Breaking the Surface

"Breaking The Surface"

24" x 36" oil on panel

Improve Your Camera Shots For Painting!

Have you ever tried to create a painting from one of your camera shots, and you knew that it wasn't working - but you couldn't figure out why? Here are a few tips that might enable you to improve the quality of your reference photos for painting.

Often, when shooting landscapes, students will leave out the foreground and just focus on their subject (in this case, the mountain). Foreground literally leads the eye of the viewer into into your painting. Without it, the composition can feel chopped.

Adding foreground to the shot provides the viewer with valuable context...a sense of place.

Sometimes students make the subject of the painting too small. 


 

















Cropping can eliminate unimportant details and allow the subject to be dominant.
This image was cropped and the subject was moved off to one side for added interest. 

Notice how many different views I can get by cropping this image!

 

 






















 
This close up is interesting... 

 
but after zooming in, the shot becomes even more personal. 

The photo below is very busy. My eye flits from one object 
to another searching for a focal point. 

You can create a focal point by zooming in and cropping your shot.

But, it gets better!

Look what happens when you zoom in even more. The background 
was totally eliminated and replaced with a two-color gradient. 
Simplicity is your friend!

Sometimes students bring in photos that will not make a good 
painting. Often they are discolored and once the painting begins, 
they realize that there isn't enough variety in the color to hold 
the interest of the viewer.

Here's the same photo after it's been color adjusted with 
Adobe Photoshop Elements software program (there are 
many software programs and apps that do the same thing). 
Now it looks better!

Next time you shoot - consider these tips!

Picante

"Picante"

8" x 8" oil on panel

Pinecones and Brass Pot

"Pine Cones and Brass Pot"

12" x 12" oil on panel

Large Version of Mt. Olympus

I recently did a study of Mt. Olympus (Wasatch Mountains)
and here is the large commission I painted form that study.

                                      "Mt. Olympus"
                               36" x 36" oil on panel

American Art Collector Magazine, "Beyond The Ordinary"

I'm am thrilled to be included in the January 2015 Issue of American Art Collector Magazine. This issue has a section on still life entitled, "Beyond The Ordinary" (page 86, 87 and 88).

 


"Autumn In A Silver Bowl," 11 x 18,
oil on panel (above image)

"Copper Urn and Pomegranate," 11 x 14,
oil on panel (top left image)

"Makes Me Cry," 12" x 12" oil on panel

(Bottom right image - Purple Onions)

At times, every artists wonders about the quality of their work. Placing your work in various contexts such as an exhibit or a publication, will provide an excellent opportunity for you to see how well it holds up - compared to the work of other artists.

My ad in the American Art Collector magazine, January 2015 Issue, page 26.

It's Okay To Promote Youself!

Trying to become visible as an artist requires effort. I am constantly reviewing ways to promote myself. This is a good thing. 

Truth be told, it takes a lot of hard work to become known in the art community and taking time to make your dreams come true is a great investment in YOU! If you "wait to be discovered" you may spend a long time waiting!


      Here are some tips to help you get noticed:

•  Wear a smile, greet people and speak intelligently about your work.
• Create matching business cards, letterhead and envelopes.
• Keep business cards in your pocket and hand them out to people. 

• Obtain a domain name and build a website. Keep your website up to date and refresh it often with new pictures.
  
• Enter every local (or national) show possible. You have to enter before you can win an award! Pin your ribbons up in your studio.  Most people love to purchase artwork from an "award winning artist."

• Join local and national art organizations. Yes, you have to pay dues, but joining with other artists will expose you to painting styles, the latest art products,  advice, techniques and motivating competition. Besides the wonderful exposure, it's a good way to find a painting buddy.

Blog. Make sure you don't start out blogging and then fall off into oblivion somewhere. Keep at it. Subscribe to other artist blogs. Follow other artist pages.

Create a Facebook page. It's so much fun to follow the work of other artists and to read about their struggles and successes. Don't post crap. Make sure you are professional in all your posts. Your clients don't want to see a picture of you drunk in a gutter somewhere.

Promote yourself by placing an ad in a national magazine. Don't wait for a gallery owner to stumble across your work by chance. Be proactive!

Of course, through it all, you have to keep painting. That's really the bottom line. What good is becoming visible if you have no paintings to exhibit? My husband created an acronym for me that I use all the time; "PYGO," paint your guts out. So, PYGO. Go make it happen!