3/26/2022 5:44:33 PM
One key aspect to learning to paint that is often overlooked is to step back and really looks at your work.
There are two aspect to "stepping back". One of them is to physically back up and the other is to take some time away from your painting and think it through.
Why is this important?
When you're a few inches from your painting you don't get a good overview of what’s going on. It's important to back up from your painting at least 10 feet a few times because your painting changes every time you add a brush stroke.
By taking some time away from your painting, you see it with a fresh pair of eyes when you return to it. This allows you to decide if what you are doing makes sense. The break could be as short as a half hour or as long as a couple of weeks. You could do this repeatedly over a few days and every time you'll encounter your painting with fresh eyes, you will be more sure of yourself with what to do to get your painting to the next stage. This type of "stepping back' allows you to have a fresh perspective on your painting which is so important.
I would advocate that taking some time away from your painting is the most beneficial type of "stepping back".
Here is me latest demo painting. I do not paint animal very often, however, when you focus on painting shapes they are not much different then other subjects.
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| Title ??? - 16" X 12" |
Next week I will start demoing a cat.
This weekend, I'm taking another workshop with Angus Mc Ewan. I'm currently taking a break from the painting because after using more than two full tubes of paint, two of the colours used for the surface have separated creating an undesirable effect and I only know how to swear in two languages.
Have a creative week,
3/19/2022 7:34:06 PM
A couple of days ago a student of mine asked if I had a policy about the use of paintings created during my workshops. She said that some of her other instructors have a policy that say any work produced by a participant during one of their workshops cannot be sold or publicly displayed (e.g. in a gallery).
During my workshop yesterday, I asked participants if they had other instructors say anything like it. Most of them said that they had.
It is a very common rule that any painting either completed with any kind of instruction cannot be used in any competition or juried exhibit. This rule applies whether or not the instructor had any input into the project.
I do not have a policy because I do not want to start policing. If a student sells or gives one of the artworks completed in my class, I have no issues. My only goal is to improve the skill set of my participants.
Also, if a student shares, on social media, a work of art completed in my class, I much appreciate that they tag me and acknowledge that it was done in my class. This appears to be common curtesy. Although I’ve never said anything to my workshop participants, as far as I’ve seen most (not all) give me credit on social media. Thank you.
What do I do with artworks that I’ve completed in workshops? Well I often share on social media and always always tag the instructor acknowledging their workshop. A few of those artworks are hanging in my studio, while others are just stacked up and I will never attempt to sell them.
A number of months ago I saw a photo on Facebook by Allan Baxter. I asked him for permission to use his photo and he agreed. This was a great exercise. Would you believe that I only used two colours - Raw Umber and Ultramarine Blue.
Have a creative week,
Danielle
p.s. Have you read my latest newsletter and seen my other recent artwork?
3/13/2022 7:48:31 AM
When starting with watercolours or attending a workshop, the temptation might be to buy a large variety of colours. There is definitely a trend of wanting new material especially new paint colours as opposed to learning to play with current colours.
When teaching, the question I get asked the most often is "what colour" I'm using. My response is often learn to "play" with your colours to get to know them more.
I suspect that most of us understand instinctively the overratedness of the new colours. When buying too many new colours at once, the artist skips the important step of getting to know the new colours and how they mix and interact with the other existing colours that one has.
In addition, when buying new colours, they are often easily mixed from colours that you already have. If the new colours contains 3 or more pigments, they will not mix well with your existing colours as they will create mud.
However, sometimes the new colours work well in your palette and may become your new favorites.
Here is the latest painting that I'm working on. In the past months, I've purchased 6 perfume bottles. This painting has two of them. This painting should be completed in the coming days. It still has masking fluid on it in a few areas.
Have a creative week,
Danielle
3/4/2022 7:04:12 PM
When some people talk about creativity or inspiration, they often talk about “The Muse.” Supposedly, this mystical creature floats down from somewhere and gives them their ideas. Furthermore, it’s not possible to predict when "The Muse" will come.
Believing in “The Muse”, shields the artist from the uncomfortable truth that art is hard work. This belief also encourages a wait and see attitude. The painter Chuck Close said “inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just show up and get to work.” Picasso said “inspiration exists but it has to find you working.” The poet Charles Baudelaire said “inspiration comes from working.”
Nonetheless, I do not believe in “The Muse”. I do not have a problem with showing up in my studio or feeling inspired. Most days, I’m in my studio between 6 and 8 hours per day. Some days, I’m in there at 9am till 10pm only coming up for food.
Yesterday I was excited to finish my latest painting of a stack of quilts. This was a demo for my class “Colourful fabric” and was 3 weeks in the making.
Well it didn’t really take 3 weeks to paint this. During the same period, I’m also working on a large painting of a sunflower. I’ll finish that one in a day or two.
Have a creative week,
Danielle
