In his marvelous and large-scale pastel painting, Doris, Portugese artist Manuel Rodrigues Almeida has painted, not just a portrait, but an emotional moment The painting measures nearly 5 feet to a side—well over life size, fully immersing viewers in its somber scene of a woman who seems to be fighting, and failing, to hold back tears.
In a recent class, I had the pleasure of teaching students how to draw birds and butterflies in colored pencil. Birds are perfect subjects for capturing the beauty of nature and all of its magnificent colors.Drawing birds and butterflies isn’t just about replicating their patterns and colors. It’s important to know how to capture the essence of the nature surrounding them as well.
Make the most of your plein air art sessions by planning ahead for a studio painting.By Michael Chesley JohnsonFor many of us, painting en plein air art is an addiction— but one with benefits. Also, as much as you may dislike racing with light that changes by the hour, those shifting light conditions push you to record only essentials—a real plus if you’re a painter tempted to add unnecessary detail.
Inspiration Advice from Mary WhyteI went through a phase when I thought I could control everything–where my career was headed, how my relationships were going to turn out, and what kind of life I was going to have. The best you can do is meet what appears on your path head-on.Open to InspirationThat goes especially for being open to inspiration for artwork.
A classical art training has many advantages, among which is to learn to see and understand light as it falls on objects. Identify these areas: the highlight (the shiny spot of light); the area of illumination (the shape that receives the direct light from the source); the halftone (the point where the light begins to bend into shadow); the core shadow (the area where light can’t reach); the reflected light (the place where the light travels beyond the object and reflects back); and finally, the cast shadow (the shadow being cast from the shape of the object).
Change your mood and lift your spirits with the simple joy of color! Follow along with watercolorist Jean Haines in her video, Watercolor Mindfulness, as she guides you through exercises designed to help you let go of stress and truly enjoy your painting time. Try the simple relaxation techniques listed here, and check out all of Jean Haines instructional videos in this collection, including step-by-step demonstrations of Peaceful Wisteria and Energetic Grapes!
