Friends who care enough to tell me the truth have suggested I be a bit more bold about the fact that I have original oil paintings for sale at ridiculously low prices. Okay. Here goes. Try not to be disgusted by my crass commercialism.
The Crowley Cabin, 6×6″, oil on wrapped canvas, $50, SOLD
Yesterday’s blog post told a secret – that I gave an oil painting workshop without publicizing it first, and why I didn’t publicize it.
Today, I will reveal why I believe that workshop was a success. No, I will reveal the reasons that I believe it was a success, not why I believe . . . never mind. Here is the list.
1. All of my students know how to draw – they understand proportion, are confident about putting shapes on paper (now on canvas), understand values (darks and lights), understand about hard and soft edges.
2. All of them understand what I mean when I make up words to explain things – “smoosh that part” or “verticalize those marks”.
3. They are very kind about my inexperience as an oil painter/oil painting teacher and very understanding when I explain that all I know to teach is what I know.
4. They don’t mind when I say “I don’t know – let’s try it both ways and see which turns out better”.
5. They stayed to help me clean up.
6. They brought things – old tablecloths, drop cloths for the floor, soup, brownies, great attitudes!
I just love my drawing students. I’d hang out with any one of them and be thankful for the time together, I respect them and their willingness to learn and try, I understand their frustrations, and I am proud of them!
I gave them each a jar of pomegranate jelly at the end of the workshop. 😎 Gosh. I feel warm and fuzzy.
Oh Great. Now she is speaking Computer. Isn’t it enough that we have to endure occasional Artspeak without this too?
What is “beta version”? I looked it up and found the best definition on Michael Hyatt’s blog:
” The premise is this: ‘we know it’s not perfect, but it’s far enough along that we need your input to get it right.'”
Based on this idea, I gave an oil painting workshop for a handful of my drawing students. They know me and my teaching methods and limitations, I know them and their skills and their kindness and encouragement. I didn’t publicize the thing because I didn’t want to expose my ignorance to strangers who were expecting a highly experienced painter and workshop leader.
We painted from photos. I provided 5 versions of a pomegranate and lots of leeway for interpretation of background, cropping, compositional variation, and whatever made the participant happy and comfortable with the project. It is okay to paint from photos. That’s what studio artists do. (We had real pomegranates available to look at, feel, examine and make us believe we weren’t “cheating”.)
We had a great time! Here is the results of the workshop (minus Nicholas’s work because he had to leave early).
Tomorrow I will tell why I think it was a success for everyone!
The Most Beautiful Fruit Bowl I’ve Ever Seen is completed. It is signed, it is carefully wrapped up and sealed in a box, and I delivered it to an undisclosed location in Exeter. Someone will have an a-may-zing Christmas present. And that’s all I’m gonna say about that!
P.S. This might be one of the most challenging paintings I’ve done. On the other hand, it was very very fun. Now I’m done talking about it.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! It was a commission. I didn’t tell you while I was painting. That is a commission omission.
Why is “commission” spelled with two m’s and “omission” with one?
Somebody shut me up, please!
What means this?? (That’s how my niece asked for more information when she was three, and I thought it was so cute that I’ve been saying for 20 years since.)
Daily Paintworks is a wonderful online gallery featuring new paintings from its members every single day. I’ve followed it for a few years, and learned about some fantastic painters.
Recently, my friend and fellow artist Nadi Spencer joined Daily Paintworks. I don’t jump into new things very quickly (still successfully resisting Facebook, Twitter, Kindle and an iPhone), but I trust Nadi. We listen to many of the same podcasts, subscribe to many of the same blogs and often share information about upcoming shows and places to sell our work.
After thinking it over, I finally decided to join Daily Paintworks. It is hard for me to admit this, as a Regionalist from Quaintsville, a Central California artist, a loyal Tulare County artist, but here goes: The art buying public here where I live just isn’t big enough. It is time to reach out for a larger audience.
I began last week with this painting:
Orange #115, oil on wrapped canvas, 6×6″, SOLD
Usually at a garage sale I am overtaken by the desire to go home, fill a box with stuff, and bring it back, sneak it onto a table, and tiptoe away. Stuff stresses me out. Too much stuff makes me twitch, mumble to myself, and randomly toss objects into the trash or a give-away barrel.
There might be a mental disorder that is the opposite of Hoarding. I might have it.
HEY! I THOUGHT THIS BLOG WAS ABOUT ART!
I’m getting there; keep your shirt on.
I found a cupboard door at a garage sale. It was all alone, no cupboard, no twin, no handle. It suddenly looked like a canvas that wanted paint.
So, I bought it and painted it. Stuff with a clear use is exempt from my Too-Much-Stuff-Problem.
Sawtooth is one of the prominent landmark peaks of Mineral King, visible from Visalia. (I prefer to look at it, hike beneath it, photograph, paint and draw it rather than climb it or be flown off of it.)
Sawtooth on cupboard door, approximately 9×21″, oil, sold
It sold to a visitor to my studio on First Saturday Three Rivers while it was wet. As long as it was signed, she was happy. And if the customer is happy, I am happy.
I paint in layers, particularly when a painting is very particular. (Heh heh. . . how is that for being articulate?) First, the shapes get roughed in (and I mean ROUGHED). Then, the basic color is laid down thinly. Then, details begin, but not too exact and the color isn’t too fussy yet. Because I know it has to be gone over multiple times, I don’t get too worked up about precision yet.
Since I last showed you this, I’ve added new detail to the window on the right and repainted the curtains behind the window pane on the left. The onions, avocado, 2 limes, 2 lemons, and 1 orange are looking good for now. “For now” because once the rest is recovered, they may no longer meet my new standards.
Next, I’ll fix the 2 tomatoes, the remaining lime and lemon and orange. That will show what a mess the bowl and the table top are, so they will need to be redone.
Then, I’ll look at the whole painting again and see if anything else can be improved.
It reminds me of just adding a couple of new pillows to the couch. Suddenly, the shabbiness of the couch is evident. Then, when the couch is replaced, the 2 chairs no longer are up to snuff. (What does that mean?) When the chairs are replaced, the curtains become unacceptable. Those get replaced, and then the rug looks cruddy, and on and on it goes.
I’m not showing you any photos of my living room.
Told you I’d be back! Okay, I didn’t say that – I said “Tomorrow” which is now today.
The other very popular subject to paint in Three Rivers – wait for it – ooh, bet you can guess – The Kaweah River!!
The Kaweah River in Fall, 10×10″, oil on wrapped canvas, $130
Available through Colors, the Three Rivers gallery.
There are two subjects for painting that are always popular in Three Rivers. Here is one of my latest:
The Kaweah Post Office VIII, 8×8″, $75, oil on wrapped canvas
Available through Colors in Three Rivers
But Wait! There’s More:
Sorry. Tomorrow!
About 6-1/2 years ago I began oil painting. I knew nothing. I asked lots of questions of anyone who painted, bought some tools and paint, and started. I knew nothing.
I signed up for classes at the crafts chain Michael’s and attended 2 of the 4 classes. I signed up for a class at the local junior college and completed half a semester. I read books. I asked more questions. I read websites and blogs and watched videos.
This is what I learned:
1. Use a limited palette. (defined differently by each person who says this)
2. Only use the best paints.
3. Don’t waste your money on good paint – the cheaper brand of Winton is just fine.
4. Only buy the best brushes.
5. Get the cheapest brushes on sale at Michael’s.
6. Finish your paintings in one pass – ” alla prima”.
7. Don’t lick the canvas with your brush – be EXACTLY sure of where you want the paint to go before you apply it.
8. Paint in layers, from lean to fat (which no one has yet adequately defined).
9. Use liquin.
10. Never use liquin – use “this” formula (which varies depending on the speaker/writer/teacher).
11. Don’t use any formula – use pure linseed oil.
12. Paint plein air (meaning outside on location)
13. Don’t attempt plein air until you are really comfortable with painting.
14. Paint large, at least 16×20.
15. Paint small so you can get lots of practice on many paintings and sell to people who are low on money and low on wall space.
16. Don’t copy anyone’s style.
17. Copy the old masters.
18. Take all the workshops you can find.
19. Don’t take any workshops – learn your own style.
20. Only use a glass palette, preferably backed by a grey cardboard piece.
21. Use disposable palettes.
22. Use a cheap palette and cover it with wax paper so you never have to scrape it.
23. Wait a year before varnishing.
24. Don’t varnish – it will turn yellow.
25. Use spray varnish as soon as you finish painting.
26. Look at your painting in a mirror – always have a mirror in the studio.
27. Look at your painting upside down.
I’m confused. Are you?