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

How to Lift your Watercolours - Painting & Drawing Tips

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

I know the purpose of painting is to put paint down.  Get the wash going, mingle the colours and let the magic happen.  Ahhh. . .  Life is Good.  Don't you just love those moments?

Funny though, that is not the whole story.

My work is about wildlife.  So there is lots of loose mixes of colour at first setting the scene but tight detail as I zoom in on my subject.  And you know, I need that detail.  My chance to draw. I can't let the watercolours have all the fun.

Using my scrubbing brush I gently work the paint to lift off feather shapes

The Power of the Life is one of the tools I depend on. My painting, Log Mates, is of a Great Blue Heron standing on a log, with a Mallard Duck at his feet.  They are basking in the warm winter sun in a quiet slough .  I want him to have fluffy, soft feathers where he has curled his wing up near his head.  To do that I have used a series of glazes and lifts.

After the lift area dries I go in with several layers of glazes and refine the shape of my 'feathers'.  This creates several layers of colour/values.

In that chest area, below his head I laid a light wash of colour.  When it was dry I used my scrubber brush (see more on my brush here)  to gently lift off colour for 'white' feathers mingled in the mass of feathers.  When the lift areas were dry I then refined the feather shapes with a few more light washes.

My heron is now ready for me to finish the work on the background to really make him pop.  (Note I did a bit of lifting to reshape the top of his head as well.)

 This gave my feathers:
- hard and soft edges
- many different colours/values for my white feathers
- gave me a 'white' feather tone that was read as whites but darker than my pure white areas.

How does this 'lift' work?

First of all:  it's the paint.  Watercolour paints can be staining colours and non-staining colours.  A staining colour like Prussian Blue or Hooker Green settles quickly into the top layers of your paper and will not lift easily when dry.  Non-staining colours like Permanent Rose or Aureolin Yellow tend to settle more on the surface of the paper and will lift easily when dry. 

Secondly: its the paper. Some paper will break down when you scrub it with a wet brush while other paper works well.  See my last post "The Secrets of Watercolour Paper".  When I was first learning how to paint, I did not know about the secrets of the paper.  I couldn't understand how the instructors on the tutorials were doing what they were doing. With the right paper and the right paint you can scrub that paper almost back to white.  You are never getting white again.

Third: it is the scrubber.   You.  If you are removing paint to develop texture you are relaxed and working carefully.  If you are removing paint to correct a mistake you can be frustrated, impatient and pressured.  Relax.  Wet your scrubbing brush, not dripping but wet.  Gently work the area watching to see if the paint is mixing with your wet brush, blot with paper towel.  (kleenex may leave lint) Review your progress. If  there was little change, repeat. You may have been a little timid.  If you got a lot off.  Let things dry, and examine the area.  Remember, watercolour is darker when wet.  Repeat as needed. 

Using the "Lift" can be a valuable tool in your kit: Lifting off the ripples in the water, softening an harsh edge or creating a mixture of textures.  It is more than just a remedy for fixing a mistake.  

Do you use 'a Lift' in your working process?  What is your favourite lifter?  

Etsy Shop now Open: WendyMouldsArt  Come on In!!

Special Note to Artists: 

The Work of Art Conference  Saturday, March 11, 9-4pm  - 6 Sessions + Lunch, Arts Council of Surrey, Newton Cultural Center, Surrey, BC.  

Sessions focus on very specific Marketing Skills:
-  My Presentation: Creating a Strong Online Profile
-  Using the News media as a Promotional Tool
-  Grant Writing
-  Navigating the Publishing World
-  Business Plan Development.

Great opportunity to learn some new skills.  $25 Register by March 8, $40 after that.  Call 604-594-2700 to Register.

 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

Christmas Wishes - All the best for the Coming Year

As this year comes to an end I would like to thank you for supporting the Arts and especially your support for Art by Wendy.  It is your encouragement that keeps me focused and on task throughout the year. I hope that the joy and excitement of Christmas stays in your heart all year.

Winter Berries - This little chickadee adds so much life and excitement to our garden during these snowy cold days.  (Contact Wendy to purchase)

I will take a Christmas break and my next post will be in two weeks, Thursday, Jan 5, 2017.  In the meantime here are a few last minute Christmas Ideas. Gift Ceriticates are available.  

 A heartfelt gift for that special person: 

A commission - Capture that Best Friend in a Pet Portrait.  A keepsake that will be cherished by everyone in the family. 

And for the Artist on your list.  

a. Private Drawing Lessons   Get more information  here. 

A really special gift for the Artist on your list:

 All day Marketing Workshop - Let's Get Your Art Out There - Sunday, Feb 26 or March 5, 2017.  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 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.
Have a great artful day,
Wendy

How to Finish a Painting Successfully - Painting and Drawing Tip

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Curling is a passion for me.  I love being out on the ice, the comradeship with the team as we work together to "defeat" the opponent. But in order to succeed it is important to place your rock carefully.  Not an easy thing when it is 44 pounds. And did I mention you have to slide a few feet and let it go from 138 feet away.

Visualizing before you throw

To throw the rock,  you crouch down with your foot in a hollow on the ice, called a hack.  You then push off from the hack with your feet, slide along the ice holding the rock and then releasing it. As you release the rock your put 'a turn' on it.  The turn causes the rock to rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise which in turn cause it to move in that direction.  How hard you push off determines how fast the rock goes and also how much it curls.  "To place" a rock requires precise weight when you throw it.

In sports where precision is needed all athletes will tell you that it is important to visualize the shot/movement first for the most success.  This means to use all your senses to see a successful outcome.  To through a draw in curling and have it stop in just the right spot requires a clear picture in your mind. First you need to think about how fast to push off, then feel your speed as you slide out and sense when to release the rock.  You need to visualize that rock sliding and curling right to the spot you are aiming for.  Of course your other team members will sweep your rock, trying to make it go longer if it is light or get it to turn more or less.  But you need to give them a good delivery so they can work with it.

This is alot like your work in the studio.   You have the materials, you know your techniques, you have a goal - Paint a Picture.

But wait. . .

Have you visualized where you are going?  I know, you have an inspiration and you want to "get to it".  But have you really visualized where you are going?  In sports it is hard to do something concrete in the visualization process.  Some athletes will do body movements as they go through their routine.  But as artists we have the luxury of doing something physical.

Here is my process: I wanted a Christmas Card picture for my Christmas Cards.  I wanted something with snow, I wanted a chickadee in it.  (Part of my Chickadees in the Garden Series) So then I had to figure out what would be around when the snow comes for my chickadees.  I was out walking with Max and saw some red berries.  Perfect.  Something red for my Christmas scene.  Did I jump in with my paints right away? No.

Winter Berries - Under construction

First I did a pencil sketch of my picture. Since it was to be 7 x 10, my sketch was the same size. ( If I am going to do a bigger picture then my sketch will be in the same proportions but not the same size. Some artists do a Notan sketch to plan their work and others make a mock up on Photoshop.)   Once I was happy with my plan,  I then drew it on my paper and went to town with my paints. 

Making a plan before you paint does not have to be big job.  A simple sketch, maybe 10-30 minutes.

What are the benefits, you ask.  Well - 

- you get to see your shapes and see if they are interesting

- you can see what works for your value patterns

- you can easily make changes before committing yourself to paint
- you can work out problems as you go. 

I had a few problems to work out in my picture.  My snow reference was too bright and my snow was over exposed.  I had to work out where I would put shadows.  Also once I had it laid out I felt the bottom right hand corner was too boring with just snow there.  I decided to add a bit of a branch.  My plan allowed me to try different 'branches' before committing to my picture.

Before my Snow and the extra branch were added

You can see Winter Berries, the completed picture here.

Do you make a plan to visualize your work?  What is your process?

Two Things to help with your Christmas Shopping:

Christmas Cards

1.  Take a Christmas Break for a Relaxing Evening: Make Tangled Christmas Cards Monday, Dec. 12, 5:30-7:30, Expressions Art Gallery, 227 & Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge.  Learn how to use ink and watercolour to make some really special cards.  $30 Supplies Included.  REGISTER NOW  with Wendy

2.  A really special gift for the Artist on your list:

 All day Marketing Workshop - Let's Get Your Art Out There - Sunday, Feb 26 or March 5, 2017.  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 give me a call and we can set something up.

Great gift for yourself or an artist you know.  Gift Certificates are available.   

 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.
Have a great artful day,
Wendy

Yikes! Patterns are everywhere. Painting & Drawing Tips

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

SITTING PRETTY - 5 X 7 - Watercolour
This is one of my pieces in my Constructive Organic Series

 After working with patterns and tangles for my Constructive Organic series (see here to see more) I began to look around. You know what it is like, you are buried in the trenches and really can't see anything.  Your done so you lift your head up you begin to notice all kinds of things.

I noticed patterns.

Patterns are everywhere in our work.  Patterns of colours, patterns in shapes and patterns in lines.  Colours are bright, colourful, dark, mute; shapes are rounded, angular, big, small; even the lines can vary: curved, straight, soft,  hard, vertical,  horizontal it goes on and on.  You see what I mean, patterns are everywhere.

So what? 

Studying your patterns is an important part of critiquing your work.  However, when to critique and when to keep going is a fine step.  

As you draw or paint you make marks.  But each mark does not stand alone.  You are making a pattern as well. This means to critique a mark in isolation will lead you no where.  Have you been caught in that circle - paint/draw a spot, looks weird, you wipe it off, do it again, still looks weird, you wipe it off,  . . . . .  Bin there, done that.

Let's look at an example:

Here is a single rosebud.

 Draw this little rosebud. As you make the rosebud, it becomes very important. Your total focus is on it. You immediately begin to evaluate its success. Is it right? Round enough?Are there enough rings in it?

But Wait.  What happens when it is in a cluster?

The Rosebud is not alone, it is part of a cluster.  It begins to lose its individuality.

Now inside a picture? 

Note the Rosebuds in the little tree on the right.  Any inperfection in a single bud is lost when you view them as a whole.
This is one of my Christmas Cards - (5 x7) $10 handdrawn, one of a kind.  Fun to do after working with my Constructive Organic Series.

Note the Rosebuds in the center tree and the one on the right.  The perfection of each bud is no longer an issue.  As a group they look good.
This is one of my Christmas Cards - (5 x7) $10 handdrawn, one of a kind.  Fun to do after working with my Constructive Organic Series.

Suddenly it settles into "the whole" (your picture) and no longer has that importance.  Now is the time to evaluate.

Sounds simple. But do we do it?

In the heat of the battle, it gets forgotten.  Whether you are drawing or painting it is important to relate the mark to the whole pattern you are making rather than focusing just on the mark. 

How?  You ask?

Simple.  Step away from the easel, if standing or set your work upright and move back if you are working flat.  Still  unsure how things look. Leave the room. Work on something else. Make the decision with a cool head, not one deep in battle. 

Do you see the patterns in your work? Is your work about patterns in colour, shapes, lines or some else? 

Special Note:   My Series Constructive Organics  Premiering at The ACT Art Gallery- 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge  Sat. Nov 5 - Wed. Dec 21.    7 of my pieces will be featured.  You can see some of my pieces here and read about working in series starting here.  

Time to gear up for Christmas.  Two things coming up that may help your shopping list:

1.  All day Marketing Workshop - Let's Get Your Art Out There - Sunday, Feb 26 or March 5, 2017.
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 give me a call and we can set something up.

Great gift for yourself or an artist you know.  Gift Certificates are available.   

  

2.  Paints n'Bloom Fall Show & Sale -  Friday, Nov. 25 to Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016, 10-4pm.
Gardenworks at Mandeville, 4746 Marine Dr., Burnaby.  Featuring Award Winning Artists Audrey Bakewell and myself, Wendy Mould, AFCA.  Proud supporter of Alzheimer Society of BC

Awesome opportunity to pick up special works of arts and art gift-ware for those special people on your list.

Special Show Features: Start your Christmas Fun early with a:
a.   Beginner Watercolour Class - Wednesday, Nov. 23 3:30-5:30pm
b.  Christmas Card Making Class - Thursday, Nov. 24, 2-4pm.
No Experienced requried,  All suppllies included $35 each.
REGISTER NOW with Wendy.   Space is limited.

 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

Do you Know your Subject?- Part 1, Painting & Drawing Tips

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

 Can you paint that bird so it really pops?

Can you make it sing for joy?

Can you make your viewers feel towards that bird the way you do?  Enchanted. Excited. Enjoying that special moment of encounter. 

Can you make them feel like coming back for more?

Okay, make not all of that but certainly that is your goal.  You love what you paint and you want others to feel your fascination and delight. 

  

Robert Bateman does this in the Wildlife World.  But what about ordinary people like you and me.

PERCHED ON THE LINE -Ink & Watercolour
  A mix of Chickadees in the Gardens and Constructive Organics.

I have learned that my thinking is flawed.  I have learned that I can inspire.  That even I can have fans.

How to captivate an audience. 

Capturing  an audience is something you can do.  It can be earned through knowledge and technique.  I am a wildlife artist and painting and drawing birds and animals is my passion.  To inspire and enchant my audience I work on knowledge and technique to present my subject. 

So what does this look like in practise. 

This spring I was excited to see the chickadees return to our garden after the cold grey days of winter.  It was so much more interesting to look out and see them chitter and fly about.  It really made my garden come alive.  I decided to work on a series of works, I called it, Chickadees in the Garden.

Suddenly I was challenged, I needed to find different things in the garden that would interest my little birds.  I was out photographing the early spring blossoms: apples and cherries; the fruits and vegetables as they started to ripe: cherry tomatoes hanging on the vine, plums and grapes basking in the sun; now as we head into fall I am watching for other things my chickadees will love before they disappear with winter.  Working in this series inspired me; It gave me the impetus to learn more about my birds, their habitat and life cycle.

At the same time I needed to work on my drawing skills.  How could I change their pose.  I wanted my chickadees to have a sense of action.  To interact with their environment, not just sit pretty on a branch.  Again I was busy with my camera, snapping pictures of those little guys in the sun, in the shade, on a branch, in flight, looking here and looking there.  BTW, that flight thing is very difficult, they really do flit about.  I am still trying to get good 'in flight' reference pictures.

Of course the learning didn't stop there.  Once I had gathered my ideas I wanted to execute them in watercolour.  The chickadees are a cute little bird, easily recognized by their black heads and white throat.  However, that sharp contrast of white and black means they really can command the attention in the picture.  Finding ways to 'sit them' in their setting without having them sabotage the picture was a bit of a learning curve. 

There was more.  At the same time I was working on my Constructive Organic Series.  This series looks at the world as birds and animals see it: a mix of mechanical and organic shapes.  My series suddenly merged; my chickadees flew into this constructive environment.  Up to now I had focused on larger birds and animals and hadn't really visualized the small birds there.  But on reflection I realized they were also seeing a world that was both artificial and natural.  It all made sense. 

Captivating your audience, happens when you capture their thoughts.  Give them many examples.  Give them new meaning.  Working in a series means work that will give them all of that.  It reaps hugh benefits for you as well.  Your knowledge and skill with your subject increases tremendously.  Your passion intensifies.  You become energized.  

What kind of series have you tried?  Did you keep it going for long?  What problems did you have with it.  I would be very interested to hear your experiences with series. 

You can see a few of my "Constructive Organics" pieces in the following posts:

a. My first picture that lead to this series, Oct 29, 2015

b. Bringing Christmas and a Stellar Jay together, Nov. 26, 2015

c. Celebrating the Sandhill Crane, June 9, 2016

d. Trying different palettes, Oct. 6, 2016.

You can see a few of my "Chickadees in the Gardens" pieces in the following posts: 

a.  My starting point, Sunflowers and Chickadees, Mar 10, 2016

b. Combining my chickadee with grapes in the sunshine, Mar 31, 2016

c. The chickadees were eating my seedlings in the garden and this sent me on a vegetables bender, here he is with tomatoes, Apr. 14, 2016

d.  The gorgeous cherry blossoms that welcome spring had to become part of this series, May 26, 2016

Working in Series has so much value for artists, not only in their growth and development but in a marketing perspective.  More on that in the next post. 

 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

Building a Forest - Art Tips and Techniques

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

I love to walk.  I usually walk 4 or 5 kilometres a day in the winter.  In the summer I often walk more especially when we are camping.  The difference is I am usually walking on trails. 

One evening while camping on Texada Island, one of my fellow campers and myself set off down a trail to see some old growth firs.  There are a few isolated trees in tiny pockets throughout the coastal forests.  It is an awesome sight to see a Douglas Fir or Cedar so big that 7 or 8 people with their arms outstretched could not go all the way around it.  It takes your breath away.

We set out along the trail and walked and walked.  We found the trees but trouble started after that. 

The trail was billed as a loop, we thought why backtrack, let's do the loop.  We walked and talked and walked, the trail was good but no end in sight.  We could even hear people talking but could not find our way out.

We seemed to be going in circles.

WATCHING THE EDGE - 2.5  x 4.2 - Watercolour

 Painting can be like that.

Sure the work is good but somehow it is always the same.  The next level seems so close but somehow out of reach. 

We found our way out. On our own. Hours later. To do it we had to really try something different. At first it seemed we were headed the wrong way but suddenly a turn in the path brought us out to the road, we were home free then.

Moving out of the box, trying something new sometimes seems like the wrong way. You feel it may be a waste of your time. New things lead to new discoveries. 

Working with my tangles has at first seemed a long way from my usual work.  (My daughter would certainly tell you that!) But my tangled forest series has really lead me to new things.  Shadows and Reflected Light have become my focus.  When I build my forest with patterns and colour I found I had to use shadows and reflected light to make my birds and animals really 'settle in' to their new home.

Note the reflected light on eagle. 

Detail from WATCHING THE EDGE

(Sorry I should have photographed him before I added the bits of yellow and green to his wings and underbelly) Believe me, he looked so out of place before they were added. I wasn't even sure I could do it. Put green and yellow on his lovely white chest!!  It seemed so wrong. You know a bald eagle is white and black. I was desperate.  He just didn't look right.  So I did it!   Once I did, I realized the difference it made. Of course he would get reflected light from my 'trees'.

Try stepping out of your box.  New adventures are waiting for you.

 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

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

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 

Stellar Jay

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Stellar Jay - 11 x 14 - matted, unframed $230

Isn't he great??

I was going to call him a "Jay with an Attitude" but felt that was unfair.  Jays are lovely, hard working birds on the go all the time.  A pair of them has been busy working on our hazelnut bush sneaking away with all the nuts.  I didn't realize that it was producing any until I saw one of them scooting off with a nut in his beak!!  Here I thought I was so lucky to have two of them hanging out in our front yard, chattering with the squirrels and flittering about.  I must admit I really enjoyed their company and I if the price to pay was our hazelnuts that's okay too.  But I would have loved to have seen a few of them on the branches!
Things are getting very busy now with all the holiday hustle and bustle. Organizing the last Christmas show of the season, advertising for winter workshops, preparing the last of Christmas commissions are just few of Art by Wendy's jobs right now.  It is all lots of fun but things like a snow day can really but a wrench in the works.  I hope all your Christmas jobs are getting done and as my daughter keeps reminding me "you are doing this because you love it so have fun on the way!"  So far I am on track, hope you are too!
Have a great day.

As always if you wish to buy any of my work or register for workshops just  Contact Wendy.  Gift certificates are available and make lovely Christmas Gifts.
Have a good day.