Hi...Can't believe it has been way over a month since I posted anything. Time does fly !!!@.
           It seems like I have been on overdrive. You too? Sorry about the delay.

Views: Total....2890. This week from USA, China, Ukraine & Kazakhstan.

Quote: There is no growth in your comfort zone and no comfort in your growth zone.
                                                                                 (no idea who said this)

My last posting was about me going off to take a portrait watercolor class. I bet, since you never heard from me since then, you might have thought I perhaps didn't survive the class. Ha. Well. close !!!
It is always good to have your cage rattled some throughout the years of your life. This class did just that for me. Rattle...Rattle. 

The class was taught by Ted Nuttall. I love his work and even though there isn't anyway I would or could paint in his style (or have any Portrait style  or talent) I did gain a lot from taking his class. I came away from the class with a set of "New Shiny Tools" to add to my "Old Shiny Tools"....and I have more confidence. I really have been flooded with portrait ideas to paint. 
            My cage was rattled by the following.

 The class was 5 days...9-4....at Cascade Fine Art Workshops, Bend, Oregon...www.cascadefineartworkshops.com.
Check out Ted's website...www.tednuttall.com. 

Quote: Paintings are never finished, they are only abandoned. Leonardo da Vinci.


Folks meet "Abandoned"....."Abandoned" meet the Folks !!!
After a 2 week gap, I just couldn't return to the feeling...just couldn't get it done. I've moved on to another portrait...Will see if this new one will  be named "Abandoned II" !!!

"Abandoned"

 (See August 28th  posting to see the beginning of this story).

Blog Views: 2544...USA, Russia, Poland, China & France.

Tidbits: Yesterday a group of students and I met for lunch. It was a very nice time spent. Even though it hasn't been that long ago that most of us have seen each other, for me, it was like old home day. I was glad to see them, hear stories, see artwork, ask questions and learn news...with laughter. There is a lot to say about having a support group that not only is there for art feedback, but also for friendship. (I am sure there will be other luncheons). Thank you.

Take a Class...out of your comfort zone... 

I have signed up for an art class. I feel every artist needs to take classes, especially those that pushes us out of our comfort zone. I am not a portrait painter, but that is the class I am going to be taking....so I am definitely going out of my comfort zone...way out there. The class is by Ted Nuttall.  It will be for 5 days...9-4. 

I have been practicing painting portraits...and by the looks of things, I am not a portrait painter and probably will never be one !!!  Heaven help Ted Nuttall for having me as a student.

If by chance a magic wand gets passed over top of me and I can  paint a few decent portraits, I will with the many compositions and subjects in my head that sprang up from the few I have practiced painting.

The below one is not finished. I haven't painted on it for about 2 weeks and I'm not sure I can finish it after this amount of time without it looking  like 2 people have painted on it. Ted wants us to paint vertically with our watercolors, which isn't the way I paint with watercolors. Also,  I am using Ted's color palette and I'm not use to those colors as my portrait colors...so those two things different for me has been interesting.

Get out there and do something that challenges you. Have Fun.

Not Finished

Blog Views:...2469.....USA, China, France & Poland.

Well....Finals Week is here and my Drawing Class pulled it together and did just fine. I had more faith in them then they had in themselves. All I need to do is post the grades and I, too, will be done until Fall Term. 

I hope to do lots of painting and studio rearranging (my yearly). 

My Community Ed students have been invited to join together at a local restaurant for lunch...a once in awhile event...so I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

KEEP ART IN YOUR LIFE

Blog Views:
USA, Venezuela, China, South Korea & Russia......2419 views.

Artwork:

Kathy:
Painted from her photo of a glass show....lots of reflections.

Watercolor

Susan:

A study of rocks and beach.

Watercolor

Let Time Help:

I always say...take time to look at your paintings over a few weeks...maybe even put it away and then bring it back out and then look at it for a few weeks. It will tell you a lot of things. Your own artwork will teach you more than other avenues can ever do.

Below are a few examples:

Karen: 

Karen observed a few things with the composition that she could tweak.

Watercolor isn't the easiest medium to make changes or correct problems, but, always try to "save" a painting if possible. Karen did well.

Reworked: 1) Trees were lengthened, 2) log value darkened, 3) A little blue in the green area and a little green in the blue area, 4) Grasses painted in front of the log, 5) Distant dark Mt lightened for more contrast with the tree....etc.

Original Watercolor...before reworking it.

Joni:

Below is the Plein Air painting I did. After looking at it for a while, I have decided I need to glaze over parts of it...to make the water shine with light and the two closer mountains step closer to the foreground (by adding a warm color...remember: warm colors advance and cool colors recede).

I applied clear water on the areas I wanted to Glaze (applying pigment over dry pigment). Remember when Glazing,  you need to use a transparent watercolor pigment so not to cover the color already there, but to add depth and shine.

 

First Original Painting before reworking it.

Reworked: warm color glazed over front hills and water. Applied clear water to areas I want to Glaze Acrylic Painting. I didn't like the brightness of this painting, so I glazed it with a transparent acrylic paint. I only did it to part of the painting to have as an example for classes.

 

Below are some nice watercolor paintings. The artists are in the Intermediate class.

There will be more to post...check back.  Thanks.

Susan:

Watercolor Rose....Susan will be giving this one to her Mom.

Watercolor

Kathy:

Watercolor Birds

Plein Air:
A few days ago was a very memorable day out Plein Air painting...great company, great art, great experience...I could not ask for a better time.

Here is a visual:....The weather was warm with a slight breeze and lots of shade. The scenery was excellent...water, mountains, pretty sailboats, marina and animals. The birds were singing; a mink fished; a pelican preened; Mama duck with not so little babies, still in protective mode; baby birds chirping for food; Green Heron standing proud and Grebes talking back and forth. No bugs (well, no real irritating ones...just a few wanting to become permanent with the paint), no mosquitoes, no surprises...just a great day all around. Thank you fellow artists.

Our View

Pelican 

Green Heron

Mama Duck

Grebe

Mink

Martha:

Acrylic

 Colette:

Watercolor

 Joni:

Watercolor

I didn't get finished...I usually don't paint when I have a class...but the day was so inviting !!!

I finished it in the studio