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Here it is Wednesday evening already! I would like to spend more hours in the studio but my back started hurting worse again this week. I’ve been trying for over two years to get it into shape. The arthritis in the thoracic area is pushing on the nerves in my spine. Last fall, after a trip to the ER, I was told nothing could be done that I’m not already doing. I cannot take any pain meds. Some cause stomach trouble, some I’m so sensitive to that I get violently ill and I cannot work in that condition. So I work till it hurts too much. Last night the pain was bad enough that I did not sleep till after two o’clock.

So, I am not making as much progress as I would like. I cannot keep up with the show schedules but I have a couple of things ready that I can still show. I am trying to tie up the loose ends in the studio, paintings that I haven’t finished. Right now I am almost finished with a small portrait of the daughter of our first foreign exchange student. I plan on beginning soon to post one photo every week of the work in progress. I am hoping that Nelly will see this and then I can keep her in suspense as I reveal each one. I hope she will like the end product. She will have to keep in mind, the photos I used as reference were taken when she was here two years ago. I am sure her daughter has matured a lot since then. Our other AFS daughter will have to take some updated photos of her boys for me because I don’t think I’ll be doing a lot of traveling to far away places in the near future. OK, Manu?

I had our youngest daughter post my web site on her face book page. I never had any idea how many people that would reach and also from how far away I would get views. My husband looked at the STATS today, then began to tell me about the special person this had reached, but he couldn’t talk because he was too emotional. It is so good to have even this connection!

Another person said he was inspired to return to his creative process again. Great! If my attempts inspire someone, that gives me inspiration too. My grandmother taught me to count my blessings. That doesn’t just mean when things are going good. As a matter of fact, it is especially important to be grateful in the most difficult times. When I was too busy raising my girls, I didn’t do art but I did other things that I considered important. Now, even at my age, I am able to pick up my dream. I am happy to be creating art, even if it isn’t perfect or up to some critic’s standards. And even though I am not extremely sociable, I do enjoy the shows where artists share encouragement and inspiration. Tomorrow, Bruce and I will be taking the time to drive my uncle to the doctor. He will turn one hundred years old in July and has had some difficulty getting around since he broke his hip in a fall a few months ago. Until then, he was still driving and I was not afraid to be in the car with him. He is very special to me. I’m hoping to do his portrait someday. After we get home, then I’ll get back to the studio and see what I can accomplish. Till next time, Shalom, Diana Feb 26, 2014

The Red Mushroom

Sketch

I always start with an oil primed linen canvas. I cover it with a ground color mixed by using raw umber, a little ultramarine blue, titanium white and some gamsol. It is possible to use artist’s turpenoid if you do not need the canvas to dry in a hurry. Spread this with a bristle brush and then wipe down with viva paper towels until you achieve a neutral grey of mid value. You may use other colors if you wish. (For example, I am using a mix of Indian Yellow and Winsor Lemon Yellow for a still life which has a lot of gold tone in it.)

After this is dry, transfer your refined and completed sketch to the canvas. The old masters called this sketch a cartoon and used to transfer it by punching holes on the major outlines, then daubing it with charcoal dust. There are many ways to transfer your sketch but my major piece of advice is to work out all the problems in your sketch before you move on to the next stage.

The Red Mushroom

Grisaille

Now I mix a neutral color just darker than the ground. It can be raw umber and ultramarine blue with no titanium or it can be burnt umber with some other modifying color. It can even be black with some yellow or some other form of a moderate grey or grey green. The main idea is to begin to develop an under painting in a monotone, usually grey, that will develop the painting into what is called a grisaille, which is pronounced gri – zi. I like to use a colored pencil to go over my complete sketch, thus transferring a copy to the canvas by means of the paint mix described above or with charcoal paper, or even by covering the back of the sketch with pencil rubbing. If you use the paint, you can leave it dry completely to protect the sketch. But I like to begin softening the edges and developing the form with this layer.

The Red Mushroom

Adding Color, Texture, Form

Here is where it gets tough. You must try many methods before you are satisfied with the one you like the best. This is where you achieve the form and the values and light but you also must protect the likeness. The more you paint, the more your brain will understand which strokes of the brush and which color mixes will produce the form and texture you need. Practice looking. See light and value and texture. Decide which brushes work best for different effects. Read every article, look at every web site, study masterpieces in museums and galleries. If you are fortunate enough to have access to a really good teacher, you may gain insight in a more straight forward way. Don’t give up.

The Red Mushroom

The Eyes Come Alive

The painting is far from complete but at this stage you can begin to feel the personality and the spirit of the subject. I always try to specialize in capturing this likeness and life. It usually happens with the eyes. I like to believe that the likeness is in the exactness of the mouth but the spirit resides and is shined forth from the eyes. Even at this unfinished stage, it is possible to experience this little one’s personality. Like I said, it’s in the eyes.