Two at a time....This is the second stage of the painting that I am working on for the bathroom. I added the blue to the "feathers" and I accented the purple swooshes with blue. I like the feathers, but the blue swooshes were too overpowering. I will add some softer purple back in when I do the next step. I can't seem to get the colors to show up correctly. I mentioned that last time and thought that it was just the overhead lighting. This time I took it with daylight and it still looks washed out. The canvas is a teal-aqua blue color and instead it looks more blue-purpleish and white. Oh well....at least you can get the idea. I think it is just because the colors I am using are more on the light/transparent range. While I am waiting for layers to dry, I have started a new pastel painting. I am using a photograph that was taken on our family trip to Destin, Florida during the Summer of 2012. The birds are part of the beach that we love. They will take potato chips right from your hands when you hold them up! The first picture is the dry under-painting colors of pastel. The picture on the left is after it has been "washed" with odorless thinner to wet the pastels and set it into the gator board. Keep in mind that this is just the under-painting. I will now begin to detail the scene with pastel to create the actual painting. I will try to post as I go along to show the picture at different stages.
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Today I worked on an abstract oil painting. The colors are a little skewed because I took this picture in the evening with the room light on. The overhead light changes the colors a bit when photographed, but this will give you a basic idea. I will take another one tomorrow in the daylight. This is also just the first step of the painting. I will need to let this completely dry before I can paint the next layer. I plan to put color in the "feathers" and then we will see what happens from there. I am planning to put this in the upstairs bathroom so if it doesn't turn out very good, at least it is where "poop" is suppose to be! hahaha Sorry, that may not have been appropriate. I hope I didn't offend anyone. ANYWAY......It felt good to paint with a brush. I have been working with pastels a lot and it has been a while since I have worked in oils. Two different mediums, two different sensory sensations, both very satisfying Today was a very peaceful day. I finished up the pastel that I was doing from Candice Lanhum's photograph. I am pleased with it. I do not think this one will be for sale. It is going to be framed and hung in my art room. It is special to me for a number of reasons and so it will stay with me.I have an article that I want to re-post from another great artist. Her name is Shannon Grissom. She does very large oil paintings and has a lot of fun while working. I thought this might be helpful to anyone that struggles with "painter's block". I know that is why I saved it in the first place.
20 WAYS TO IGNITE YOUR CREATIVITY: by Shannon Grissom These activities are great for getting you in the alpha state so that you’ll be more receptive to creative ideas. They are in no particular order. Have fun trying them all! 1. Get in the car and drive. Make it at least a half an hour drive and don’t take anyone with you unless they are silent! 2. Exercise. It clears out the cobwebs and gets your energy flowing again. 3. Clean House. When you clean house on a physical level, it cleans you out on a spiritual level too. 4. Garden. Digging and pruning are grounding activities that help you do the same with your internal garden. 5. Shower/Bath. There’s nothing like a hot shower or bath to get all the “stuff” off you leaving you with clarity. 6. Get A Massage. Hey we can’t always work out the kinks ourselves. A massage will get everything flowing again. 7. Walks outside are feast for the senses. They open up all sorts of avenues. 8.Play With Children. They remind you of the importance of silly. 9. Spend time with other artists. These creative thinkers and feelers will instantly stimulate your creative juices. 10. Spend time in nature. Go to the river and listen. Just sit for a few hours. When you are done, you’ll know exactly what to do. 11. Spend time with other creative people. These are not necessarily official artists. These are interesting people who offer creative points of view. 12. Listen to good music. It’s one of the quickest ways I know to creative bliss. 13. Take time early in the morning to check in with yourself. Write non-stop for three pages. (Based on Julia Cameron’s morning pages.) This system dump will clear the way for creative ideas to emerge. 14. Look at other works of art. You’ll fall in love with something and that’s all it takes to get you going on your own creation. 15. Try a new recipe. The prep work, getting lost in the process and creating a beautiful presentation are just good for the soul 16. Nap. It’s a great release. 17. Doodle. Take 10 minutes and just scribble. You’ll be amazed at what comes up. 18. Go to a live performance. The energy of a group performance is invigorating. 19. Spend time with pets. Like the children, they’ll show you what’s important. 20. And last but not least, do the “wild thing”. We create life from that charka so it only makes sense that engaging that area will help the flow of creativity. Enjoy! Where to Begin......?!It has been a while since I have posted. I think my last update was in April! Wow, time does fly. I had been working on a pastel piece that I was hoping to finish before Easter. I did not make that deadline, but thankfully that deadline was just one that I had placed upon myself. I did get it finished and it has been placed in the hands of the people that will know the proper place for it to call home. This is a picture of the final outcome. Thanks again, God for all you have allowed me to have. I am blessed. School is out for the summer so you would think it would mean that I have TONS of time to focus on my art. Haha. Art is still just a hobby/quiet release for me even in the summer. So far I have been helping my oldest son (Seth) deal with the unfortunate complications that can come with getting your wisdom teeth out (ouch), help my husband (Brian) mend from an injury, attending the youngest boy (Nolan)'s ballgames, and going on adventures with my middle boy (Nic) discovering science, history, and Illinois! Nic and I just returned from a trip to Fulton County area to visit Dickson Mounds and Emiquon Preserve. I did my first Plein Air painting at Emiquon while Nic attended an Archaeology for Teens camp. The view and time spent with nature was good for my soul. :-) This is the picture I painted. Keep in mind that this was my first attempt at painting outside. I LOVED IT, but I have a lot to learn about sharpening my outdoor skills. As you can see, the artistic urge runs in the family. This is a picture that Nolan (left) did with oil pastels for Nic's (right) birthday. Nic loves the show Adventure Time and the character "Finn". Nic loved it and Nolan was so proud. Seth went with Candice and her parents on vacation to Gettysburg/surrounding area a few weeks ago and saw some amazing sites. They visited George Washington and Thomas Jefferson's houses. This is from Thomas Jefferson's House. It is a pastel art set that belonged to his niece. She was an artist. I will have to research a little bit to see if I can find any of her paintings that might have been done with this set. This is on display in his house. Very cool!! I have also done some more work in my art room. I found this really awesome wall art of one of my favorite scriptures. It has very special meaning for me and it also goes well with the idea of my sanctuary. Thanks to help from Brian, it turned out really nice! I also found some real treasures at a local flea market. I found a tall standing shelving unit, a rack I can use as a drying shelf, and this whole set of large tube acrylic paints in a wood carry box. I used the wood box this week for my plein air travel box of pastels! Last, but not least, is a picture of what is currently on my easel. This is from a picture that Candice took out the windshield of her Dad's truck as they were beginning their vacation. It is close to being done, but I have to do a little more with the dashboard, finish the rear-view mirror and add final highlights. It was a beautiful morning captured in a very artistic way (talking about Candice's photograph). Good Job, Candice. Hope to do it justice. :-) Well, I guess that about brings everyone up to date with what has been going on with me. I have to be careful, because I catch myself complaining often about having to much to do and wishing I was somewhere else. Nic came into my room while I was updating this and sat on my lap, hugging me, sad about something that had happened (not major at all, but major to him). As I sat here holding him I realized how big he is getting and how I probably will not be able to have him "sit" on me much longer without hurting me. I had flash-backs to when he as a toddler and the only way to settle him or get him to sleep was to hold and rock him (severe ADHD). I thought at the time that I would just be happy if I didn't have to hold him all the time.........fast forward to now and I would be happy if I could just hold him all the time. Time isn't standing still for me any better than it has for my parents.-------Art is just a hobby. It is second place to many other things in my life and that is okay. I'm blessed to have it, but I am blessed by so much more....
Be kind to someone today for no reason at all, except because Jesus asked us to. :-) |
Becky DanielArtist Archives
April 2015
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