How to Make Soft Pastels by Hand
About Phyllis Russell Franklin
Phyllis has always painted. From her earliest memory she recalls how much she enjoyed the play of color and the creative process of all visual arts. During her childhood years she found many creative ways to fill that need to make things beautiful by playing with house paints creating many paintings that are still in her family today. She always looked for ways to “color” things and even went so far as to make her own dyes from seeds and plants for fabrics and other creative projects.
Working in the corporate world for some 30 years and taking care of her family left little time for exploring and developing her artistic talents. After retiring she has enjoyed and put to good use the time she has each day to learn and grow as a fine arts painter. She says “It’s such a pleasure to be able to have an opportunity to enjoy a second career and for it to be one that you actually get up each day wanting to do. I particularly enjoy painting outside doing small color studies and then bringing those studies back to the studio to use as memory maps for larger paintings. I am thankful each day for the life and talent God has given me and for the opportunity to share my paintings with others”…
Please follow this link to learn more about Phyllis and to view her work
Portrait Painting Tutorial – How I Painted Joanna’s Portrait
About Karin
Karin Wells is an artist of amazing versatility. She graduated with honors from both the New England School of Art and Design, Boston, 1965, and the Butera School of Art, Boston, 1986. Karin has enjoyed a career as an award-winning graphic designer, illustrator and sign painter. She also taught Life Drawing and Painting for many years. She has most recently studied for three years at The New England School of Classical Painting in Greenfield, New Hampshire, under the direction of Numael Pulido.
To expand her craft, Karin has traveled throughout Europe studying the Old Masters. Her art reflects the deep influence of these great works. Karin demonstrates a remarkable facility for likeness and for the use of light.
The artist is a member of The American Society of Portrait Artists, Portrait Society of America, The Portrait Society of Atlanta, and The Copley Society of Boston.
Acrylic Painting Video Tutorial – How To Paint a Cactus
I found a really interesting acrylic painting video tutorial today from a very talented artist by the name of Rudy Kistler. This is a still life painting lesson using a subject that I do not see many artists painting, a cactus.
This tutorial is broken down into 10 different steps for your convenience making it easy to follow. Below is a short summary of the steps in this video. Please watch the video below to follow this tutorial in its entirety.
Follow this link to visit Rudy’s YouTube Page to watch more of his videos.
Artist Spotlight – Grant Burke
Artist Name: Grant Burke
Location: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Title of Artwork: Running Horse
Dimensions of Artwork: 32 x 24 inches
Medium: oils
Support: canvas
Website: http://www.grantburkeart.com
Describe this Piece: This piece uses oils to depict a realistic rendering of a farm horse and effectively portrays the horses movement in a manor that captures the essence of the horse.
(Click Image For Larger View)
Blick Presents: Prismacolor Pencils – Verithin, Art Stix and Colored Pencils
Prismacolor is a popular brand of professional artist supplies offering a variety of products including colored pencils, markers, pastels, charcoal and graphite. In this post, the folks over at Dick Blick will be discussing the popular colored pencil products that Prismacolor offers: Colored Pencils, Verithin and Art Stix.
The Art Stix are available in 48 colors. The Colored Pencils are available in 132 colors. The Verithin Pencils are available in 32 colors. The great advantage to these products is the consitency. Meaning, an Indigo color in the Art Stix line is the same as an Indigo in the Verithin line.
The Art Stix is essentially a woodless colored pencil. It can be used straight from the box without sharpening. It has the same beautiful consistency as the Colored Pencils. You can produce a variety of different marks with the Art Stix by utilizing the various edges and points. Thin lines, thick lines, delicate or bold are all possible. They are also great when producing large works of art as it is easier to cover larger areas.
The Verithin Pencil is an artist quality hard formulation. This means it will hold a nice sharp point and is excellent for fine lines and detailed work. These would be an ideal pencil if you are a Wildlife Artist for instance and need to draw convincing fur and hair…
Charcoal Drawing Demonstration by Dan Schultz
Artist’s Statement
Visual art is a language — a means of communication. As an artist, I realize that something is communicated through my work each time it is viewed whether it’s what I want to communicate, or something entirely different that is brought to the experience by the viewer. But as I communicate using this visual language through images of people, images of landscapes, and sometimes images that combine the two, I hope to relate to others the beauty of God’s creation and that through it, I believe he communicates with us. I feel that it is my responsibility to help remind others of the importance of visual art and that it can be admired, embraced, enjoyed and understood.
My interest in making artwork that portrays people stems from my intrigue with people’s ability to create connections between each other. I have long enjoyed creating images of people whether it be a portrait, a child or a woman in a tranquil landscape. I believe that people can easily relate on a personal level to images of other people. And it seems like everyone can relate to an image of a landscape that reminds them of a favorite place. When I work outdoors — standing at my easel with the landscape laid out before me — I feel a connection to the scene that I’m painting. And each time, I feel like I see more beauty in the world than I did the time before.
In order to capture these connections and relate them to the viewer, I often choose a color scheme that is simple and harmonious, which makes my paintings sometimes appear to have one overall dominant color. This allows me to express my connection with each work of art I create, and allows the viewer to experience a direct connection back to the me as the artist. I also experience this connection while viewing favorite works by other artists. They transport me to another world — one of exciting color, texture and emotion that can lift my spirit and renew my passion as an artist. I believe that you too can liberate your senses through the wonder of art and discover that it speaks to you. It only takes a few moments to begin to understand the language, and as you learn, it will become even more meaningful.
Still Life Painting Demo in Oils
About Brian Simons
Being a self-taught artist, I have derived much of my inspiration from the “Group of Seven”, the French Impressionists and the Writings of Baha’u'lla’h (Bahá’í Faith). My family and I moved to Vancouver Island from Alberta, where I first began to paint approx. 25 years ago. Prior to that time, I focused mostly on drawing and sketching. I began showing my work in 1988 and have been represented by numerous galleries on the Island. From 2006 to the present, I paint on a full-time basis and have had many successes and confirmations in that period, including numerous commissions for a television production company, architects several corporate and private collectors both in Canada and the United States. I also conduct acrylic painting workshops British Columbia, Alberta and the United States….
Follow this link to visit Brian’s Website
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You Asked: Speed Up Drying Time
Today’s question comes from Maryann and she asks:
“Is there any way to speed up the drying time for paintings that have been underpainted with Magic white? It’s taking two weeks for my paintings to dry to the touch.”
Do you have any information that might help Maryann? Please leave you response in the comments box below.
Thanks!
Interview With Artist Sharon McCameron Whyte
About Sharon
Sharon hails from a military family that has lived all over the globe. Born in Kansas, she has lived in 8 different states, and 3 European countries. She received her BFA and MA from Kansas University, and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Art. She has taught in private schools, European and American Universities and art centers. She now teaches for Clark College and at her studio in Salmon Creek. Sharon specializes in creative painting classes, and organizes creative art getaways through her art workshops called Visual Voyages. Special interest tours include distinctive venues with a visual feast for the senses. She offers instructional tours in painting, photography, nature journaling, and wine tasting. Sharon has conducted workshops in France and Italy, as well as Canada and soon in Mexico. Recent local plein air workshops include ”voyages” to The Royal Tulip Festival in Woodland, Washington, Elk Cove Vineyards in Oregon Wine Country, East Fork and Bethany Wineries in Washington, tramps through Cougar and Swift Reservoir Recreational areas near Mt. St. Helen’s, Guided Tours through Portland’s Chinese Garden, Weekend Art Getaways on the beach at Lincoln City, Oregon, and urban and country gardens through the northwest.
Example of Sharon’s Work
Click Image Below For Larger View
How to Sketch a Horse Step by Step
About Sandy Sandy
Since 1996, Sandy Sandy has been a professional fine artist and has devoted her career to painting full time. After a divorce, she left behind a thriving advertising, illustration and sign company which she owned and operated for seventeen years. Sandy currently works in her spacious art studio from her NJ Pine Barrens home. Here she is inspired by the wildlife that visits her yard daily. A strong connection with animals and nature is evident in her choice of subjects. Her philosophy of “spirit” is woven into her work, where thousands of watercolors have given way to her flowing expressionist style.
Collectors of Sandy’s original paintings can be found throughout Canada and the US. Commissions are always welcomed to create specific works for individuals and organizations such as The NJ Symphony Orchestra. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Illustration from Moore College of Art and Design and attended The Art Institute in Philadelphia. Having studied watercolor with many nationally known watercolor masters including those from the E.A.Whitney, Brandywine and New Hope Schools has given her roots that are strong in the American Art Tradition. Sandy currently provides uplifting, motivational and instructional content in her various free online communities. She also is available for speaking engagements, demonstrations, workshops and classes.
Sandy’s Website: http://www.sandysandy.com/
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