Landscape colors....have you ever wonder?

Choosing your colors for landscape paintings

According to the M. Graham & Company,  Landscape tone watercolors can take many forms in choices of colors.   A plain air artist's or photo realism  artist can have  a variety choices. To help with choices, one can use  five colors includes:  for a  Sky (Cerulean Blue),  for Foliage  that is Green (Sap Green or hooker greenmixed with a little white or blue as needed), Tree Bark  (Burnt Umber or mixed  blue and orangeorange), Afternoon Shadow (Purple.mixd black a little white) and Sunrise use Yellow (Yellow Ochre).  These colors are  Intense and alive with strength no matter what watercolor set you use.

Reference: google images.. search landscapes

Art

Art is my freedom from the struggles of life

Translucent and Opaque - Terms for Art....What do they really mean?

Hello All:  I watch a ton of Art videos and I hear more and more artists talk about color theory using the terms Translucent and Opaque....okay, I get mixed from one person to another so being the mixed media artist researcher that I am....I had to look it up.

According to the Grammarist (2016):  Transparent, translucent and opaque are adjectives that describe the amount of light that is able to pass through an object. 

   

The skin tone has light highlights - Translucent

                              and hair is Opaque

Translucent is an adjective that describes material through which one may see an object, but may not be able to discern the details. Translucent may also be described as semitransparent. Sautéed onions are translucent. Related words are translucence, translucency and translucently.

Opaque is an adjective that describes material that one may not see through, it is not transparent. A brick is opaque. Related words are opaquely and opaqueness.

In the Art world, Translucent and Opaque colors means:

• Opaque - Light does not pass through- (the color hides what is under the color
• Translucent - Some light passes, but is diffused in different directions - (can see under the color

So Translucent and Opaque color have do with how much light transmits through the color or not.

                                                 Lights strikes!

Example of Color that are Translucent and Opaque:

Now, doesn't Translucent and Opaque make sense?

References:

http://grammarist.com/usage/transparent-translucent-and-opaque/

http://www.learn4yourlife.com/transparent-versus-translucent.html

http://www.clear-path.com/colorhueswedgewood.html

Impasto - OR Texture on Paintings

Hello Everyone:

Okay, yes, I am a real Geek.  I read and research everything.  I am having a blast this summer reading Art History and color therapy.  I am learning so many things that I have to pass on some of this knowledge to others.  For instance, I learned a new word it is Impasto.  

It means according to Wikipedia: Impasto is a technique used in painting, 

where paint is laid on an area of the surface very thickly, usually thick enough 

that the brush or painting-knife strokes are visible. Paint can also be mixed 

right on the canvas. When dry, impasto provides texture, the paint appears to 

be coming out of the canvas.


Okay, they had me at texture.  I Googled the Impasto process and found videos on it including how to make homemade texture paste as impasto means paste.  Well, I shopped my stash and found most of the ingredients.  I made a video to chronicle the process and stills of the result.  My challenge was could I use it with watercolor.

According Caftsy (2016), The impasto technique is mostly used with thicker, opaque paints like oils, acrylics, gouache and tempera. While impasto is technically possible with some watercolors, it is rarely seen in that medium. Let’s take a look at some examples of impasto at work.  I smell a challenge here!

Do you see the texture through brush work-texture?

The texture here stands off the page-- up, literally


Of course, I got started with these ingredients found in my stash... I used a combination of cornstarch, flour, elmer's glue, a little H20 (water), and white craft paint.

These are ingredients I found at home

This painting is a watercolor and added yellow watercolor to the white texture (impasto medium-home made) then I applied with a knife (could not find my palette knife) to the sun only and waited a couple of hours for it to dry.  I hesitated to use the heat gun...didn't want the flour to and cornstarch to bake.

See the video for the process and the results.



References:

1. Impasto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impasto

2.  http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/06/impasto-painting/

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Impasto

Friday Gallery - Celebration of World Watercolor Month....here is my Take on watercolors

My week in art!!!  Check out my painterly landscape below in watercolors.

This my week. In art!

Friday's New Word: "Painterly" - Mixed Media Research

Hello All:

Still reading my Art History books this summer.  Found a new word.  I had to research.  Funny, when your self taught in mixed media; one has to absorb more information to decipher, code, and retain information.

Okay, my new word is "Painterly".  Seems made up, but it is a word and has a meaning that relates to all mixed media artist.

According to About.com (June, 2016),

The above patinging has brush strokes that literally stand out and give depth and reality to the painting.  This painting is Vince Van Gogh's Landscape with carriage and Train

Definition of Painterly

The term painterly is used to describe a painting done in a style that embraces, shows, and celebrates the paint medium that it is created in (be it oil paint, acrylics, pastels, gouache, watercolor, etc.), rather than a style that tries to hide the act of creation. It is a loose and expressive approach to the process of painting in which the brushstrokes are visible, rather than one that is controlled and rational, and tries to hide the brushstrokes.

Paint can be thin and still be applied in a painterly way.  Painterly means that the style or approach does not try to hide the fact that a brush or knife was used to create the artwork, and that celebrates the paint or art material itself (the surface of a sculpture might even be said to be painterly if the carved or modeled marks resemble brushstrokes or are visible.) 

According to the Tate Gallery's Glossary (2016), the term painterly "carries the implication that the artist is reveling in the manipulation of the oil paint itself and making the fullest use of its sensuous properties.

As stated earlier, a painterly style clearly shows the brushstrokes and the energy of the gesture that went in to making those brush marks.  A mixed media Artist, can use a combination of Impasto and Painterly to express their styles.

An example  of a Painterly style is:

Here in this painting you see the brush strokes (painterly) and texture "impasto"

Look at the platoon of men on zoom you can see the brush strokes.

This Portrait called Rosina by John Singer Sargent shows his style of doing "Painterly" paintings.  The brush strokes are apparent.  His style also included drawing and underpainting, and layering.  He relied in the proper placement of tones of paint.

here is my attempt at "Painterly and Impasto"...can you see the brush strokes and texture?

References:

Tate Gallery -www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary

--John Singer Sargent (January 12, 1856 – April 14, 1925) Johnsingersargent.org

-http://painting.about.com/od/artglossaryp/g/defpainterly.htm--About.com

So All, we have two new words and mixed media techniques this summer, I am still reading will have another word for you real soon.  E.L.

Travel Watercolor Palette that you can make yourself - Choose your favorite colors

Happy  World Watercolor Month to Everyone: 

#WorldWatercolorMonth

Paint with watercolor ((watercolour), aquarelle) while raising awareness for the importance of art and creativity in the world.

Henri Matisee said, "With color one obtains an energy that seems to stem from witchcraft.   Since it is World Watercolor Month and vacation time, I have taped a short video Tutorial on creating your own travel watercolor palette with very few tools and items from around the house or dollar store.  Enjoy!  It is really fun and you start thinking of ways to palettes for all you mediums to carry on your outings.




Like my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ellenville10858



References:

Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/henri_matisse.html

https://doodlewash.com/world-watercolor-month-july-2016/

Sketch Practice using a digital pen stylus and any free sketch app

I have been practicing controlling a pen stylus in a sketch app for a couple of days a week.  From my research, I have found that cheap ones (stylus) are very hard to control.  I got a very good one for a gift and I could really see a difference in my control of lines and very basic shapes.  It is fun to work on your iPad or android tablets or smartphones in stolen moments at appointments, treatments, or in bed at night with a good stylus.  These sketches will be fun to paint later.  Enjoy this micro journey!

Mountain Landscapes-- practice

I have been working on mountain Landscrapes since seeing a Bob Ross video early one Saturday morning.  I have worked in mixed media..paint markers, watercolor, acrylic ...starting to see progress...this was done in an altered journal.  Bob Ross worked in oils and used household natural brushes, but I think my effect is very similar.

Paint Rag Portraits warm up

Okay, for my warmup today, I looked over at my paint rags for clean up and literally saw clowns.  So, I decided to add paint to them.  Giving to make a art studio spirit doll with theses little gems.

Working on the small side

Hi all:

Some times I need to challenge my self to go beyond the norm or easy.  So, I have been doing daily challenges of working small ..today I am starting on a 3x 3 canvas with markers, paint, ranger stain . This project is Not complete..I just getting started, but it is fun.  I used a selection of store bought stencils I also cut a few of my own shapes using the brother scan and cut and my Cricut.   Stencils are a fun ways to add quick backgrounds or elements to any surface.  How can you use stencils?   Try some of your favorites?

Call on me!

Had a day that required me call for strength!  Of course,  I had "art it out" with mixed media paint, markers, gel pens

Red Sails in the Sunset

This painting is so relaxing to look at even digitally.  It makes me think of this Red Sails in the Sunset...

Red Sails In The Sunset

Bing Crosby

Lyrics

Was down where fisher folk gathered
I wandered far from the throng
I heard a fisher girl singin'
And this refrain was her song

Red sails in the sunset way out on the sea
Oh carry my loved one home safely to me
He sailed at the dawning, all day I've been blue
Red sails in the sunset, I'm trusting in you

Swift wings you must borrow, make straight for the shore
We marry tomorrow and he goes sailing no more
Red sails in the sunset way out on the sea
Oh carry my loved one home safely to me

Swift wings you must borrow, make straight for the shore
We marry tomorrow and he goes sailing no more
Red sails in the sunset way out on the sea
Oh carry my loved one home safely to me

Copyright: google play 

Adult coloring books -Color my Fro

I cannot wait to try these!

Hello all:  I look through Amazon like it is a reading catalog.  I search different strings to see what I can interesting.  I found this the other day and purchased it and some cultural markers from Crayola.

Scrapping - using scraps for warm-up

Hi all:

 #15 - scrap art challenge I use scrap watercolor or canvas gesso paper to warm-up most days.   I chose a selection of store bought tools markers and paints and sketch a few of my own shapes.  Scraps are a versatile way to add quick backgrounds or elements to any surface and keep playing wit your art fed. 

The Lady needs work

I completed this lady a year ago and now I think she needs work.  This can happen to you too ...it is not always finish when you think it is finish.  I would change her nose, mouth and skin tone.

My little people make me laugh

I get a charge out of drawing my little people.  The are fun and easy.  It is a good journal warm-up to a session of letting my art take me on a journey.  Those little guys make me smile. 

Bigg legs and too short dress

One never knows what will come out their paint and brushes.  I call her big legs and blue shoes. I like her too short dress!

stencils and painting

Gather your supplies. I picked out several stencils to choose from to start this warm-up.  I always warm-up using my art journal or scraps watercolor paper sketching paper.  I like to see what falls out my tools.  I use craft acrylic paints, my art journal, watercolor paper, sponges and/or  a brayer... A geli plate is also handy.  Check out this work!   I call her Ebony mama

By the way I 

I Am in love Crayola cultural markers.  These markers really added a power punch to your work.

Onion Weekly Gallery 20160598

Hi all:

These are little magnets portraits about 4 x 4 in size I will add magnets to the back to put cabinets and such.

Check my week in art ..mostly mixed media.  These works include warm-ups and intentional works 

Teddy Oranges (above ) 4x4

And Nikkie Owl (below) 9x11

Mixed media landscape 20160505

*************************************************

    I tried to use only water color in this seascape / landscape canvas, but over thinking took over and I added acrylic white to the sky.  I added paint marker to the boat.  I practice color mixing to make the color brown in the land portions

 

Friday Art focus 20160513

Hello all:  my art focus this Friday  is on mixed media canvas landscapes.  I am using acrylic paint, markers (various), paint pens, and water colors paints.  I made three canvases at the same time while one was drying I would work on the other. 

What did I Learn:  I seem to get better and mite confident  overall as progressed through each painting.  My theme was to use techniques like Bob Ross

Here is my mountain range

What is your focus this week in Art? (Onion)