Month: April 2013

Fruit6T

Keeping In Touch

Cheryl
I’ve been having lots of fun connecting with folks on various social media sites, and having them check out my website. I hope each one senses that I love what I do – both teaching painting to adults, and birthing my own art. So, if you are new to this website – a big WELCOME! You have the opportunity to connect further by signing up for my art emails and/or blog post notifications. The notification sign up is on this home page, and to sign up for art emails – photos of my latest paintings and art course info – go here: Connect with Cheryl O  I never sell or share these email addresses, and each email has an easy unsubscribe button if you ever don’t want it anymore. I hope you will enjoy being in touch! 
AstrT

Concentration

Cheryl
  When people are learning to draw, they get tired. We all do when concentrating hard on a task. Like building up your muscles in weight training, the ideal time to keep at it while learning is just a little bit longer than you feel like. With drawing class homework, I recommend using the clock and a timer. If you find that you can work comfortably for 15 minutes, then try setting the clock for 20 minutes for the next 2 days. Continue this on until you reach about 35 minutes. For intense concentration, this seems to be a good maximum to aim for. A 5 or 10 minute break is likely good if you want to go back to it again. Get up and stretch, get a glass of water, and continue on. It really is like exercising, even if the brain is not a muscle. You are learning  patience and perseverance  as your ability to concentrate grows, and that’s a good thing. 
BisonT

Change

Cheryl
As the latest “Toward Abstract” class draws to a close (final class today), I find myself pondering what encourages a painter to get inspired to paint. If you have been painting for awhile, sometimes a small or large change in approach does the trick. This course was full of ideas that might change how a painting is approached. Here is just a sampling. Texture was one suggestion. Collaging sand or other items onto a canvas makes the paint behave differently and can inspire a creative response. Changing the key you paint in was another. If you usually paint with lighter colours (high key), try planning a painting all in darker colours (low key). Playing with geometric shapes that are cut out can be fun when searching for a composition. The ability to physically move these around sparks new responses as the creative mode kicks in. Lots of creative work happened in this course, and I commend each student for their sense of adventure. It will be interesting today during our review to learn which of the many techniques that were presented the students found most helpful. New classes start tomorrow and Thursday. Happy painting all! 
Iris3T

Brushes

Cheryl 1 Comment
Just posted a new video about taking care of your brushes. The tips given here can help your brushes to last for months longer. Check it out here: Cheryl O’s Free Art Videos – Brush Care. Square brushes are my personal favourite. I love the generous amount of paint that you can load onto them, and the variety of marks from wide to thin, depending if you use the full width or pull it along the chisel tip for a thinner line. There are lots of other shapes in brushes out there and I can’t tell you which will be your favourites. The marks that you want to make on paper may be different than the ones I want to make – so you will just need to explore and see which ones suit you the best. Whatever shape you choose, it is a good idea to try to pick up the largest brush you can work with while painting. Load it well with paint so that you can make an expressive line or shape with it and don’t spend all your energy reloading a niggly amount of paint on the tip of the brush. Happy painting!