Magic Happens

I truly believe that all forms of "magic" 

can happen during a Full Moon.

 "Full Moon Magic" 

8 x 8 

The GJWP challenge this month was 

MAGIC.

I can't wait to see what the rest of the gang posts! 

Added Benefits of Workshops

Limited Stroke Exercise

(from workshop last weekend)  

One of the many benefits of painting workshops,

is all the new "stuff" you come away with.
Beside the new tools and tricks learned,
we discover all kinds of new artists to follow.

Karen Appleton is one of my new favorites!
Her website is filled with juicy figures......

"The Travelers" 

6 x 12

 Karen Appleton.

...and she takes ribbons, bows, presents, packages, and purses 

to a whole new level!  

"Look at Me" 

10 x 10 

Karen Appleton 

Happy Viewing! 

Value Viewer Tool

One of the best new techno tools available is the 

Value Viewer app.  

I previously posted about it here. 

You can view your photos in grey scale, notan and levels, 

and can adjust each one to get value pattern that you want.  

 

Here is how one student used it for the 

Vibrant Color exercise we did last week! 

The opportunities with this are 

endless! 

  

Note:  

Value Viewer didn't work well with the 

I phone upgrade for a while, 

but they have fixed it. 

If you have an older version, 

you should download the newer one.   

New Tools of the Trade

I recently discovered that I can easily get

an image in a three value scale right on my phone!
(Thanks to the upgrade?)
Select the image in Photos.
Hit EDIT at the top right corner
Hit the three circles icon in the middle of the bar
Choose the MONO filter.
Bingo!
You have all the information you need!

This was one of my 20 minute demos
done during the two day workshop this weekend.
(from a photo a student brought in) 

 It was great fun using this tool to check our values

throughout the weekend.
An incredibly valuable new
tool for our trade!

Vibrant Color Exercise

Liz Wiltzen posted this exercise on her blog 

before the holidays and I finally got around to trying it out.

"All Red" Exercise 

8 x 8 

This is a rather advanced challenge 

that totally reinforces the importance of getting the values right,
no matter what the color.
Then, viewing it in black and white
pretty much says it all.

"Color gets the credit, value does the work." 

Well, yeah!  

My other blog pal, Claudia Hammer 
has been doing the exercise
 in every color and her posts are enlightening.
Today she posted BLUE! 

Opaque Color

I've painted this old marina many times

but I'm pretty sure I've never been able to nail that intense red color.  

Until I discovered gouache! 

Old Humarock Marina 

7 x 7 gouache

Endless opportunities. 

More Fun with Gouache

I used two images of a 

spring stream in the woods 

 for these small experiments on paper.  

"Woodsies"

Gouache on paper 

4 x 6 

I let the medium tell me what to do 

taking inspiration from these awesome 

gouache paintings by 

Laura Grosso

Gouache has Arrived!

The gouache paints I ordered arrived yesterday so 

while I watched the Golden Globe awards last night,

I played around a bit!   

 First Gouache experiment

(8 x 8 on paper) 

I'm so excited about the endless possibilities with this medium. 

I love the gluiness of them.

(Didn't know that was a word!) 

Who knew? 

NOTE: 

One of the recipients last night thanked her children for teaching her to

"accept joy and let go of fear".

That resonated so much with me, I had to write it down. 

Too Soon

I know it's way too soon, 

but I must be channelling Spring. 

I bought pink gerbera daisies in a bright pink tin pot at the grocery store 

to set up in the studio. 

Studio Demo 

Three current students came over for a make up class 

yesterday and we just painted and talked. 

It was so refreshing and fun.  

Having artists to the studio 

really fills the place with positive energy.  

And it forced a bit of a clean up, 

that turned in to a major purge,

so I am ready to go!  

Switcho Chango

Today I did the complete opposite of yesterday's exercise. 

Instead of using NO MAP,

I did a PATTERN PAINTING of the same objects 

by outlining the big shapes of light and shadow 

and assigned each shape one color/value.  

I used red acrylic to map out the shapes 

on a board toned in yellow. 

Both approaches help trick you into thinking "shape and value" 

instead of subtle details. 

(Anything to keep fussy pants away!) 

Meanwhile, I thought I'd share a corner of my 

warm and cozy "office." 

So happy to go to work these days!  

 I just ordered some gouache. 

Never used them before, 

so stay tuned!  

And I'm Off!

Feeling rusty and anxious about "re-entering" today,  

I challenged myself to do a 

"No Map Exercise".

The idea is to paint just the big shapes in the right value

without any pre- mark making, measuring, or drawing!

(No map.)  

I know a lot of awesome painters who do this very successfully

 but to me, it's like driving without my glasses. 

(I'm such a girl scout. I need a map!)    

You can see where I cheated on the orange pitcher, 

and got off track with the yellow cup. 

(Those red marks are from a previous start)

It's great to be back in the saddle !  

Bring on the New Year!

As much as I love the holiday season, 

I'm always excited to get the New Year started.
Enough already!

"Boy on Board" 

8 x 8 

(commission for a friend) 

Hunkering down in the studio with so many ideas, 

I'm not sure where to begin. 

I'm looking forward to some teaching because that 

really gets the juices flowing! 

Hope you can join me for some fun in 2014. 

North River Arts Society 

Six Thursday classes starting Jan 16

9:30 - 12:30

(one spot left)   

South Shore Art Center

Weekend Workshop 

Jan 25, 26 

9:30 - 3:30 

FULL !

Rockport Art Association 

Two Day Workshop 

April 8, 9 

9:30 - 3:30 

Cape Cod Art Association

Weekend Workshop  

July 19, 20 

9:30 - 3:30