Where does Ambient Reflected Light come into your Painting? - Painting & Drawing Tips

IMAGINE: Lights softly dimmed; slow easy music playing; candles sparkling; wine chilling.  

I think you can picture the rest.

A strong mood and atmosphere.  Each item helps to build the total scene.  Individually they flounder.  For Cohesion and Drama, they need to work together.  

TRICKLING WATER - matted 12 X 16 $650 - Part of my Deep in the Forest Series.  Note the affect of reflected light on the rocks and water both real and fantasy

In my last post I talked a lot about light and shadows and the effect of reflective light on them.  (See Playing with Light, Shadows and Values ) I find this a very interesting topic that has implications in all areas of your art. I also created a video "Getting Those Shadows Working for You'  which is available In the Instructional Series for the Arts Council of Surrey.  (October 2020)  In addition there is a Free Downloadable Mushroom Activity Sheet to go with it.  

Reflective Light is more than just LIGHT . . . .

Lighthouse at Amphitrite Point, BC - Note the Reflected light on the rocks, trees and lighthouse from the sky

Reflective Light has colour.  Think of that lovely scene I described at the beginning.  It has a special ambience to it.  There is a "mood, character, quality, tone, atmosphere, etc., to that environment."  This ambience is created with sight, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch.  In planning your picture you take into consideration the same things to design the 'feel' you want your picture to have. 

But the Ambience of a space is more . . .

The ambience created by the softly dimmed lights, the sparkling candles, even the wine in the glass all affect the colours you use.  Yes, you are saying.  That makes sense.  But I want you to look one step further.  I want you to look at the effect of Ambient Reflective Light on the colour of each item in your painting.  

I found the effect of Ambient Reflective Light an EYE OPENER. . .

A good example is the Cockatoo below.  I took this picture at the local Bird Sanctuary.  

Note the affect of Ambient Reflected Light on this white Cockatoo

The Cockatoo is a white bird with a plume of yellow on his head.  When you look at this picture you definitely think "white bird".  But take a closer look. 

Close Up of the Cockatoo - note the colours on the tail feathers and legs

When I looked closer at my picture, I found this profound.  My white bird wasn't white.  There was green tones and red tones on him.  These are the effect of the Ambient Reflective Light.  The green is from the leaves beside him.  Their colour is reflected on the bird as it bounced off the leaves onto him.  The redish tones are also reflective light.  That colour is reflected off the wooden branches the bird is standing on.  Would you have painted green and red tones on your white bird?  

AFTERNOON TEA - Matted 16 x 20 $650 - Note the Reflected Light on the Hummingbird

In my painting, Afternoon Tea,  you can really see how Ambient Reflected Light brings drama and cohesion to the work.  This little hummingbird really fits into the picture with the pinks of the flowers reflected onto his body.  The pinks in the sky give the feeling of other flowers around in the background providing a very cohesive setting and giving the feel of a bright sunny day.  

Close up: Trickling Water - note the repetition of colours in the water, rocks and mossy areas

Now, I don't want to create panic in your mind.  My intention was to open up another area of awareness as you painted.  It has made me realize that cohesion in my work requires use of colours throughout my work rather than in isolated areas.  In otherwards, to have green grass and blue sky is not enough.  The green grass is reflected into the sky and the blue of the sky is reflected into the grass.  There needs to be some greens in the sky and blues in the grass for the picture to be cohesive.  

This is the part I found hard.  Green in the blue sky? Just like the red and greens on the white bird.  When you first drop that colour down it may look foreign but as you build your image with it, you will see it needs to be there.   My rule of thumb is " if I used the colour somewhere in the background it needs to be in other places. At least 3.  It can be a different value and size but it needs to be there".  

Take a look at the close up for Trickling Water. The mossy rocks have all the colours on them that are found in the water.  Does it seem right to you?  Does it make sense to your eye?  Ambient Reflective Light is a really fun to work with and can create all kinds of different effects in your work.  Check out other works to see how they use Ambient Reflective Light.  

See you next week.  Better still, see you at the show.  Info below.

FACE-TO-FACE Gallery show!! - Only 9 Days Left!!

Artswest Showcase

October 1 - 31, 2020

Landmark Pop-Up Gallery - 15140 North Bluff Rd, White Rock

Full Covid Safety Rules in Effect - Only 6 in the Gallery at a time 

Open: Wed 10-5pm  Thurs & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5pm Sun 12-5pm

Come see what our Art Group has been doing - Lots of new Original pieces of Art, special

One-of-a-Kind Art Items and special gift items for any occasion.  

Do you have big/small projects on the go?  

Looking for a sounding board, help, suggestions, techniques. You and your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  I am available for Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75). more info here.   

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy  

Time to Change it UP - Painting and Drawing Tips

As the World teeters from one Disastrous News Bite to another, it is Discombobulating.  There is a loss of HOPE. I'm feeling that way, you probably are too.  I nearly didn't post this week because of it.  But

I am Not. Ready. To give up. . . . 

We are all entering a life of self quarantine. I think, we are needing to learn new things more than ever.  So . . . .  here goes. . .

BALD EAGLE: SALMON ARE HERE WIP- Graphite 12 x 16 - Eagles feasting on the dead salmon is a common sight along the Fraser River in the fall when the Salmon Run starts.  Not all eagles want to share their food!!

As many of you know I love to golf.  I run a Tuesday night golf group and we golf every Tuesday night at the same course.  Have for many years.

Boring . . .  You might think. . . But no.

Golfing at the same course gives you a sense of calmness.  You know the course, you know the obstacles, you can focus on your shots.  When I play a hole well, I can compare my performance to previous scores.  I can measure my improvements.  Really golf is about playing yourself.  Comparing yourself to your performance, not others.

SHORT-EARED OWL: ON THE PROWL- Matted 20 x 16 Graphite $500.  Loving this new long narrow vertical format, turns out most of my work has been horizontal. 

Very much like your art work. . .

You draw/paint the same kinds of things.  Comfortable. Comforting.  Relaxing.  You can focus on improving your technique.  Knowing exactly where you are going.  And you do improve.  Slowly.

NOW you have time, so now it is time to Change It UP. . .

I golf other days but always on other courses.  The first time on a new course is always a major learning curve.  The hazards are different.  The greens a challenge.  The score is high.  But after a few rounds things change.  I start using different clubs.  Hitting different kinds of shots.  Approach the course in a new way.

Changing it UP can bring new changes to you. . .

When I return to my regular course I try these new things. My play changes and I definitely see a change in my score.

Taking those new techniques back to your 'usual work' will bring a difference to you as well. Your approach will be different. Your focus changed.  Growth will result.

ROBIN: ON HIS OWN - 5 x 7 Vanished Watercolour - $160 - This mix of Abstract with Realism inspire me to launch into a mini series.  Read more . . .

Does Changing It UP . . . mean getting a whole new box?

No.  Try just jumping in and out of the box. . . .

Change can be using a new colour.  Trying a new Perspective.  Zooming in or Zooming out.  Trying a different size.  Different shape.  New subject.  Mixing your Medium.  Mixing Abstract with your Realism or Realism with your Abstract.

HUMMING IN THE HOLLYHOCKS -  Matted 20 x 16 - tried hiding my bird inside the painting rather than making it the subject.  

You decide how big a Change Up to make. . .

My picture at the beginning of the post, Bald Eagles: The Salmon Are Here is a different view point for me - worms eye view.  It came about as I got my reference pictures laying on the sand behind a log. (I took many shots of this eagle and used different views to construct my picture.)

I find I like the idea of looking over the eagle's shoulder to see the other eagle feasting on the dead fish.  Several eagles gathering and fighting over their bounty is a common sight when the Salmon are running.

Have to get back to work, my Eagles aren't finished yet.

Further Reading:
The Trail: From Inspiration to Creation - focus on your goals and recognize Your Trail
Watercolour Surprises Many - looks at a new way to present your work
Catching the Light - Out Door Sketching - heading outdoors to sketch and using new medium (pen and ink with coloured pencils)

There is something you can do . . .

I am thrilled to be named a Finalist for the YWCA Women of Distinction for Arts, Culture and Design for my volunteer work.  Although there is no public voting for these awards there is one part of the event that is a People's Choice Award. 

It is the Connecting the Community Award.  (🡨link) 

It's purpose is to create awareness for the YWCA Community Programs.  This award is by People's Choice.  So follow the link and vote for me and my choice "Reducing Child Poverty".  Vote as many times as you like, results tallied in early May 2020.  Thanks for your support.
When Life settles down: 

Art by Wendy Studio/Gallery is always Open

Looking to move your Drawing Skills to the Next Level?

Book a 3 Pack of Private Lessons with Me - 3 Lessons 2.5 hr each $225

Drawing/Painting lessons in graphite, ink, watercolour, watercolour pencils or coloured pencils Or any combination of these.
Flexible Schedule, at my Studio/Gallery, N. Surrey. 

Gift Certificates Available 

Be sure to like and share my posts to keep me coming into your box, 

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Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

Putting Sparkle into Your Colours - Painting & Drawing Tips

Planning Finished. . . .       Decisions Made. . . .    Ready to begin.  . .   

Flushed with excitement I started mixing paint, I was confident success would be mine.  Do you feel that way with each new project? Engulfed in that glow of inspiration, the goal shining over you.

Then suddenly at some point in the process it dims. . . . . 

Petunias & Hummingbird - 14 x 11, matted unframed $225 

That's what happened to me.

I know, you are saying but look, there is your nice picture, and it looks great.  BTW, thanks for those thoughts, I glad you like it.  In the end I am happy too but there was a moment in the process when I was very unhappy.  

Cropped Picture: WIP  Note the lack of sparkle in my petunias

My pretty pink petunias did not have a sparkle.  I had painted my hummingbird, some leaves and decided to try one of the flowers.  I tried shadowing with a red purple.  I used my compliment of permanent rose to gray it and make the petals bend.  I even tried a bit of red to bend the petals. Yes, they are bending but no sparkle.  Not looking good. I didn't panic, I fiddle more with leaves and their shadows thinking the neigbouring colours needed some work.

Still no sparkle . . .

In a last effort for success,  I lifted some colour to get a brighter highlight. (at the same time knowing I didn't want it so bright)  It helped but still not there.  Disappointing. Time for RESEARCH!!!

I found some helpful info . . .

I know this may not be profound for you and I am sure I have heard it many times but this time it resonated with me. There is the Mixing Complement of a colour, this is one we all know.  Mixing Green with Red, its complement, neutralizes the colours and results in a black or dark gray. Other examples of mixing compliments are yellow/purple and orange/blue.  I thought about them all the time as I worked on my picture.  

However, my pinks weren't happy.  Nor was I.  

As I read further, I began to understand there were Visual Complements.  A Visual Complement  enhances the colour.  They make a pair of colours more vibrant when they are painted together. When they are mixed together they will produce a colourless gray.   Now you have new pairs to think of.  These are Visual complements like red/turquoise, cyan/orange, yellow/blue.  This mean that my pink needed a more turquoisey colour, Winsor Green.  I found Hilary Page's Explanation really spoke to me and the light finally came on.  I know this is something I will have to work with more but for now I jumped on it.  Note the change in my final picture with the cropped one.  My greens are definitely different.   (See Hilary's Article here)

Note the Yellow with its Mixing Complement Purple and with its Visual Complement Blue.  Quite a difference, eh?! The yellow really sparkles more with the blue. 

Hilary has put together a visual chart showing how the Visual Complements look together. I have included it here for you to get a feel of what it is about.  I can see even on the chart that there is a real sparkle between the colour pairs.  

A Visual Complements Charts by Hilary Page 

Visual Complements in Action . . .

I was very much reminded of these visual colour complements in action when I attended Guo Pei Show at the Vancouver Art Gallery this week.  Her fashion show for MAC Cosmetics was Sparkling.  (of course her use of colour was only one reason for the sparkle)  It had a Garden theme, her yellows and blues weaved through the clothing certainly played a roll in making everything sparkle. 

Note the bright blues and yellows connecting the pieces

Her style is distinctive but her purpose was to capture you, to make you feel excitement in the product, its sparkle: fresh, clean, bright, new, exciting, and much more. 

Don't you just love it. 

She definitely caught my eye with her fashion.  I know, nothing I would ever wear but ooooo. . . so interesting.  

Art in a different form but still very much Art. 

It was exciting to see how she used the same kind techniques I use in my paintings to draw attention to my subject.  But seeing the visual complements in action was a definite "A..ha Moment" for me.  

This post is a follow up post to my previous one: "Make Those Pictures Count" .  See it to read more on the planning progress of this painting.  

Next up: Build a Background, from abstract to realism. 

My Etsy Store is always OPEN: Etsy - WendyMouldsArt

Originals, prints and Instant Printable Cards for all Seasons available. Special Note:  Instant Digital Valentine Cards are now Ready - Print, Fold and Give.  They are great for Pet Lovers, featuring Cats and Dogs - of course Max was my inspiration for the dog drawing!

Special Opportunity Coming Up:

Marketing Workshop - Let's Get Your Art Out There!!  

Sunday, Feb 24, 2019  10-3pm with Wendy Mould, AFCA

Need a focus for your Marketing Strategy?  Unsure where to start, where to head next? Marketing takes so much of your time away from the Studio, learn where to focus your energy and ways to maximize your time.  At the end of the day you will have plans and be ready for Action. 

 Cost $84 Tx Incl  

Working with Wildlife Artist Wendy Mould, AFCA bridges the gap between the Entrepreneur and the Artist in the Marketing World.  Contact Wendy to Register. 

Artists reading this post also find the following valuable:

Matching Colours to Values here
Playing with a Very Limited Watercolour Palette here
3 Ways to Turn Drawing Despair into Action here

How to Find your Starting Point here

 Be sure to like and share my posts.

You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email or Like my Facebook Page.

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

Make those Pictures Count – Painting & Drawing Tips

Are Your Painting Studios bursting at the seams with Reference Pictures?

Your Online Memory sagging with the numbers of Picture Files you have?

Mine are.  

Yet many of them are useless! 

My Petunias last summer looked like great companions for my Hummingbird Painting

As many of you know I spend a week with Robert Bateman and a group of wildlife artists, a year ago, discussing the ideas embedded in creating our art.  Those ideas have been percolating ever since. One of the big things I realized was I was collecting lots of pictures of birds and animals that I saw in my travels but not paying enough attention to what was in my reference pictures.  Getting information on their setting was a big area of weakness. This year I have been photographing settings for my wildlife as much as my wildlife itself. 

What does photographing the Setting Mean . . .

Sounds simple eh?  Not so I realized.  First, I really needed to look at the setting and determine who/what wildlife would be there.  That means more specifically ‘where’ would they be.  If it is a bird, where on the branch, stump, fence post, bucket would he sit.  Now if your bird/animal is obliging enough to sit or stand in a great spot, by all means shoot it.  But they just don’t seem to always do that for me.  I often end up with a great picture of my subject but not in a very interesting location. 

Adding another flower makes an interesting setting for my humming bird flying by

 Focus on who will be there . . .

In the old days I would just shoot pictures of the location but later find them lacking in information. By shooting shots with specifics in mind, I am finding my reference material is way more informative.  Note my shot of petunias in the garden.(see above)   I can picture the hummingbird coming up to the flowers from the right.  The angles are good for her to dart around and try each of the blooms if she likes.  The shadows and lines of the post and leaves provide lots of interest to frame the picture.

Taking a horizontal view, adding another bloom and now a good setting for a chickadee or crown sparrow

Don’t forget the size . . .

Animal lovers are just like sailors.  A sailor knows his boats and if you paint a picture that has the rigging wrong you are in big trouble.  Animal lovers are the same - that hummingbird must be in the right place and the right size.  That also means keeping in mind which plane in the picture your bird will be in.  The Front Petunia is obviously in the foreground.  My hummingbird is in the mid-ground so the size would be comparable to the back petunia. 

Of course petunias are a little more obliging then other flowers as they come in different sizes. This means that you have a little more leeway with your bird to flower ratio.  One thing Bateman did to check his size ratio was drop his camera case into the picture. Later he have an accurate sense of the size of things for placing his wildlife.  See my post "The Story of a Painting" for an example of how this can work. 

  Zooming in on the setting and really picking the spot where you animal/bird will be really helps in getting the size right.

Cropping my petunias gives me another way of integrating my Hummingbird into the Picture.  Here having the correct size becomes very important.

Watch your shadows . . .

Where is your light source?  Would your bird be in the shadows, sunlight, or mixed.  I often look for a mix setting for my birds. When I place my bird/animal in the setting I can have a piece of the shadow from a branch or leaf crossing over it. That bit of shadow on it makes it a little more interesting to look at and also integrates it better into the setting.  One of Bateman's favourite lighting for reference pictures is a back-light. If all the reference material has the same lighting it makes for a much easier integration of subject and setting.  

I have worked out my picture and started to paint.  Sorry, you will have to wait til next week to see which picture reference I used.  

Do you have special strategies for taking your reference shoots?  I would love to hear you thoughts on tricks to use.  

My Etsy Store is always OPEN: Etsy - WendyMouldsArt

Originals, prints and Instant Printable Cards for all Seasons available. Special Note:  Instant Digital Valentine Cards are now Ready - Print, Fold and Give.  They are great for Pet Lovers, featuring Cats and Dogs - of course Max was my inspiration for the dog drawing!

Special Opportunity Coming Up:

Marketing Workshop - Let's Get Your Art Out There!!  

Sunday, Feb 24, 2019  10-3pm with Wendy Mould, AFCA

Need a focus for your Marketing Strategy?  Unsure where to start, where to head next? Marketing takes so much of your time away from the Studio, learn where to focus your energy and ways to maximize your time.  At the end of the day you will have plans and be ready for Action. 

 Cost $84 Tx Incl  

Working with Wildlife Artist Wendy Mould, AFCA bridges the gap between the Entrepreneur and the Artist in the Marketing World.  Contact Wendy to Register. 

Artists reading this post also find the following valuable:

3 Ways to Turn Drawing Despair into Action here

Drawing a Seagull Part 1 and Part 2 Starting here
Playing with a Very Limited Palette here

 Be sure to like and share my posts.

You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email or Like my Facebook Page.

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

Painting Those Pesky Backgrounds - Painting and Drawing Tips

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Somehow you run into trouble on every picture.  You have a great subject, you definitely know how to paint but What to do with the Background?

It can't be too dark. Too light. Too busy. Too plain.  Don't you just want to give up!!

Take heart, you are not alone.  This is something every artist struggles with.

Flowery Treats for Hummingbirds - Watercolour, 7.5 x 9.5 Available

Flowery Treats for Hummingbirds started out in one of my favourite ways; an ink drawing of my flowers.  I love the combination of ink with watercolour.  But what to do with the background.  Blackeyed Susie flowers are not very helpful.  They stand up tall, well about their foliage so you can't sneak that in the background.  You are just on your own.

I like to start with layers, just like in my drawings. 

First I lay a light wash of all my colours for the flowers and background around my flowers. (note my small sample piece below.  Sorry I got so caught up in my original picture I forgot to take those early shots)  No, I didn't use frisket, just wet everything and laid down colours letting them mix or not on the paper.  I let this dry.  I don't use a blow dryer at this point as I want the paint to do it thing.  Don't worry if you get a bit on your subject, use your scrubber brush to gently work the colour off when it is dry and do the same to tidy up the edges.  Note the soft scrubbing done on the lower stem.

Sample: First wash with all my colours - 5 x 7

Once this was dry, I drew in my hummingbird.
Again I used my scrubber brush to lighten up my bird but did leave some colour.  The hummingbird is going to reflect the colours in the picture so I needed it to have some of them in his body.

My Scrubber - a #8 Chisel Blender.  Firm enough to shrub the paint but soft enough not to hurt the paper. 

Paint your Flowers (Subject)
At this point I stopped and painted my flowers and my hummingbird. It is much easier to see what is happening in your subject when you don't have the white paper all around.  Also it gave me a check that I have all my colours in the background. 

More Layers added to the background

Yes, you can add layers and layers to the background.  But there are a few simple rules to follow. Make sure it is totally dry before you start.  Use a soft wet brush to wet the area first.  Make sure it is wet enough to skip over the surface.  You don't want to be dragging the under painting around. Then glaze over the background with your paint.  I like to use thin layers each time rather than one thick one as I like the underlying colours to show through.  Very similar to the shading we did in the drawing, adding the value in layers rather than pressing hard and going to the darkest dark all at once.  (See the last post series on Drawing A Seagull with Pencil for more thoughts on this)

Watch what is happening

As you add each layer, watch how your colours are changing.  They are talking to you.  I like to study it after each layer in different lights.  The colours become very rich with the other layers shining through.  As I get darker I also begin to leave some areas light.  For those areas I used a wet brush to keep the edges soft as I moved from glazing to non glazing areas.  If you leave dry edges you will have sharp edges in the background once everything dries.  

Finally Flowery Treats for Hummingbirds is complete!

Are backgrounds a problem for you? Do you have a few tricks that work well?
My next post has a very complex background with lots of tall grass.  Certainly a challenge to work with that.

Etsy Shop now Open: WendyMouldsArt  Come on In!!

Special Note to Artists: 

February is Marketing Month for Artists, time to really work on your Business Plan. Join me for a full day of getting ready to make 2017 your Best Sales Year ever.  (Still one or two spaces left for each day)

All day Marketing Workshop - Let's Get Your Art Out There - Sunday, Feb 26 or March 5, 10-3pm.  This is an opportunity to work with a small group focusing on ways that work for you, to market your art.  Whether you are looking at full time or part Art Sales, there are effective, proven strategies that will get your work out the door. $70 Limited to 8 per session.  Art by Wendy Studio/Gallery, N. Surrey, BC.  REGISTER NOW  with Wendy.   Out of Towners  & Skytrainers give me a call and we can set something up.


 Be sure to like and share my posts.
 You won't miss a single one if you Follow by Email or Like my Facebook Page. Keep up with all the art events by joining my email list (see sidebar on my blog)

 Have a great artful day,
Wendy

Integration, Part 2 - Art Tips: Multiple References Photos

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Its winter around here so no plein air adventures for me. 

I could do frozen watercolour paintings and I have a friend that does but it is not for me.  I like surprises in my texture, which you certainly get with frozen watercolour work but . . . Okay.  I am a wimp.  It is too cold for me!  Or I could say, on the west coast here it doesn’t get cold enough but we did have a few days in December and early January that would certainly have worked.  (By the way, if you are looking for information on frozen watercolour paintings contact Alfred Muma, in Powell River. He likes to play around with that.)

So this article is for wimps!   

HUMMING TANGLES - Ink & Watercolour - 5 x 7 Available

We work in our studio in the colder months, using our reference pictures from the summer.  And if you are like me, you have lots!!  The digital age generates a great reference library. 

Things are wonderful if my photo tells me everything.  However, you may be lucky enough, or should I say, experienced enough in photography, to get that one great shot that tells all.  But I am not.  I usually end up with several photos:  maybe using the background from one; the angle or expression from another; and more information from a third. 

This is where the trouble starts.

In my case it is usually a bird or an animal I am working with as I am a wildlife artist.  However, integration issues are there for whatever the subject.  (I have talked about other integration issues in my blogs and there is a list of several related posts below this one.) If you have done all the other things I have mentioned in my blogs and you are still not happy, I have more to suggest.

This is Integration - settling in.

Even if colour, size and other issues are addressed your subject needs to “settle in”.   It needs to feel like it belongs there.  Not something that is floating on top, you know, the ‘pasted on’ look. 

To really make your subject feel at home in the environment, it needs to be “in it”.  This means the environment should be around it; something behind it; beside it; and in front of it.  You are going to say, “I have a background, mid-ground and foreground, but things are still not working.” 

The key element is ‘in the environment’.  Here is the situation, the bird is placed on the branch, the background, mid-ground and foreground are there.  But the bird looks pasted on.  The answer, put something from the foreground in front of the bird.  It doesn’t have to be much, a branch or a leaf, something to tell the viewer that the bird is really “in the setting”. 

Through the magic of Photoshop I removed the branch in front of my hummingbird in Humming Tangles.  See the difference.  Even in a surreal forest, that little flowering branch, seems to reach out and bring my little hummingbird into the setting.  

Have you any tricks or tips for Integrating a Subject into a different setting?  I would love to hear them.

Be sure to like and share my posts. You won't miss a single one if you follow by email or Like my Facebook Page. Keep up with all the art events by joining my email list (see sidebar) 

Have a great artful day, Wendy

Related Posts on using Multiple Reference Photos:

Have you considered the Light? - January 14, 2015.

Tricks and Treats with Multiple Reference Photos - October 15, 2015

Wrestling Gramma's Stew

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

My husband is a meat and potato guy.  I'm not.

He loves a big heavy meal.  I like the cookbook "365 Days with Quinoa".

We each do our own thing for breakfast and lunch but dinner is a compromise.  His favourite thing is a Stew.  Not just any stew.  A full blown stew with dumplings.  A 3 page recipe, lots of prep, tons of clean up, hours to cook, more prep (for the dumplings) more clean up, finally dinner!  Not a task to be taken on lightly.

We do have stew occasionally.

FULL SUN  - Watercolour - 12 x 16

On a cold, wet, winter weekend the stew pot comes out.  And I must admit it is nice to have the aroma wafting through the house as rain beats against the window and everything is dark.  ( On the west coast of Canada that's what winter is like)  And of course the leftovers are great as well.  No meals to prepare for at least 2 days!!

This summer we had a massive heat wave.  (Well, on the coast the temperatures were holding over 30 C for days on end.  I know, for many of you that is not really hot but I am a 25 C person.  Anything hotter than that is way too hot.)  We were on Texada Island, right by the water, let me tell you that ocean breeze wasn't really working.  It was hot.  Too hot.

Time to pull out Gramma's Stew recipe. 

I had some great pictures of our rhododendron bushes that I really wanted to paint.  Several months ago I had cropped a section and had a plan in place.  That was as far as I got.  I knew it was a 3 page recipe: lots of prep, lots of clean up, lots of detail and lots of glazing.  (Not a picture that was going to work up quickly. )

I set up my studio in the shade and started working. There was no lovely aroma in the air but it was a great way to enjoy the heat. 

My outdoor studio on Texada Island

 There was lots of perks: wonderful view from my outdoor studio; the transparent glazes dried in a jiffy; I hardly noticed the heat; and it was easy to stop and pick up again.  ( Of course I had to jump in the water for a swim now and then!) 

The view from the our campsite

 "Full Sun" was the challenge I anticipated. It certainly wasn't for the faint hearted.  The blossoms were so intertwined it was easy to get lost. 

No extra meals for the freezer, but it was worth it.

I learned a lot about glazing: keeping it thin so the underlying colours could shine through.  Making sure it was really dry before the next layer.  ( I did have to scrape a few off at first as I got impatient.) Understanding how colours change with layers of glaze.  The main colours I used were Phallo Blue ( green shade), Alizarin Crimson, New Gomage, Brunt Sienna, and Ultramarine Blue. 

I learned a lot about painting white flowers. They really can be any colour in the shade, colours can be pushed, and darks need to be dark.  I put layer after layer in the flower centers, I couldn't believe how dark they needed to be. 

It really taught me a lesson.  Get those '3 pager' pictures out and get to work. There are plenty of lessons waiting to be learned. 

Be sure to like and share my posts. You won't miss a single one if you follow by email or Like my Facebook Page.  Keep up with all the art events by joining my email  list  (see sidebar)

Have a great artful day,

Wendy 

What does Pink really look like??

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Blush, Brillant, Coral, Classic,  Fluorescent, Deep or Dark?

Oh, don't forget Hot and Cold!

How do you know you have Pink?

AFTERNOON TEA - Watercolour, 16 x 20, matted, unframed $450

Working on Afternoon Tea I found myself deep in the Pink !

Fuchsias have four lovely long, slender, pink sepals spreading out to cover shorter broader, purple petals below.  Seems easy enough but when it came time to paint "the pink", things became a challenge. 

 In artist's language we use the term "local colour", pink was the local colour but what really does that mean.  There is: pink in the sunlight; pink in the shade; and pink in the reflected light. The sunlight and the shade also have soft parts and harsh bright or dark parts.  Then consider that the reflected light comes from the other petals, both pink and purple, the leaves and the sky.  Of course the sky and the leaves have their own "colour thing" going on as well but let's not get into that!  

I tried to work with a bit of a formula for each flower, but quickly gave that up. No formula worked! Each petal had its own story! I worked each petal with light wet glazes often changing the colour 3 or 4 times within a petal.  Sometimes leaning to a warm colour and sometimes to the cold, trying to respond to each of the "colour" demands.  I must admit sometimes I didn't know whether I was coming or going! 

So like my little hummingbird, I invite you to flutter amongst the blossoms and enjoy their lovely pinks and mauves and greens and blues!!  Enjoy!  It is fun to look at but a challenge to paint!!

Happy to Join my picture The Fire Dance in Salmon Arm!!

Special Note: I was up to Salmon Arm last week for the reception of the 46th Open National Juried Exhibition of the Society of Canadian Artists.  As many of you know my painting "The Fire Dance" was a successful entry in the show.  Sad to say it did not win an awards but it was picked as the Cover Picture for the Show Cateloge!!  The show runs until the Sept 27, at the Salmon Arm Art Gallery.  Stop by if you are in the area. 

Have a great day,

Wendy