Stretching Myself

One of my Index cards from the ICAD challenge.

Before I first started painting in June of 2012, on those index cards that seemed so innocuous but proved to be carriers of the deadly "art attack" virus, I had no idea how much I had missed art in my life.  You see, way back when, years ago, in Junior High School and some in High School, I took great joy in creating.  Drawing, using oil pastels, markers, colored pencils.  I didn't paint much back then, though I'm sure at some point I must have used paint a little, I really don't remember, but it certainly wasn't a medium that I used regularly... at any rate, at that time I really loved art.  For some reason, shortly after high school, I stopped. Perhaps it was because the responsibilities of adult life left little time for it, and little money for supplies.  Perhaps it was because of other issues I was dealing with that caused me to feel unworthy of something that would bring me joy.  Perhaps I just didn't get around to it.  For whatever reason though, art was no longer a part of my life.  Occasionally I would do crafts, make Christmas ornaments, crochet baby clothes, something like that, but drawing, or "painting" with colored pencils or pastels, was completely forgotten.

After starting the ICAD challenge though, I quickly realized I was hooked, not just on art, but in particular on painting.  It wasn't long before I wanted to move beyond the index cards and onto a canvas.  Since then, I've painted and painted and painted.  Having had no formal training, I have learned most of what I know by trial and error, often with many errors repeated again and again (when will I finally automatically paint background objects BEFORE foreground objects???).  I've watched a few how-to videos, and read a few books, but mostly I'm self taught... I've been learning to paint by PAINTING.  Eventually I might like to go for my BFA, but in the meantime I just continue to paint.


Recently, the gallery owner where my work is sometimes displayed suggested that I take part in a local juried show.  He felt that it would give me more exposure, and also give me a chance to see how my work compares with other local artists and to get feedback from more people.  I looked over the work I had, and felt that there were many things I had learned recently that didn't show in those pieces, so I decided to create three pieces specifically for the show, being mindful to apply everything I've learned up until now.  In other words, I wanted to really stretch myself to the limits of my current skills and abilities, so that I would be submitting the very best work I am currently capable of producing.

Here is the first piece as it took shape:

This first photo shows the work after my first painting session, I have no idea how much time I spent up until this point on it, but it was all one painting session.  I used three reference photos I had taken, but didn't copy directly from any of them, just used them to spark ideas and give a general outline of what was happening.

I decided to block in some general darks and lights in the background, so that when I added background trees gaps in them wouldn't show stark blue sky, because I've noticed in some of earlier paintings that sky showing through like that often makes the landscape look flat, or fake.

Then, here is the second in progress photo, a little more has changed at this point, one back ground tree has been added, and one more foreground tree.

Then I added the other background trees.  Notice that I made them lighter and less distinct than the ones in the foreground, I've been trying to learn to implement atmospheric perspective.

On to progress picture number 4, here I have lightened the trees in the background more, plus added some more foreground elements. I know that the picture looks very different in color here, but it hasn't changed.  All but the final two photos were taken with my phone, and it is very sensitive to changes in lighting.  The slightest difference in available light causes a whole different color cast over everything.

Next I simply added more detail in the foreground, such as some flowers on the bush in the lower right hand corner, and some more reflected light on the pond.

Then I thought I was done, so I took a good picture with my good camera, but afterward, I noticed that the sky above the background trees looked "dirty" because of all the times I'd painted over to obscure the trees a little more in trying to achieve the atmospheric perspective:

So I fixed the sky, and then took another picture with my good camera.  I printed several samples to compare the color to the original, and edited until it matched.  And here is the final result:

So there is the painting that will be my first entry into the juried show.  Because I am keeping it for the show, I can't offer it for sale yet, however prints of it are available on my Fine Art America page, and if the original doesn't sell during the show, it will be offered for sale afterward either in my local gallery, or in my Etsy shop.

Thank you for reading! I welcome your suggestions on how to make this blog more interesting to you!

The Chrome Monster gets a New Name.

Once upon a time there was, living in the mind of an artist, an idea to paint a picture of one of the coolest cars in the history of American cars.  So this artist, although she had never attempted to paint anything shiny or reflective before, decided to paint a Chevy Bel Air from the mid 1950's, she ended up deciding on a 1956 since she had reference photos of that year available to her.

So this artist started off, and kept telling herself that she could figure out a way to paint all of that shiny red metal, and silvery, reflective chrome.  She had no idea how she was going to do it, but just started painting what she saw, carefully matching values and colors, though she changed a few things like the photographer's reflection in the bumper of the reference photo.

It was a difficult painting, and while working on it the artist bestowed on it the name of "Chrome Monster" as she realized just how much of that challenging, shiny surface the 1956 Chevy had.  In her head, as she painted, she kept reminding herself, "don't worry, paint what you see, the printer didn't have any metalic ink, and it managed to produce a picture of chrome, so can you.".

Finally, after many days, she stepped back and looked at the painting and realized that it was done.  She was so happy with the result that she no longer saw it as monster, and instead decided to name it the "Chrome King".

And here it is:

Thank you for reading! I welcome your suggestions on how to make this blog more interesting to you!

My Freedom Series

I'm sure if you've read the past several posts, you've noticed a lot of bald eagles in my sketchbook.  That is because I am working on a series of paintings I am calling my "Freedom Series".  I'm not sure how many I will paint in the series, but the first two are finished.

The first one I call Freedom's Hope, and its a bald eagle, symbol of Freedom for so many, looking up to the maker, continuing to hope in good times and in trials, as Americans have done since the birth of our nation.

And the next one I call "Freedom's Pride", it depicts a A bald Eagle, symbol of American freedom and pride, perched on a branch overlooking part of the beautiful Puget Sound.

While I haven't decided yet how many will be in this series, I do know that I'll do a few more, however, before I do I'm going to do a few pet portraits, in preparation for an upcoming art walk where I plan to advertise that service.

Thank you for reading! I welcome your suggestions on how to make this blog more interesting to you!

A Sell!

As a still emerging artist, each and every sell is exciting to me.  Well, yesterday I sold one of my original paintings!  It was "Green Eyed Tiger", you can see it below.  I will still be showing this work at my art walk exhibit, but it will be marked "sold" and will be given to the purchaser right after.  Prints of course are still available for purchase!

First Public Event

Well, I am super excited!  I've been creating lots of artwork and posting it online for a while now, focusing on improving my skill, and technique, and not really trying too hard to actually sell any art.  I mean, I've offered it for sale on Etsy, and on Fine Art America, but I haven't really tried hard to market it.

I have often wondered how my paintings would do in comparison with other artists work.  If I put mine into a gallery would it sell as well as the other art?  Would people like it?  In short, is it really any good?

I mean sure, all of my friends and family say nice things about it... but would strangers also appreciate it?

Well soon, I will get the chance to find out.  The second Saturday of every month the town next to mine has an art walk, where different artist get to show their work.  Much of the businesses that participate are galleries, but a few other businesses open their doors to artists too.  One of those businesses is a Dance Studio, and on the second Saturday in April I will get to show my work and offer it for sale at the art walk.

Will it sell?  I don't know... but that isn't the main point.  I would keep creating art if I never sold another piece...  for me main point is going to be sitting back and observing other people's reactions to my work.  The economy is bad right now, and art is something people often choose to go without in tough times.  So I'll be happy if I sell any at all, but mostly I just want to see what people think.

More information about the Art Walk can be found HERE.


And While selling isn't my MAIN focus right now, it would be nice to sell a little, for one thing, my walls are getting quite full of paintings, and I am running our of room to hang them!  Also there is the matter that good quality art supplies cost money... a 2 oz tube of artist quality acrylic paint typically runs anywhere from around $5.00 to $16.00 depending on the exact pigment (color), and brand (for those non-artist types, even within the same brand and type of paint the price varies from one color to the next).  Canvases, brushes, mediums, varnishes.... all cost money.  In fact, for extremely fine line work a low cost brush costs $10.00, that's for ONE brush, and that is one of the cheaper brands, some brushes cost around $80 (I don't have any of those!), not to mention equipment like easels.  So, to make a long story short, while I would continue to paint even if I NEVER sold another painting, it would certainly be NICE to sell them at least often enough to pay for the supplies I use.  However, right now, I'm not getting my hopes up too high, I just want people to enjoy my art.