Blog

Flower Painting

Colour: Hands On

Cheryl
The art class that will give you a strong foundation in understand colour and colour mixing is beginning Thursday October 3rd – your choice of afternoon or evening time slot. Learn why some colours make mud, and how to avoid it. Learn some favourite colour recipes and where to apply them. Learn about classic and modern palettes, and how to create a creative and dynamic colour palette all your own. More information here: Art Courses with Cheryl O (Scroll down when on the page.) 
Happy Baby

First Art Memories

Cheryl
I  can clearly remember the first time that I mixed yellow with blue and it turned green. I thought it was completely magical! And then of course I went on to wonder why every other mixture that I tried made a dull brown. I was 4 years old. Artpromotivate recently asked the question “What are your first memories of art as a child”? It’s an interesting question, and so I ask you – what is your earliest art memory?” 
Painting "Pensive"

The Restless Mind

Cheryl
I think that every artist experiences this… the mind that won’t turn off. You can hardly look at anything without analysing the values, shapes, or colours. You ponder exactly which mixture you would use to try to match the colour in the sky. You are chatting with someone and find yourself momentary distracted by the lovely shape of the shadows along their cheek line. It means that you find something interesting to see almost everywhere – the negative space between the branches of the tree, the shape of the shadows cast from a plant in a waiting room. I went through a period a few years back when I felt that I would like to turn it off for awhile, and just veg, but that rarely happened. Mostly these days, I go with the flow and simply enjoy the constant visual feast all around. How about you? Do you experience the restless mind of an artist forever analysing the colours and forms of the world? 
Painting 'Fleet Inspection'

Something New to Learn

Cheryl
The fall courses are listed! I have been painting through some of the paintings in the John Lovett book, and am very excited to learn his techniques. I’ve been working on the soft edged backgrounds with a vignetted feeling as the edges and corners fade. It’s fun! The painting featured here is from a photo by Barbara Lively Mastaglio (used with permission), and I try to use this effect. I think it needs a few more finishing touches yet. And here’s the link if you would like to join this class. It starts in October, but registrations are already coming in… Art Classes with Cheryl O Original Oil, by Cheryl O “Fleet Inspection”