What Every Woman Wants: Baubles, Bangles and Beads -- or is it?

"A Joyful Heart" pastel on bristol board, matted and ready to frame

I may be the odd woman out, but jewelry is not my cup of tea. Topping an outfit off with a smashing pair of handmade earrings is more my style. Gaudy and expensive jewelry is not.

I prefer an understated look. I was never into ruffles which make me feel silly. I prefer simple classic lines that enhance my comfort and put me more in touch with the person I am.

We all have different tastes, likes and dislikes. We are each uniquely created. In the same way that our fingerprints and eyes are not alike, so our preferences in food, music and clothing vary. The same goes for artwork. None of us will ever see the same thing. One painting may draw us, the other may repel. That’s how the “power of the purse” works, and why certain things appeal to a broad spectrum of people while another is less popular.

"Tansy's Pride" pastel on bristol board; matted and ready to frame

The buying public is also fickle. Discrimination is often based on current trends and popular opinion. Someone once said “We are a nation of sheep.” In most instances we are.

Still, there are ways for an artist to move past that shallowness. We can acquire a “universal” appeal that extends beyond the bounds of personality, culture, and tradition. Certain subjects have broad appeal such as family, love, hope, fun, dancing, merriment, shared experiences, and familiar landmarks. I’m sure there are many many more.

A mother and child will usually arouse warm sentiments. A child learning or experiencing something new for the very first time is another appealing delight. Animals and especially pets touch a soft spot within almost everyone. Suffering, pain and sorrow strike a chord that vibrates the very soul. Any action whether joy, hate or anger that captures the human condition can be related to by many people.

"Broken" mixed media on canvas SOLD, but prints available

The skill of an artist in relating these universal truths to others in a way that is visually exciting and moving can make the experience have even more impact. Familiar shapes and hues arranged in such a way as to lead the viewer on an eye-opening or emotional journey is another way of revealing our shared humanity.

When the common things that surround us are portrayed, others can relate. Illustrate the simple beauties of the earth and in the eyes of the viewer their value is elevated and appreciated. Patterns and textures that replicate nature’s vast chromatic surface add another layer of “simpatico” that reaches out to others.

Wise use of space or sparseness of color may also emphasize loneliness, emptiness, or baroness in a way that detail and color could not; emotions that most of us associate with loss, devastation, and tragedy which we all experience at some point in our lives.

The more universal appeal your artwork contains, the greater the chances that you’ll be successful.

"With these Hands -- Hope" oil over acrylic under painting

Creating the Perfect Composition; it’s all about Focus

"Reggae Night" acrylic on canvas

In art circles, creating a center of interest, relies on “the big three:” dominance, contrast and repetition. Not surprisingly, viewers will look at a painting in the same way they read a book from left to right. It’s ingrained in our schooling and in the way we were taught. The walls of caves were painted from the left, and printed pages throughout history were printed using this innate formula.

It’s only natural then that people will start their perusal of a painting from the left. The best designs not only have a lead in on the left but from several different vantage points. The secret to a successful composition is moving from one point of entry into the painting and around the entire scene. An interesting painting keeps the eye continually moving. If the eye stops at all, it should be on the “center of interest” or the focus of the entire piece. Movement creates energy and excitement.

"Hey, Coconut Mon" mixed media on canvas (the boy is off-center and many of the background parts are blurred)

Contrast and a few well-chosen highlights will emphasize this focal point and continually draw the viewer’s eye back for the impact it makes and the enjoyment it creates. A strong focal point leaves a lasting impression that may influence the reputation and popularity of the artist perhaps even impacting sales.

In an artist’s attempt to create a dramatic center, there are also dangers. If the composition or design components lead the eye automatically to the center we end up with a “bull’s eye” composition. Essentially the eye does not wander through the painting but is trapped in the middle. A Center-focused painting is boring. The eye is locked in and the painting becomes static and uninteresting.

(This painting could have been much better by removing the chest of drawers. The uneven height
and the interesting outline of the figure, buggy, and cat would have been more interesting.
As it is, the eye is locked into a clump in the middle)

You can avoid this death trap by placing your center of interest off-center. Make sure there are enough uneven edges and lines to create interest. Check out the negative space around your focal point. Are the shapes interesting? Are the lines and values leading the eye on an interesting journey to your central focus? By analyzing your composition early on, you can avoid some of the pitfalls.

Another simple device for creating memorable paintings is the principle of “balance.” Do all elements in your painting look the same? Do they all scream out for attention or do some of the parts fade into the background. Having parts of your painting downplayed is called “subordination,” another device for making the center of interest dominant. These contrasts in value and subordination add depth to an otherwise flat painting.

"With These Hands -- Hope" acrylic on canvas (Notice how the background figures are fuzzy
and faded? The focus is on the girl trying to make a basket and her challenger)

Creating out of focus elements may also increase the contrast between the center of interest and the less important parts of a composition. Photographers use this design concept by blurring an otherwise overpowering background so that the focus is clearly on the focal point.

"With these hands -- Love"  (This painting could be improved by adding more shadows, thus giving it depth)

I have made many mistakes over the years, learning the hard way the importance of these timeless truths. Once understood, setting up the perfect composition using these design elements becomes easier.

Dark Secrets about Black, the Color Artists Fear

(black background on this oil painting) "Sandhill Crane" 

A myriad of artists on LinkedIn argued over, under and around the use of the color black. Most were taught not to use black at all, but to mix their own shades from other colors.

Renoir called black “the queen of all colors.” Black is loved. It is feared. Most artists prefer mixing their own black rather than using it straight from the tube. Color combinations such as yellow and purple or other premixed combinations and Payne's gray are more subtle. 

According to one of my favorite artists, Robert Genn, “black works as a darkener because it’s near chromal neutrality does not sully the color it grays. While scorned on a few snooty palettes, black is the loyal friend that helps make other colors look more brilliant than they are. Wise artists do not say derogatory things about black.”

(black background) "Sunshine" oil on canvas

Here’s the real scoop (according to Genn):

1.       "Lamp black is a pure carbon pigment made by burning oils and collecting the soot from flues. It's one of the oldest manufactured pigments.

2.      Ivory black, originally made from burning real ivory, is now a bone byproduct of the slaughterhouse.

3.      Mars black is an iron-oxide product that in many ways is more stable than the other blacks. It does not effloresce, maintains total integrity in oil and water-based media and, to my knowledge, is the only paint that's magnetic."

(I used Payne's gray and a light purple in the highlights) "With These Hands--Love" 24 x 18 mixed media

Genn continues: “Give black a chance. A challenge is to work with only black and white for a day. After a week one begins to feel the brilliance of black. As seasoned artists have found out, if it works in black and white, it works.

“Try the method of grisaille--a monochrome painting executed in shades of gray. Used as an under-painting, grisaille was first popularized by the Northern Renaissance artists. These days, using bright white grounds and a range of grays, full value can be had by glazing with acrylics or other media. In painting, black is mother of learning.”

I did my own grisaille mini-paintings in a class on portraiture. I was amazed with the results at how life-like the models and forms appeared. It’s a great way to learn about value and shading.

(I had more difficulty with this one in the class. You can see it's not as fresh and loose as the first one)

“Timid souls use Payne’s Gray” Genn wrote. I gulped as I read this since Payne’s is my color of choice. 

Well, this timid artist is going to “break out.” I’m going to test the waters and use more black. If Genn is right, Mars black seems like the better choice.

"India Rising -- the Lost"  24 x 18 mixed media on canvas (I used Ivory black and Payne's gray)

Two Minute Sketches Push you to the Brink

If you want to become adept at drawing people or doing portraits, “quick studies” offer a way to focus on what’s important. If you’ve never done it, now is the time to start!

Beginning with gesture and motion, focusing on the way a person’s body leans and moves is critical if you want your images to look vibrant and alive rather than just plastic replicas of stick people or flat uninteresting copies. Gesture is what makes each image unique. Exaggerating those gestures makes for a more interesting pose.

Once gesture and movement are identified, then form comes easily. The form makes the figure three-dimensional. Here the weight of the image and the likeness are developed. Completing your gesture sketches with more fully developed drawings of form gives you a foundation on which to build a likeness and imaginative scenes with complex characters.

Practice makes perfect. Some of my sketches are out of proportion. As I become better, the proportions should become more natural. Sometimes I have to slow my drawing hand down to the same level as my brain. I’m hoping my brain will soon catch up to my hand.

C-CURVE (backwards)

S-CURVE Gesture

Portrait studies can be done in the same way. These quick studies force you to see shapes and values before getting into the details. Unless the foundation is solid, the details will still look flat or cubist. If that’s what you want, great! But if likeness and a portrait is your goal, your details need to be placed on accurate solid forms.

Notice the slant of the shoulders

My favorite online teacher is Stan Prokopenko or “Proko.” Here is one of his videos. Practice along with Stan and check out his other videos. If you’re new to portraits or the figure, you need all the help you can get!

http://youtu.be/0I_egPHop9A 

TIPS: Use soft vine charcoal for smooth lines. Make certain you have extra sharpened sticks nearby (they dull quickly). Also use inexpensive drawing paper. The perfect size is 9x12. If you use a larger size as I did below, and try to cram more drawings in on one page, your proportions will end up way off and you'll run out of space to draw.

Online Contest Winner -- First Place for "Hearts Afire"

Online Contest Winner Second Place -- Title: "A Joyful Heart"
Pastel 9x12 on Bristol

Painting what Matters – an artist’s love; a Buyers Delight

My friend Emma was a joy to be around. She was inquisitive and inspiring. She filled the room with grace and charm.

"Emma's Birthday" 11x14 pencil drawing on Bristol

 I drew this picture of Emma after her 94^th birthday and presented her with this drawing on her 95^th celebration. She was thrilled. She loved it so much that it was hung on the wall in her bedroom where her cherished family photos were displayed.

Emma passed away on Oct. 12, three and a half weeks before her 97^th birthday. I had circled the calendar on Nov. 7 to be sure I remembered it. She will be missed!

"Mother and Child" 9x12 drawing (my daughter after her 1st daughter)

Artwork is long lasting. I know Emma’s family will treasure this drawing for many years to come. Her passing made me ask myself the question: “What will I be remembered for?” Will my paintings leave a positive impression on people? Will they uplift, warm the heart, or please the eye long after I’m gone?

There’s a lot of wild, unusual, even grotesque artwork out there, and some that bend the line between beauty and pornography. There are buyers out there for almost everything. Have you ever asked yourself: “What do I want to be remembered for?” Or do you consider only what will sell in the marketplace?

We all need to butter our bread. We need to pay the rent and make a living. But if we sacrifice our values or our reputation for the sake of art alone, where will it lead? Where will it end?

"Does this hat make me look fat?" 9x12 drawing (Zoe on her first birthday)

The focus of your life and your art becomes the standard by which you live your life. Every artist must choose the God of his or her life, whether a temporal material God that brings out the worst in us, or a Heavenly God that inspires the best in us. Life must not be degraded in any case. Life and the living of it is a hallowed and joyous experience if lived well. 

Emma lived her life well. She served her church and community. She served her friends and neighbors. Rest in peace, Emma dear; the best is yet to come!

Featured Artist;
Stan Prokopenko and one of his marvelous videos. Watch him on YouTube and learn how to draw marvelous portraits! "How to Draw a Nose Step by Step."

We are at War -- no ifs, ands, or buts!

"India Rising -- the Lost,"  mixed media

According to the press and the wordsmiths on television, we are at war: a war on women, a war of words; a cultural war pitting one set of values against another in order to prove who loves God or Jesus the most. On top of that, we have the age-old generational gap, and the traditional war against the sexes. Whew!

It makes me tired even to think about it. The arguments make a mockery of real war. The wounded warriors who return home missing limbs or strapped to a wheelchair for the rest of their lives should put us all to shame. They fight for our right to argue and fight. They fight to keep the enemy from our shores. They fight to preserve our way of life and to allow people freedom of choice without censure.

Since when did our country become so divided, or has it always been so? Good versus evil started with rebellion in the realms of Heaven and continued in the Garden of Eden. The war of good versus evil has been with us since the dawn of mankind and shades of gray challenge our choices every day.

We are gripped by the bite of a political war with opposing factions claiming their right to the proverbial throne. One side stating they are more intelligent and informed than the other, while the “other” side proclaims they are on the side of “right” by virtue of their Biblical values which many boast, but few actually live.

"India Rising -- the Found," mixed media

The media pushes us into a frenzy, father against mother, sister against brother, neighbors lashing out at neighbors. I’ve had people “defriend” me on Facebook because they didn’t agree with me. What happened to dialogue? What happened to discussion and debate? What have we become?

"With these Hands -- Hope," mixed media

We need to take a look at ourselves and our priorities. We need to channel our anger and hatred into positive outlets. We pray for world peace while we argue and battle over facts, figures, and policy. There will never be peace until we have peace within. Until we are tolerant of others and compassionate about differing points of view, peace on earth is only a dream.

What does this have to do with art? Art mirrors life and humanity. If we continue to cannibalize our own, destroy character, and push the limits of behavior to unhealthy extremes we will always be at war: at war with each other, at war with ourselves, and at war with God. Our art, our books, our paintings, our theater will become more grotesque as evil and pain overtakes us. Yes, we are at war, and we are the enemy.

"Broken," mixed media -- SOLD