photos as paintings, we wouldn't be too happy with the results, because in most cases the things we love about paintings are not the qualities photos can provide, and vice versa.


A pastel painting by Marie-Elise Larene.

But going from photos to paintings can be useful. When drawing portraits from photos, even if you only look at a reference photo occasionally, it helps to remind you of your sitter's facial features and bearing. That's useful. Also, when looking at photos of constantly changing subjects--like oceans or sunsets--you are able to hold in your hand something that is finite and temporary. Yes, it is only a photographed image of the phenomenon, but such images can, again, be useful as sources of reference about color, shape, and perspective.


		A pastel painting by Marie-Elise Larene.

I've recently discovered the work of pastelist Marie-Elise Larene, which has made me realize that when I'm looking at a finished painting, I don't really care if the artist is painting from photographs. Her colors are so bold and right-on, and the texture of the pastels gives such an atmospheric appearance to her flat surface. The results are as if she put me in front of a fiery sunset or glowing day on the water and froze time. I could care less about whether she is working from photo to painting or not. So when you are deciding your working method, don't be dismissive of the tools you have at your disposal. Think of how to use them to paint something inspiring and lovely that achieves your vision. That is the only thing that matters and the highest standard you can hold yourself to.

If you want to paint seascapes and visions of the sea but you are nowhere near a coast or large body of water, you can still capture the beauty and inspiration that comes with the right combination of light, sea, and sky. The downloadable Photo Reference for Artists: Nautical Scenes with Gary Greene provides almost 500 images to ignite your seafaring imagination and puts you in the right mindset to paint the convincing nautical scenes that may not be as close as your backyard but are within your grasp. Enjoy!

The Perfect Blend of Literal and Abstract

Courtney Jordan — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 03:53:00 GMT

When I say "the perfect blend," I feel a little bit like I am describing a gourmet coffee flavor, but there really is a perfect blend that exists in pastel painting. For me, the crème de la crème of pastel drawings combines a certain level of literal representation with a modern sense of the abstract.

The Curmudgeon by John Philbin Dolan, pastel painting, 12 x 16.

What I mean by literal

When I say a great pastel painting should be "literal," I mean, in part, that when you look at the painting you should know what or who is being depicted. But the idea doesn't stop there. I also mean that such works put the vibrant colors of pastels to good use describing forms, atmosphere, and light. They use line and texture thoughtfully to give a sense of an object's surface quality and shape.

What I mean by abstract

An artist who can couple the literal in his or her pastel drawing with abstraction visually pushes the versatility of the medium, emphasizing with each stroke the way that the painting comes together as much as the narrative that is being visually shown. The two should be dealt with as one. For example, working the side and the tip of the pastel as well as blending and scumbling are basic techniques of pastel painting. But when you start to link subject matter with these formal techniques--that's where the magic happens.

Coup de Foudre by Marie-Elise Larène, pastel painting.

It can be a difficult idea for me to wrap my head around. It has been described to me as looking at a Monet painting and seeing separate dabs of color while simultaneously seeing the flower grove or the lily pad. You see what the artist is painting as well as the way he paints it. This also means that you don't have to just paint what you see--you can push your visuals further for the sake of the feeling you want to evoke.

I'm nowhere near an expert in pastel painting, which is why I seek out insightful and established artists to take pastel lessons from in order to learn more about how to get my own "perfect blend." Claudia Seymour is one such artist, an expert when it comes to the bright, glowing, vivid quality of pastels. Her DVD, Pastel Painting Techniques: Still Life Flowers makes her time-honored subject matter accessible and invigorating. She shares compositional strategies, tips on capturing delicate features of your subject, and pastel-drawing instruction on dimension so that your objects can really have the look of three-dimensionality. Enjoy!

I Want to Be By His Side

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 04:27:00 GMT

If I had a time machine and could travel back to learn how to oil paint from any artist in history, I would not spare a second thought setting the clock to circa 1895, smack dab in the middle of the era when Odilon Redon was refining his fine art oil-painting and pastel-painting skills.


		The Cyclops by Odilon Redon, c. 1914, oil on canvas, 64 x 51 cm.

In addition to learning exactly how he worked, I'd also get a chance to be by the artist's side and observe what went into Redon's color choices--so many of which combine and juxtapose improbable objects and colors together--as well as how he came to let his imagination run free. Redon was a wonder at incorporating basic things--landscape elements, flowers, figures--into paintings that appear at turns dreamlike and nightmarish. He seemed to paint what was in his heart and in his head more than merely allowing his perceptions and observations to rule.

Redon wrote, "I have often, as an exercise and as a sustenance, painted before an object down to the smallest accidents of its visual appearance; but the day left me sad and with an unsatiated thirst. The next day I let the other source run, that of imagination, through the recollection of the forms and I was then reassured and appeased."


Woman with a Yellow Bodice by Odilon Redon, c. 1899, pastel painting, 66 x 50 cm.

Reading this makes me equally sad at the idea of the artist coming away from his studio unfulfilled and somewhat lost. But it also sparks hope because he sought a way to make his paintings come alive and did so by being true to himself.

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It's Easy With Our New Free eBook: Learn How to Draw

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 04:40:00 GMT

Sometimes I can forget how good it feels just practicing drawing techniques. Simple things, like working on proportion and scale and line weight can feel so rewarding if you give yourself the time to really savor them when learning to draw. Mostly this is because all great drawings are built on these essentials. By practicing them, you're rewarding yourself in the moment and also in your future drawing.


		Young Woman in a Black and Green Bonnet, Looking Down by Mary Cassatt, ca. 1890, pastel drawing, 25 5⁄8 x 20 1/2.

In our newest free eBook, Learn How to Draw From Artist Daily: Drawing Techniques on Depth, Color & Value, you'll find drawing instructions on how to draw with an eye toward creating the illusion of depth in your work; how to draw with color effectively; and drawing techniques surrounding value, which is a mainstay of all draftsmanship.

We've also included a bonus chapter--Learn to Draw With a Quill Pen--so you can delve into this centuries-old tool and use it just like the Old Masters did. There's even a section on making your own quill pen step by step. How to draw lessons learned through this free eBook will enable you to draw with a firmer idea of what really makes a difference in drawing, plus you'll learn how to draw in a wide range of styles and methods.

Download Learn How to Draw From Artist Daily: Drawing Techniques on Depth, Color & Value with our Learn to Draw With a Quill Pen bonus chapter and enjoy!

And feel free to forward this blog to any drawing aficionados you know so they can download Learn How to Draw From Artist Daily: Drawing Techniques on Depth, Color & Value as well.

Add Water and BAM!

Courtney Jordan — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 04:03:00 GMT

I recently had an Emeril Lagasse moment--and it happened when I mixed pastels with water for the first time.

Three Sunflowers on Blue by Jimmy Wright, pastel painting, 30 x 41.

A while back, I confided that I wanted to start an earnest study and exploration of pastel painting. That resulted in me mucking about on my own for a few hours--I just let myself play as I created a pastel drawing. First, I spent time seeing what the stick of pastel can do in terms of mark-making. I varied the pressure I applied to the surface of the paper; I tried holding the pastel like a pencil and also experimented with running it across the paper on its side. I smeared it with my finger, and then reached for the water.

BAM!

At first I thought, what have I done? But I started playing around with the water, applying washes to my pastel-painting paper, and the colors all started to blend together. It was lovely. I tried using a spray bottle, too, which yielded interesting results--the pastel powder got drawn into the droplets of water and ran down the surface when I tilted the paper.


		Sunflower with Red Leaves by Jimmy Wright, pastel painting, 41 x 29, 1996.

So for my first un-chaperoned tour of pastels, I think I taught myself a lot about pastel painting--mostly about being brave when it comes to trying different things. I felt really liberated. So I hope you get a little fearless with your art, too. Nothing but good can come of it!

I've only touched on one aspect of pastels, but there are plenty more pastel-painting lessons waiting to be learned. For compelling and interesting pastel instruction, check out Claudia Seymour's latest pastel lessons DVD, Pastel Painting Techniques: Still Life Flowers. It offers insights from a professional artist who always shares the best of her artistry with us. Enjoy!

He Truly Had the Joy of Sight

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 04:26:00 GMT

It’s quite sad that 18^th-century painter Luis Melendez died poor and relatively unknown and yet he is now recognized as one, if not the, greatest still life art painter of his day. His style and approach as a still life artist breathed new life into a genre that was already well established, and most importantly he did things differently when it came to composing his works. All of which solidify his standing as one of Spain’s greatest artists.


		Still Life with Melon and Pears by Luis Melendez, oil on canvas, 18th century.

Melendez did not in any way scorn the achievements or focus of the still life artists that preceded him. Like Zurbaran and Juan Sanchez Cotan, he knew how to present light effects, texture, and color of the objects in his paintings of still life.


Still Life with Fruit and a Jar by Luis Melendez, oil on canvas, 1773.

What he did do differently was bring those sumptuous fruits, glistening glassware, glimmering copper pots, and crusty bread closer to the viewer in the picture plane. He dropped his vantage point as well, allowing the viewer to peruse the objects from a slightly elevated angle.

These are small modifications and yet they give the viewer a better look at the objects by more fully turning them to the light. The details of texture and light that Melendez adds to the surfaces of the objects makes it seem like they are being held in the viewer’s own hands. The result is everyday objects presented in a monumental way, reinforcing the joy of sight that must have provoked the artist to pursue still life painting with such rigor.

For more still life painting inspiration—and techniques that you can start using today in your own works—explore the newly launched 2012 CD collections from The Artist Magazine, Watercolor Artist, Pastel Journal and Southwest Art. Enjoy delving deeper into the art you love!

Do You Have Your Own Personal Symbolism?

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 04:21:00 GMT

When you think about it, you probably have a personal symbolism—objects or colors or landscape features that hold special meaning for you. These ideas can develop from our personal experiences, our culture, or books we've read.


	In the comic book realm, straightforward symbolism is expected, but in fine art personal symbolism can lead to more creative narratives. (Thor by Lee Oaks, 2010)

For example, I associate a rich-colored green with well-being and positivity. And in my mind, drums mean movement and latent power. These are my personal ideas, and because of that they can be a powerful source for narrative. I point out the existence of personal symbolism because sometimes—in a lot of fantasy-art pictures, for example—symbolism tends to be less personal and more general and widely recognizable.

We all recognize fantasy images of superheroes, for instance, because they are the figures who are biggest, tallest, and strongest...and because they often wear a cape. These sorts of recognizable symbols have their place, but I think artists of fantasy pictures often do their work a disservice by being too didactic with their symbolism.


Pastel colors can convey a lightheartedness, as in this acrylic painting by John Harrell, titled Pastel Trolley.

But when you take inspiration from your own personal symbolism (a superhero in my mind could easily be represented by objects of teaching—a ruler, desk, or book), there is character and uniqueness to the choices you make, which put your work in a category all its own. So next time you are thinking of how to convey an idea or narrative in your work, reflect on symbols that hold a personal meaning, and I think you'll find the outcome rewarding and meaningful for you and your viewers.

Personal symbolism can come into play no matter what kind of painting or drawing you create, but most of all it raises our awareness about the many things that objects, colors, and textures can communicate to viewers, which every artist should try to be aware of. In the DVD Acrylic Painting: Scenes From the City, I discovered that using unexpected colors in a painting or depicting figures in an otherwise empty cityscape can have a great deal of impact. It's up to us to decide what our personal symbols are and how to apply them to get the effects we want in our artwork. John K. Harrell does that to great effect in Acrylic Painting: Scenes From the City, and it is a lesson worth learning. And because today is a very special day—12.12.12—we are offering 12 products for $12.12, including Scenes From the City. Enjoy!

When In Doubt, Go For the Weird

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 04:53:00 GMT

A few weeks ago I attended a young artist's solo exhibition. Although he was technically skilled, the subject matter (mostly oil portraits with the models nude or semi-nude) didn't really inspire me. So why am I still thinking about his work--and telling you about it? Well, I keep coming back to the parts in his paintings that were slightly off--a pair of feet that were really red for some unknown reason, an eyebrow that arched a bit too much on the model's face. I've found that the weird--the details of a face that aren't symmetrical, quirks that make a person's look unique--is what I remember when looking at portraiture.


		Femme aux Bras Croisés (Woman with Folded Arms) by Pablo Picasso, 1902.

I know I've said this before but I think it's worth repeating. The 'weird' or uniqueness of a person is what makes for moving and memorable portrait art. If an artist can't find those qualities in a sitter, then it might be necessary to work with a different model or change how we look at him or her.


Garçon à la Pipe (Boy with a Pipe) by Pablo Picasso, 1905.

So when you sit down in front of a person as a portrait painter, first ask yourself: if I were going to describe this person with just three words, what would they be? Take your answers seriously as you figure out how to paint your sitter. And spend time, even just a few minutes, talking to your model before you begin your painting. The way they talk, their subtle mannerisms, as well as the information they choose to share--these are the inroads of painting portraits successfully.

And who has more personality, quirks, and funniness than children? It might be worthwhile to experiment with portraiture painting by depicting a child in your life. Children are often fearless and they have personality to spare, and in Wende Caporale's Children's Pastel Portraits DVD you'll find a portrait artist who sees her models as individuals and tries her best to pull out their unique characteristics so that the finished painting is more than just an accurate likeness. And today's special coupon code is TAKE20. Use it to get 20% off the DVD. Enjoy!

Holiday Sweepstakes--Nuff Said!

Courtney Jordan — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 16:43:00 GMT

Uh, I think I may have stumbled into an artist's dream! The Artist's Network Annual Holiday Sweepstakes is going on right now, offering awesome art prizes from the best painting and drawing product makers and service providers around. Rosemary & Co. brushes? Yes! Strathmore surfaces? Yes! And so many more! It's like a who's who of the top resources and materials that we love so much.

So here's the scoop: Check out the prizes below and mark your calendar for their corresponding days. Then all you have to do is go to the Sweepstakes homepage during that day and enter for the chance to win the prize. That's it! That's it? That's it! Plus you can try for as many prizes as you want--there's no limit.

There are prizes to be won until December 17, and on December 19 a Grand Prize Winner will be chosen. Good luck and happy holidays!!

November 23: 3 Handcrafted New Wave® Artist Palettes

3 Handcrafted New Wave® Artist Palettes: 2 Studio Palettes (Grand View Confidant^TM and Expressionist Confidant^TM) & 1 Plein Air Palette (Highland^TM). Available for right handed or left handed artists.

Value: $154.85

New Wave® brings an iconic tool to life that will assist in your advancement. Experience improved color gauging, enhanced mobility and strengthened focus, while painting in total comfort. The palette's unique patent pending 3 point design (hand, arm, torso) evenly distributes the palette weight, allowing you to paint with ease. In addition, the palettes are handcrafted by the Amish in Lancaster County, Pa., providing an unmatched level of quality.

-3 point design providing maximum balance and comfort
-Universal fit for all body types
-Handcrafted by the Amish in Lancaster County, Pa., USA
-Made with hard white maple
-Extremely lightweight
-Durable satin finish resistant to water and standard artist solvents and mediums
-Easily cleaned
-Crack and chip resistant
-Freezer safe

November 25: Richeson Classic Santa Fe II Easel

The Santa Fe II Easel by BEST is proudly made by Wisconsin craftsmen using American-grown red oak. Its marine style winch raises and lowers easily allowing works weighing up to 300lbs. The double-masted H-frame offers extra stability; front locking casters offer mobility. With a lifetime warranty, BEST Easels are a symbol of American Quality.

-Max. canvas height: 106"
-Base width/depth: 24" x 30"
-Compact easel height: 78"
-Extended easel height: 129"
-Shipping weight: 98 lbs.
-Box dimensions: 77" x 30" x 10"
-Ships partially assembled by truck

Entering to win this prize will also enter you for the $1,000 Gift Certificate Grand Prize from Blick Art Materials.

NOVEMBER 26: REMBRANDT PASTEL SETS

Luxurious 2 drawer soft pastel set with 15 full sticks and 30 half sticks of the leading soft pastel on the market. Perfect for travel, plein air or studio work with a rigid keepsake box.

Individual components have a retail value of $136, but this set is a special value at $100 suggested retail price. Crafted with pride in the Netherlands by the masters at Royal Talens. Make sure to sign up for our "talking colors" and "create your color" campaigns at Rembrandt.

November 27: PAINT FIT FOR MASTERS

A colorful road, 3 generations long, has led Da Vinci Artists' Colors to become a work of art of their own. Still prepared in small batches with trusted craftsmanship quality, Da Vinci Colors are consistently those that artists love to discover.

At Da Vinci, they go beyond merely dabbling with the world's finest raw materials. Mixing and milling colors that truly perform is in their DNA. The colors represent who they are and what they do. They immerse themselves in preparing perfect batches of color every day so you can have FULL freedom of artistic expression without compromise.
Win Da Vinci's Color Set and select your favorite medium; Oil, Acrylic or Watercolor.

November 29: Rosemary & Co. $250 Brush Set Giveaway

$250 worth of our beautiful handmade oil brushes consisting of ‘ The Masters Choice' our popular design for painting wet on wet thus not taking off the paint.

‘Ivory' a range for firm strokes with spring and precision together with ‘Classic' for the traditional strokes which leave a grainy mark and a few brush surprises for you to experiment with - This is a bounty pack to assist you with creating another masterpiece!!!

As the founder and CEO of Rosemary & Co I have been making brushes for over 30 years. As an oil artist (many moons ago) I understand what a painter demands from a brush in quality, shape & price. I work hard with my team to ensure all our handmade brushes meet the highest standard possible. - Rosemary

December 1: LED 300 Digital Art Projector

Hottest new product on the market! Imagine being able to project images from virtually any digital source onto any surface - the ultimate easy-to-use tool for designing, painting, drawing and simply being amazingly creative! Project grids onto your photos for easy, exact composition and design. MSRP - $749.99

Features:

-300 lumen maintenance-free LED lamps that last 30,000 hours
-1 280 x 800 (WXGA) resolution for sharp, detailed images
-Exclusive LAG Twin XD image processors for vivid true-to-life color
-Compatible with smart phones, tablets and pads for maximum image control and flexibility
-Full suite of innovative image and color controls including rotation and reversal
-Multiple inputs connect to virtually any digital source
-Compact design for easy transport

December 4: RayMar Belgian Linen Panels

The RayMar Portrait Panel is museum quality painting panel made with Claessens' finest weave #13 double oil primed Belgian linen exclusively for oil paint. It is the choice of professional artists for portrait and figure work.

Claessens' #13 linen is woven to exacting standards with 57.9 TPI warp and 58.4 TPI weft at 10.47 ounces per square yard. The priming consists of a double layer of synthetic glue, which is less sensitive to humidity than hide glue. It is sized with two layers of zinc white primer bound with linseed oil and one top coating of titanium white oil paint. With 4 layers of priming and a finish coat the result is museum quality linen without equal.

The linen is then mounted on 1/8 inch MDF with a pH neutral adhesive through RayMar's in-house process. The fabric is bound to the panel in a uniform way to ensure the consistent quality of every panel. The reverse side is finished with RayMar's exclusive melamine finish. This creates an acid-free archival support that resists warping and provides a permanent barrier against deterioration from moisture or mold.

Conservators strongly recommend painting on a rigid surface so start every painting with a RayMar Panel. Fine art belongs on RayMar.

Package includes a total of 9 panels. 3 panels of each size: 9" x 12", 11" x 14" and 12" x 16". Valued at $200.

December 5: $200 Gift Certificate from Art Gallery Frames

Art Gallery Frames is giving away a $200 Gift Certificate! One lucky winner will be able to choose from hundreds of beautiful frames from a company known for their superior quality and selection.

Art Gallery Frames features a wide variety of art frames including:

-Ready and Custom Made Frames
-Hard-to-find Ornate Baroque and Barbizon Frames
-Traditional and Contemporary Styles

December 6: Col-Art Liquitex Basket!

Get all of the Liquitex best sellers all in one basket! A wide range of acrylic paints, mediums and tools so you can let your creativity go wild!

Liquitex offers the widest spectrum of vibrant intense acrylic paints, acrylic mediums and art supplies that enable you to bring your creative vision to life. The possibilities to expand your creativity are endless with our innovative toolbox.

Liquitex Best of Basket Includes:

-6 Heavy Body 2oz Colors

-6 Soft Body 2oz Colors

-6 NEW Professional Spray Paints

-6 Mediums

-6 Acrylic Inks!

-6 Freestyle Palette Knives (3 large/ 3 small)

-7 Freestyle Brushes ( 3 large format / 4 classic)

-The Acrylic Book

-Color Charts

-1 Value Finder

-Technique Cards

-1 Liquitex Metal Notebook and Water bottle

December 13: Win an Assortment of Fine Art Surfaces

Strathmore has been supplying high-quality fine art surfaces to artist of all levels for over 120 year. One lucky winner will receive an assortment of fine art surfaces valued at $150!

Package includes:

Fine art pads for sketching, drawing, watercolor and mixed media.
Strathmore's latest new products - Toned Sketch Papers, Hardbound Art Journals and 500 Series Mixed Media Board

Essentials for artists of any level.

December 15: Win a Special Gift this Year of Luxurious Premium Oil Paints by Michael Harding

Win $200 of Michael Harding Oil Paints

Gift includes a fine assortment of buttery, rich pigment colour handmade oil paints.
A combination of series 1- 6 oil paints designed for the discerning artist. Pure luxury
for you, your brush and your canvas! find us at www.michaelharding.co.uk

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December 17: Win a DUO Aqua Oil combo set!

Holbein Artist Materials is giving one lucky painter a Holbein DUO Aqua Oil combo set valued at $984.00! Included in this INCREDIBLE package of Holbein's water soluble oil color are:

-18 hand selected DUO Aqua Oil colors (40ml ea.)
-3 DUO Aqua Oil whites (50ml ea.)
-3 DUO Aqua Oil mediums (200ml ea.)
-5 Holbein Resable synthetic nylon DUO Aqua Oil brushes
-2 Holbein MX hand-forged stainless steel painting knives
-DUO Aqua Oil hand-painted chip chart and printed literature
-Samples sets of Holbein Artist Oil Color and Holbein's brand new Vernet Superior Artist Oil Color

December 19: GRAND PRIZE DRAWING - $1,000 Gift Certificate from Blick Art Materials

All giveaway entries up to this point will count toward the $1,000 Gift Certificate Grand Prize Drawing from Blick Art Materials.

Enter any of the 13 Holiday Sweepstakes giveaways above to qualify for the $1,000 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate Grand Prize!