Check out this great MSN video - Mind-Blowing Painting Skills

Check out this great MSN video - Mind-Blowing Painting Skills

HIKERS ON THE TRAIL: PEN STUDY

This was a quick study to keep up my 2 minute drawing skills.  I rather like doing these because it forces me to be loose and free with the pen strokes.  It is this type of drawing that I should have filling all of my art journals, keeping track of my daily experiences.  Once again, laziness and procrastination rears it's ugly head!

CATERPILLAR: PEN STUDY

BLACK SWALLOWTAIL LARVAE

Caterpillars are just as colorful and interesting as their metamorphosis, the butterfly.  I was working in shapes today, but the caterpillar is a lime green with yellow and black spots!  Amazing!

WOODPECKER IN COLORED PEN

WOODPECKER

I really enjoyed finding the right combination of colors to put together to give this beautiful bird the right glow of brightness.  It has a sharp eye and a sharper beak, and loves to drill holes in cedar siding!

WOODPECKER DETAIL

BLUE JAY PORTRAIT IN COLORED PEN



BLUE JAY

I am continuing to work on bird features, and am learning a lot about the layering of feathers around the eye and beak.  Each bird has a completely different look and attitude about it.  The blue jay is confident, noisy, and territorial.



BLUE JAY DETAIL

GREAT GREY OWL: LOOKING AT YOU!

GREAT GREY OWL

 I am practicing my bird eyes in pen today.  Raptors' eyes are large and really sensitive to the light.  It is a challenge to make eyes look realistic two dimensionally, but if you don't get the eyes right, the whole piece is a waste of time!  I try to use a minimum of strokes to get the effect I want. Sometimes it is more about what you DON'T draw that is important.

Warbler: Pen Study

prairie warbler

 This tiny warbler is one of my favorite birds.  It is so joyful it almost bounces about the grass fields of the prairie states. 

detail

The Artist's Vicious Cycle



Photo by Rose Altom

The Artist's Vicious Cycle

I have continued with my reading of "Art and Fear".  What I have gleaned this week from it, is the amazing cycle of fear and loathing that artists go through (I recognize myself here, or I wouldn't be writing about it).

Put simply:    If artist=self,  then making flawed art=flawed self.  Making no art=being no self!



I find myself in this cycle all the time!  I am worried about not being perfect, so I hesitate to put paint to canvas.  When I don't do my art, I don't feel like a worthy person.  There has got to be some way out of this cycle!

According to the authors of "Art and Fear" there are many paths to leaving the cycle of viciousness behind. Here are a couple...

1. Don't delude yourself into believing that art is your sole identity.

2.People aren't perfect, so you don't have to be, either.

3. Remember that most of your art work is a practice to getting to where you want to be...truly expressing yourself.



I suppose that it will have to be a conscious effort on my part to breaking that cycle of sheer terror every time I step up to a canvas.  I draw more often than not because I am less frightened of messing up a piece of paper.  The creative process requires effort, practice, and practice.  I read somewhere that talent is rarely distinguishable over the long run, from perseverance and lots of hard work.  It's good to have talent, but better to have determination!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Happy Valentine's Day!  I found this heart-shaped leaf in my yard, and drew it for the occasion...while it was a dried leaf, and not the fresh green of spring, I know it is a promise of new life, so have a wonderful day!

TULIP: STUDY IN COLOR PEN

Tulip

I am feeling the need for color this week, so  I chose to do a pen study of my tulips that are due to bloom in another month.  I started this study with a worn-out gel pen, and finished it up with some color Sharpees (fine tip).  I love the variagated tulips! And it is a real challenge to get a 3 dimensional effect with a smooth surface like that of the satiny tulip petals!



Tulip. detail

'Art and Fear'

Photo by Rose Altom

I have been reading a book called 'Art and Fear',  Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland....and I think that I have found an author who understands!  Art is such a personal journey that it is at times tantamount to climbing Mt. Everest!  An uphill battle that tries to beat us down, knocks us off our feet, and challenges us to get up and take charge!  The writer says in the beginning of the book that for art lovers, what matters is the end result...the painting, sculpture, etc.  For the artist, and ONLY the artist, what matters is the journey, the experience in making that art.

You are going to spend 99% of the time creating work that NOONE cares about.  Maybe 1% of the time will you create something that the public will respond to.  How  disheartening is that statement!!  But if you really think about it, art is such a personal experience for the artist that no one else can really understand what it means to you.  I am  struggling with that thought...that no one cares as much as I about my work, not my mother, not my children, and bless him, not even my hubby! 

It is rather freeing to admit that to myself, however.  Look at the odds!  99% to 1%.  It is highly unlikely that I am THAT much of a failure!  And I am learning from each and every piece of work that I 'fail' at.  Not a bad thing at all!  I can't learn and grow without trying new things, practicing, creating.  Have you SEEN some of Picasso's early works?!  He was really a lousy artist when he was 2.  But he got better!  He grew from the journey.

Bayles and Orland say that becoming an artist means learning to accept yourself, so that your work is personal and distinctive, and YOURS.  You find your footing on the climb, and your voice in your art.  What a glorious journey it is to be an artist!

SNAIL SHELL DRAWN IN PEN

This sketch was a real challenge.  It might not look like it.  It is a simple shape, simple lines.  What I had real difficulty with was the fact that this shell had a lot of calcium deposits on it, making it an odd patchwork of white and pale grey.  I finished it, and later had to go back in, because it was such a pale drawing, and I had no contrast or interest going at all.  I added darker shadows beneath it, and it just popped right out!  Sometimes I miss the obvious, and the basic training I have had flies out of my brain.  I need more focus!  The holidays must have sapped my common sense and left me flighty and muddle-headed! 

ELIZABETH'S ROSE: SKETCH IN PEN

While visiting my daughter in California last week, (my newly married daughter) I was able to do a few sketches of the roses that my wonderful son-in-law had recently given her.  He is DEFINITELY starting out right!  I love drawing flowers with a minimum of pen strokes, and in a slightly geometric way.  For some reason the total 'softness' of the flower disturbs me and I have to give it some interesting angles.  I used three different shades of grey for this rose, and enjoyed a quiet hour developing the folds and petals.

BEETLE MADNESS: COLOR PEN SKETCH

This is a Willow Leaf Beetle, one of the ladybug-like beetles that are destructive but beautiful.  I used the Pitt Brush Pens for most of the work on this sketch, and then switched to Sharpee Color Pens for the pop of color.  Normally I don't draw bugs...I don't have a particular fondness for them. (More a morbid fascination!)  Beetles are a definite exception.  They are so colorful!  I read somewhere that in Victorian times, the ladies actually wore the more colorful beetles as brooches on their gowns...still alive and somehow chained to a pin!!!  What people won't do for fashion...My favorite part of this drawing was what I left out.  I let the paper shine through for the shiny highlights on the beetle's back.  It is really a challenge to leave OUT the color!  I plan on doing more of these beetles.  I am fascinated by the rhinocerous-shaped one...

ARTIQUERYROSE CELEBRATES ONE YEAR!



ARTIQUERYROSE is celebrating it's one year anniversary.  In looking back over the past year, I can say that the goals I set were definitely accomplished. 

I wanted to encourage my creativity and self-confidence. ...... I tried a variety of new techniques in my artwork.  I failed a lot of times, but the blog gave me the courage to try again, and gain confidence as I went along.  I had been afraid to fail...hence, I wasn't producing much.  I have created more this year than in the past 20 years!

I wanted to communicate the struggle an average artist goes through daily.  I tried to express my emotions and creative path as best as I could.  I showed the bad as well as the good, trying to be as honest and open as possible.  I am not a perfect artist, much as I would like to be.  I will probably never be a famous artist, but I would like to be an expressive artist who makes a tiny bit of difference in this world.

I occasionally pick up a publication that features blogging, trying to do my best to keep the attention of my audience.  The featured bloggers write about making lots of loyal friends and getting an incredible amount of support from their readers.  I don't know if they are exaggerating, or I have a very quiet group of readers, as this has NOT been my experience.  I only know people read my blog because my statistics have steadily increased over the year.  It is my hope in the next year that I will hear from more of you, get to know some of you, so that we might encourage each other along the path of creativity.

I would like to feature a few budding artists out there on the blog...a guest artist or two or three.

 I want to continue to push myself, find new ways to express what is in my heart through painting, and move forward....not stagnate as my lazy self would enjoy doing.  I am a horrendous procrastinator and love to curl up with a good book, a crossword puzzle and admire other artist's work.  It is very difficult for me to unwrap my cozy cocoon and inch out into the scary world of art.

So, hello new year! I expect big things of you!

BRUSH PEN MOCKINGBIRD SKETCH

I switched back to my favorite Pitt brush pens in grey tones to draw one of my favorite birds.  This is the state bird of Tennessee, and an amazing little creature!  I have heard these birds mock alarm clocks, robins, cell phones, and one territorial mockingbird even tried emulating my cat's meow! For this drawing, I went old-school, and listened to my mothers' advice...watch your posture!  I found that I had gotten lazy and was not sitting in a well lit upright chair, with the paper at the right height.  Because of this, my sketches have felt a bit off lately due to my perspective.  Always listen to your mother!

DARK EYED JUNCO SKETCH: PEN AND INK

We get a lot of dark eyed juncos this time of year in Tennessee.  They are a bright, active little bird with a lot of personality!  I have enjoyed many hours of watching this bird as it hunts for seeds on the ground, and actually tunnels under the fallen leaves looking for it's meal.  This sketch is done with a fine point Pilot pen, and it tended to skip on the slick surface of the textbook paper.  I am definitely ready to switch back to my heavier tooth sketch pad for the next drawing!

GREAT HORNED OWL REFERENCE PHOTO

I was able to visit a Raptor's Rescue Facility this month and take dozens of reference photos for several paintings coming up this year.  I am especially happy with this Great Horned Owl.  The last time I had been out to visit him, (6 months ago) he was looking pretty beat up.  He had broken a wing and was brought in by a concerned rescuer.  He was refusing to eat and the odds were against him.  He is looking so much better now!  I love the 'looking down your nose' attitude he has and his startling ears.  I hope I can do him justice in my painting!

Pen and Ink Belted Kingfisher Sketch

I found an old textbook from the 1950's with the most wonderful paper...the perfect paper to work pen and ink!  I was excited to be able to bring a bit of the graphic element to my bird sketch.  I find that the habits of the birds have a bit of the recycling about them, as well, so I thought that would be a good statement for this piece.  Hope you like it!

BELTED KINGFISHER (DETAIL)

CEDAR WAXWING SKETCH: COLOR PEN AND INK

I am trying to get my rusty drawing skills back after too long away from it...lesson learned!  This cedar waxwing was posing outside on a branch, and he was fluffed up against the cold.  I am not too happy with this rendering, but I did do a bit of experimentation, using color Sharpees and a white gel pen for texture.  I definitely will try this again!

REFERENCE PHOTOS: ARE YOU LEGAL OR NOT?

PHOTO BY ROSE ALTOM

These days, an artist needs to be a photographer as well as a sculptor/painter.  If you work at all from photos, it had better be your own.  Photography has been getting a slow but steady acceptance into the art world since Ansel Adams burst onto the scene with his artistic renderings.  I don't know why it took so long, but it is now widely accepted as an art form.  To use another's photo is tantamount to stealing, or forgery.

There are a couple of ways to get photos for reference..........

1. Take your own.  With digital all but taking over the film development, you can take unlimited photos for a relatively small investment.  Better yet, there are computer programs out there that can help you to crop and zero in on a good possible composition.  I use an Olympus 2 digital with multiple lenses, but I always carry a tiny Sony compact camera with me at all times for those unexpected and exciting opportunities (a camera on your phone works as well, if it has decent pixilation) .

2. Buy your reference photos.  There are lots of computer discs sold commercially just for this purpose.  You can utilize any of these copyright free photos with no legal problems.  Just check for them online, or look in the advertising section of most art technique magazines.

3.  Buy from photographers.  There are plenty of photographers out there who don't mind selling their 'less than perfect' photos.  Just be sure to get permission in writing for legal reasons.

Working from magazines and their slick, professional photos is good for practice, but you should not sell your art from them.  They are good as studies and practice only, unless you get permission from the photographer.  There are legal ways to get around this, such as using the photo for only a percentage of the painting (ex: the painting is rendered with 10% of the image, while the rest of the painting is from your own sources.)  I am still trying to find out the exact percentage acceptable legally...however, to avoid all problems, just don't use it! 

PENCIL SKETCHES: GEESE

This is a series of sketches that I did to try and catch the attitude of several domesticated geese at a city park.  Animals are so expressive!  Geese have an almost comical way about them, and they are full of attitude.  One of these geese was being teased by a little boy, and rather than running away, it chased the boy back to his mommy.

PENCIL SKETCH: OLD HOUSE DETAILS

I am trying to get better at drawing architecture, but it isn't going too well.  I can't seem to see the angles right, or maybe it is a mental block.  I know that this is a major hole in my art education!  I did read somewhere that artists have a terrible time drawing a straight line...

PENCIL SKETCH: LONELY BEACH

This is a sketch of one of my favorite beaches in California.  I like the footprints wandering off in a peaceful manner!

Unfinished Painting--Mountain Majesty or Monster?

Unfinished Painting--Mountain Majesty or Monster?

This final painting in the series of unfinished disasters is this mountain scene.  I have no idea what I had in mind when I started this, but it became increasingly dark and broody.  I think that I was trying to emulate one of my early art heroes, Charles Rhinehart.  He was exceptional at the art of the landscape, and followed along the steps of the masters.  I, unfortunately, do not have the knack of doing a landscape without a lot of angst and hair pulling.  I can't seem to make it come alive.  Does this painting deserve a bit of extra time to make it work?  I am REALLY not sure!  Something rather unexpected about this particular piece....it changes with the light in the studio!  When a sunbeam hits it, it becomes interesting and glorious.   When a dim light hits it, it becomes mystery-laden and scary.  I am not sure how that happened.  Or what to do with it.  Got any ideas?

Unfinished Painting---Two Awful Landscapes!

Unfinished Painting---Two Completely Awful Landscapes!

These two paintings are almost completely unusable.  The landscape with mountains and a cabin is part of a demonstration for a beginner's landscape painting class that I taught.  While it was O.K. for a demo, it has nothing in it that is special, sparks an emotion, or is interesting at all.  Now, I could scrap this with no regrets, or I could try to salvage it by reworking the composition, the color, and the mood.  What do you think I should do?

The deer in the woods painting has a bit more going for it.  Keep in mind that it has only been based in, and no detail or rework on the deer has been done.  The abstract qualities of the trees are workable.  The color palette is a challenge.  What do you do with a winter scene if it is, in reality, brown and white?  You take artistic license and look for color in the shadows and light!  This is where working from a photo is a definite disadvantage.  I took this photo in Wyoming 18 years ago.  Not only was the camera quality a problem, the photo itself tends to flatten, to sap color from the landscape.  If I decide to finish this painting, several things will have to be worked on.  Adding a more painterly, less detailed finish would be an option.  Adding blue or purple in the shadows, warming up the sunlight is another.  It would definitely be a challenge.

UNFINISHED PAINTINGS...SEA SHELLS IN OILS

Unfinished paintings...Sea Shells in Oils

As I am still not feeling great (my coughing interferes with my drawing a straight line) I have decided to share with you a few of my unfinished paintings that are still in limbo.  I haven't decided whether to finish them or scrap the whole project.  Some of the paintings are a mystery to me.  I can't remember if I used oil or acrylic to paint them.  This is a big problem, as painting acrylic over oil seldom works out well.  The way that I choose to determine the medium is to get a bit of paint thinner on a rag, and rub it across an area of the painting that won't show, or needs more work.  If paint comes off, it is oil.  Acrylic won't immediately react to the thinner.

Today's painting-in-limbo is sea shells in oils.  I think that I have a good start on this one, and the composition is workable.  What could be a potential problem is that I used oils with morager medium.  I no longer work with that medium because of the toxicity of it (and a possible allergy), so I must do a bit of research to find out if I can finish it off with another medium, such as linseed oil.  New Year's Resolution #150--finish this.

I am, unfortunately, struck down this week with the 'creeping cruds'.  That illness that makes you feel crappy and sniffly with no hope of a cure.  I managed a pathetic little sketch, and hope to do better tomorrow!  Happy New Year....

GET A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS

I took a lot of photos this month, getting in touch with nature again to gain perspective in my life.  I have a lot of questions dealing with the meaning of life, spirituality and why it is the littlest things in life that are the biggest.  When I took this photo, I considered gaining perspective and what my perspective of life would look like in nature.  I am feeling very small, and the world very big at the moment.  I think that this photo illustrates that.

MOMA SAN FRANCISCO PHOTO

This is a photo I took of a stained glass walkway at the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in San Francisco, CA.

I was visiting that wonderful and picturesque city a few years ago, and wanted desperately to visit the museum.  What amazed me most was some wonderful paintings by Magritte and Picasso, and this tunnel of color!