Category: Newsletter

The Four Horses

This painting began without any subject in mind. You can watch how early the center horse appeared (Minute 0:43), and I didn’t see it for a long time! I reached a point where the background was left to dry (1:35) The planets and stars were formed by painting dark blue around them and leaving the colours of the pour showing in circles. This painting took over a week to complete – it’s deceiving to watch the video because it is small snapshots of the process. Can you find the fourth horse? Check out my art courses! 

Midnight Sun

Using the same dried textured gesso and pouring colour techniques (see Acrylic Paint Effects video), I created a background. It spoke to me of a winter landscape with distant mountains. Notice how I used the same colours that I had poured to define the snow edges and hint at the mountains. Near the end, the sky felt too busy to me and so I smoothed it over, still leaving some of the original colour pour showing through in certain areas. A pre-coloured background can help ensure a good colour harmony in the final work, if you are careful to have lots of that colour showing through in the final painting. Check out my art courses! 

Sunflower Drawing

This drawing was done with soft conte and watercolour on terraskin paper. Soft charcoal on any very smooth surfaced drawing paper will give similar results. This is a fun way to work – any unwanted lines can often be wiped away. Shading is fast and easy by scribbling some lines and then smearing them (minute 1:43). If you feel in the end that some colour would enhance the drawing, watercolour or fluid acrylic can be placed on top. Do this with a light touch and a minimal of stirring to avoid over graying of the colour as it mixes with the charcoal. Check out my art courses! 

Blue Eyes

Burnt sienna plus white is the basic skin tone mix used in this portrait. To that I add varying amounts of permanent rose, a primary yellow, and touch of ultramarine blue. In a child’s portrait, I am careful not to use too much of the blue in order to keep that happy glow. Keeping edges and transitions soft also helps with a youthful feel. Can you feel the lovely gentle soul behind those blue eyes? Check out my art courses!   
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Famous Painting: Previous Winners

Cheryl
Here are our previous contest winners. Click on any thumbnail to see the entire painting! Artist: Salvador DaliPainting: Persistence of MemoryClose Date: June 30, 2012Winner: Kathie Wright Artist: Gustav KlimtPainting: The KissClose Date: May 31, 2012Winner: Cheryl Cashman Artist: Johannes VermeerPainting: Girl with a Pearl EarringClose Date: April 30, 2012Winner: Connie Mabb Artist: Lawren HarrisPainting: From the North Shore Lake SuperiorClose Date: Mar 31, 2012Winner: Lynne Tomlinson Artist: Claude MonetPainting: Woman with Parasol/La Promenade/Madam Monet & SonClose Date: Feb 29, 2012Winner: Scott Smith Artist: Vincent van GoghPainting: Starry NightClose Date: Jan 31, 2012Winner: Linda Summers Posey Artist: Edgar DegasPainting: The Dance Class (La Classe de Danse)Close Date: Dec 31, 2011Winner: Alexis Chadwick