How to Paint Lights that Actually Glow! New Youtube Demo

         'Zoo Lights'                     8x10              pastel             ©Karen Margulis      available on Etsy  $265

There is something magical about lights in a nocturne painting. The warm colors of the lights against the cool blues of the sky are captivating. But how can we paint lights that look like they are actually glowing. In this demo I will paint a nocturne with some holiday lights and I will share tips for helping the lights to look like they are turned on. We will turn on the lights in just a few simple steps! Enjoy the demo and join me in my Patreon group for an expanded lesson! SUPPLY LIST 1. LuxArchival sanded paper 8x10 2. Liquitex Clear Gesso tinted with Daler Rowney acrylic inks 3. Terry Ludwig Pastels with a few Diane Townsend soft form pastels. 4. Bamboo skewer for creating texture 5. Blair Very Low Odor workable fixative

Click on the link below to watch the video!

                            https://youtu.be/NvYLHGZd4lU           

 

Here are a few of the pastels I used for the demo. I began with duller more neutral reds and oranges and finished with much more intense color!

Join us on Patreon for more painting instruction!

www.patreon.com/karenmargulis

Last Sale Days with New Paintings Added!

 

It is a common complaint. Finding something to paint is a stumbling block for many. Before I give my two cents on this topic I will share a wonderful quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not."

 This quote strikes a chord with me as I am always reminding myself and my students that beauty is everywhere. We should be able to find something that touches us and inspires us wherever we look. We have to approach our search for inspiration with the mindset that there is beauty in everything. We only need to be open to it....to really SEE it. It isn't enough to just look around us. We need to feel the beauty and be sensitive to it. This is something I am thankful for.

I don't use beautiful and perfect reference photos for my paintings. I use small and dark photos. (bad photos) This allows me to pull out the beauty that I see inside of my mind and put it into the painting. I have discovered that  bad photos lead to my best paintings. My favorite places to paint are not the most spectacular. They possess a quiet and simple beauty that speaks to me because I am open to them.

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection  I make a list of the things I am thankful for. One of them is the gift of a sensitive eye. I try to see beauty in the ordinary and share it with others. What are you thankful for as an artist? 

I'd love to share my vision with you through my paintings! Select paintings are available at 50% discount in my Etsy shop. You can see them all here:

www.etsy.com/shop/karenmargulisfineart

Try a Very Unusual Background for your Next Painting

I wanted to give the illusion of a bank of oyster shells behind my snowy egret painting. I could have just painted them in but I had an idea that I needed to try! How could I get more texture in my background? I put on my 'what if' hat and came up with an idea. What if I tore pastel paper and added small pieces to the background to create a rough textured surface?  What if I used clear gesso as the glue to hold it all together and to provide a sanded surface for the pastel application? Would it work?

Yes it worked even better than I imagined! I tore gray Shizen paper which is a soft handmade paper....perfect for this technique. I worked in small areas at a time spreading some clear gesso on a Pastelbord. I added the paper pieces and painted over them with more clear gesso. The clear gesso goes on milky but dries clear. It allowed me to see the gray paper but still have some tooth for pastel. 

You can see in the photo how the added pastel over the bumpy background enhances the effect. I covered the surface completely with pastel so the painting is considered a pastel painting and not a mixed media collage. I will be thinking of ways to try this again!

Does Color Really Get the Glory? New YouTube Video!

  

Color is everything. Or is it?  Most of us are drawn to pastels because of the wonderful array of colors. They are all there in front of us. We don't have to mix them to see the possibilities. We want them all and we never have enough.  But color can also be our downfall.  You've heard it before:

Color gets the Glory but Value does the work.

If we don't get the values correct then all the colors in your box will not make the painting better. In fact the more colors we add to try to fix the painting the more we risk making mud.  Value studies are good. Value block- ins are helpful. Lots of practice seeing value is important. I have a great exercise to try. Why not try limiting your palette?

I love painting with ONE COLOR....a Monochromatic color scheme.  I pick a color and allow myself to use a full value range of that color. I give myself permission to use both warm and cool versions of my color. This gives me quite a few choices. 

In this video I chose purple for my color. I wanted to paint a subject that isn't usually all purple. Didi it work?  Click on the link video to watch!

             https://youtu.be/cxVp1RWWn_s           

 

Give the Gift of Original Art...50% Saving Starts Today!

It is a month of giving thanks! I am grateful for my life as an artist. It is truly a joy to paint everyday and share my work with others. I couldn't do it without your support. I am thankful for all of you who take time to read my posts, watch my videos and study with me on Patreon and in person! I also appreciate those who choose to add one of my paintings to their homes.Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

 This month I am offering a 50% savings on selected original pastel paintings. Many of them are the demos I painted this year! Many are my daily paintings and a few are the special paintings I have held back for exhibitions. They are all in need of good homes. I painted them all with joy and I hope that they can give joy to others. 

You can see all of the available paintings at this link in my Etsy shop. The 50% savings has already been applied. 

www.etsy.com/shop/karenmargulisfineart

THIS YEAR I HAVE A FUN TWIST TO MY THANK YOU ART EVENT

• Actually I have two fun additions to the event.  You can add this 10x8 painting to your collection. Everyone who purchases a painting during the month of November will be entered. The winner will be selected at the end of the month. Be sure to read the story of this painting. It really deserves a good home!
  
  
• Bonus paintings! I will include a mystery small original painting in the first 20 orders! (sold out)
  
  
  Here are a few of the paintings that are offered in this year's Thank You Event:
  
  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  
  

Paint Trees.......Not Leaves! New YouTube Demo

         'Autumn Holiday'                8x10               pastel               ©Karen Margulis      available $265

I have a problem when I paint trees.....I go overboard with the leaves!  I start to put in a few leaves and I have so much fun that before I know it my tree is covered in dots of leaf shapes! And dotty equals spotty which is something we want to avoid.  In this video I share some tips that help me overcome the problem of too many leaves. Click on the link below to watch the video on my YouTube channel.

             https://youtu.be/Hc3v7djNFGk           

One of the tips I share is that I like to start my tree paintings with big simple shapes of one value. I used a simple alcohol wash underpainting with local colors. It gave me a good foundation for the rest of my painting. Here is a closer look at the underpainting. 

I used an assortment of soft pastels including Terry Ludwig and Diane Townsend pastels. For the finishing touches I used a few Sennelier half sticks from the Paris set. 

Are you a Patreon Insider? When I release a video to my YouTube channel I always share a bonus lesson and expanded commentary for my Patreon Insiders. I'd love for you to join us!

www.patreon.com/karenmargulis

 

Trying Oils Again! Here is What I am Doing

       Summer Aspens'                  6x8           oil on panel             ©Karen Margulis       available

It has been in the back of my mind. I have not acted on it. There is so much I want to do and there never seems to be enough time but this time I am going to follow through!  Over the last few years I have wanted to expand my art knowledge and get more comfortable working with oil painting. I have tried occasionally to start an oil painting habit but it never lasted more than a few weeks. This time I am committed to following through. I know that being fluent on more than one medium is helpful. I want to feel as comfortable with oils as I do with pastel and I know this will take work!

Here is what I am doing to help me be more successful this time around!

• I am taking an online course with Scott Christensen. He has created a wonderful and comprehensive online course. You can work on at your own pace. The video lesson are broken into small chunks form 5-30 minutes each. These are easy to fit into a busy schedule. Spending money on a course is definitely worth it and it is very motivating! www.adventureofpainting.com

• I have invested in better supplies. I know from my experience with pastels that materials do make a difference. I splurged and purchased the Vasari paints and Rosemary brushes that Scott recommends. If anything I am motivated to use them because they were not cheap! (they are wonderful though) 
• I set up a dedicated space in my studio for oils. In the past I didn't have a dedicated space so I needed to clean up after each painting session. I know that supplies need to be available and easy to access and clean up or they will not be used....excuses will be made!  I am fortunate to have a big studio space so there was no excuse not to set up an easel and table dedicated to oils. 

• I am keeping it simple. I am starting with a limited palette of blue, red, yellow and white. Scott uses a warm and cool of each and I have them but I will work with just the three for now. I have to ease into mixing paint!

• I am using pastel studies to help me ease into oils. My plan is to paint a small 6x8 study at least three times a week. More is better but three is doable. I am preparing value thumbnails and plans for paintings during my non studio time so I will have a stockpile of ideas. I am taking the extra step of doing a small pastel study. This is helpful because it allows me to work out my colors. All I have to do is figure out how to mix them!

I just started this journey and have two oils finished. The best part is I woke up today excited to get into the studio for my next painting! I love learning new things!  

                                                     5x7 pastel study for my oil painting

The plan and the painting

                    Here is a closeup of my tree trunks. I do love the ability to get thick texture with paint!

I will share my progress from time to time here and on my social media. @karenmargulis. What do you do to help you stick to a painting goal?
 

Tips for Painting Fog and Mist in the Landscape

Painting mist, fog and haze is fun! It is an illusion and you have the tools to make it happen! I love to paint the moody landscape. There is nothing like a beautiful sunny day but I am drawn to the quiet of a misty moody landscape. But how do we create this feeling of mist or fog or haze in a painting? Do we need special pastels? Certain colors? The answer is no. We just need to use the tools we have for any landscape.....we need to master the creation of depth and understand value keys. There is also a certain mark making technique that works well for creating these weather conditions.  In this previous Patron Insider only video I share my techniques for making a landscape misty and moody! Follow the link below to watch the demo!

                                                               https://youtu.be/4p7ZJ6zfjR0           

It's Recycle Day in the Studio! Video Demo!

                'Delight'              14x11             pastel                ©Karen Margulis       available $325

I know what it is like to struggle with a painting. I know it sometimes seems like the only thing left to do is tear it up and throw it away! I have had those paintings where I never want to see them again! But I also don't like to pastel perfectly good paper especially the more expensive sanded papers. So I save the duds in a box and take them out occasionally for a mass recycling day.

In my latest video I share a very simple way to recycle sanded paper that can get rid of the bad and give rise to something new and exciting! All you need is some rubbing alcohol and a brush.

Click on the link below to watch the video. 

                                            https://youtu.be/Y1Yjg_Gz8rA            

Here is the recycled paper. It was a scrap piece of paper I used for a demo. It was a mess but the paper was too good to throw away. 

 Do you prefer to throw away your duds or do you recycle them? How do you like to recycle you papers? 

Three Tips for Painting Water: New Video Release!

This week I am sharing a video I made for my Patreon Insiders back in 2019. We spent two months exploring water and in this intro video I share 3 simple tips to help your paintings that include water look natural and believable.  The first tip I share is to always keep the water straight and level. Watch the video to see why and to see this marsh painting unfold! Click on the link below to watch the video. 

             https://youtu.be/rjck5JrO6-I           

By the way if you are already a Patreon Insider you may have seen this video. I will be sharing a post with some extra commentary later this week!  It is always good to rewatch demos after you have gained more experience! www.patreon.com/karenmargulis

        I used some pastel pencils to add some of the finishing grasses! Do you use pastel pencils?
 

Add Some Bling to Your Paintings!

    "Golden Summer'                    8x10              pastel            ©Karen Margulis     available $265 

This month I am exploring unusual underpaintings. One of my challenges is to take the same scene and paint it each week using a different underpainting technique. I had fun with this variation! Here is what I tried:

• I repurposed an older painting done on LuxArchival paper by brushing on some Liquitex Clear gesso. This turned the pastel into a muddy gray brown. I left the original light blue sky and used my brush to push the mud color into the shape of my mountains. 
• I liked the effect of the muddy color and the random brushstrokes but I have done this technique before and wanted to add something extra!
• I did a scan of my art supply shelves and found a bottle of gold powder by Schmincke. The powder is meant to be wet with water and brushed into watercolor paintings but I wanted to see how I could use it for my underpainting. 
• I sprinkled some of the powder on top of my still wet gessoed paper. The powder stuck to the gesso and was so shimmery and interesting!
• Everything dried and the gold powder remained secure and stayed shiny. I was ready to paint on it. 

The finished underpainting was exciting! The texture of the gesso gave me enough tooth to layer as much pastel as I wanted.  I made sure to use a light enough touch so some of the gold shimmer would show through the pastel layers. I love this effect and will be sure to try it again....perhaps in my next video demo!

 

Which is Better...Water or Alcohol Wash? New Video!

     'Mountain Joy'                8x10               pastel             ©Karen Margulis        $275

When it works it really works! It is a bit unpredictable but that is part of the excitement. Anytime that pastel is washed with a liquid it creates a whole new wonderful world! The dry pastel turns into paint and interesting things can happen. I love the possibilities!

Pastel can be liquified with any liquid. Water is an easy choice and I use it often. I also love to use rubbing alcohol and odorless mineral spirits. So which is better? It is a personal preference but I give the edge to rubbing alcohol.

•  Rubbing alcohol dries a bit faster than water. Since it quickly evaporates it doesn't sit on the paper leading to less chance of buckling.

• Rubbing alcohol can create some interesting spider web-like drips. Click on the photos below to see them closer. The results are unpredictable so I am always excited when I get some good runs like I did here. When I get some interesting drips it becomes my goal to allow as much of this underpainting as possible to show in the finished painting.

Tips for an alcohol wash: You need to use a surface that can get wet. Most sanded papers will work even when unmounted. Some artists prefer Pastelbord by Ampersand which is a board and will not warp or buckle. I use 70% alcohol which has a lower flashpoint than the 90%. Using harder pastels work best. The softer the pastel the gummier the results. If you do use a softer pastel be sure to use a very light touch.

If you are looking for a paper that will not buckle when wet have a look at my new YouTube video!

             https://youtu.be/m1HeUc4ohvk 

Be sure to leave me a comment and like and subscribe to my channel if you have not done so. Click on the notification bell so you will be notified when a new video is released. Subscribing to my channel is free!

          

 

How I Solved the Problem of White Paper! New Video Demo

 

                 'A Moment of Silence'.                 ©Karen Margulis.             pastel               sold

Do you struggle with painting rocks? I spent a month in July 2020 in my Patreon group focused on painting rocks and water. At the end of the month I put it all together and painting a scene with a variety of rocks, cliffs and even some reflections. I am releasing that exclusive Patreon demo to my channel for your enjoyment! This demo is helpful for pastel artists of all levels of experience! Not only do I share my tips for painting rocks and reflections , I show you how you can use plain printmaking paper for pastel painting!

Click on the link to watch the video! You can really help the channel by subscribing, liking and making a comment. It really does help! Thank you in advance!

             https://youtu.be/BjmFWBse5Bs         

SUPPLY LIST 1. BFK Rives paper 2. Nupastels hard pastels 3. Terry Ludwig pastels pastels 4. Clear gesso and gray acrylic paint 5. Blair very low odor workable fixative 6. Black foam core support board with black artist tape hinges to attach paper Subscribe to my channel and Patreon Page for more pastel and painting video demos and tips! ▽ Visit my channel 👇: https://www.youtube.com/karenmargulise/karenmargulis ▽ My Patreon Page 👇 ➞ https://www.patreon.com/karenmargulis ▽ My Instagram Link 👇 ➞ https://www.instagram.com/karenmargulis ▽ My Daily Painting Blog 👇 ➞ http://www.karenmargulis.com

What is the Most Unusual Underpainting You Have Tried?

'Mountain Magic'            8x10           pastel            ©Karen Margulis      available $265

This month I set a challenge for myself. How many unusual underpaintings can I try? I love the mystery and magic of underpaintings  and I often use watercolor or wet my pastel with water or alcohol but I wondered what other unexpected techniques I could try. So I made a list of the media and techniques I want to try and I will use my photos from our June camping adventure for inspiration. 

For my first underpainting explorations I tried two materials and techniques. I began with a wet underpainting using Caran d'Ache Neocolor II water soluble wax crayons. I then shaved some soft pastel bits in the meadow areas. I sprayed these bits of pastel with water which made them drip. Some of the pieces dried as texture on the paper.  The result was an interesting texture with bold vibrant color. 

I felt like a mad scientist in the studio and can't wait to do more explorations!  What is the most unusual underpainting you have done? Share in the comments!

 Join my Patreon group to see the full step by step demo of this painting! You can join for just $4 a month which gives you access to almost four years of content!  www.patreon.com/karenmargulis

How to Make Your Paintings POP! New Video Demo on YouTube

             'Intrepid'                 16x20              pastel               ©Karen Margulis        available $425
 

                  

Recently I dd an online mini workshop for the Arkansas Pastel Society. The topic was How to Paint Wildflowers. I did two full demos and started on a third. I did a wet underpainting with Derwent Inktense sticks and water. I finished the demo and made a Youtube video of the process. It is available for all to watch on my YouTube channel!  Click on the link below to watch. 

                          https://youtu.be/NWzpKYB0prE           

Can I ask a favor? I would love to grow my YouTube channel and expand my reach!  I would like to offer more videos on YouTube that compliment what I am doing on Patreon. Your engagement with me on YouTube is so helpful. If you have not already done so I invite you to subscribe to the channel and click on the notification bell so that you can get alerts when I release a new video. Your comments on each video are also very helpful!  Thank you very much for your support! 

                                                        www.youtube.com/karenmargulis