Working with an Underpainting

'Emergence' 5x7 pastel

One of the things I like to do is spend a day getting several paintings started or at least planned. I choose the subject, do some sketches and make some plans then I cut the paper and do the underpaintings. This way I have a stack of painitngs ready to work on when the time allows. Sometimes it happens that after sitting in the pile I no longer have the urge to paint what I have planned but it is easy enough to use the paper for another idea. Most of the time I go through with my original plans. Yesterday I had fun doing several underpaintings. I did some with gouache and some with oil paint. I sprayed them, turned them on their sides and did all kinds of things to them as they dried. It was fun do look at them and see what might emerge from the underpainting. You can see the oil stain underpainting above for the finished painting above it. While painting this one I had an idea for another one so I am headed back to the easel!

*Don't forget that my Daily Sketch Project begins tomorrow. Visit my blog to read more and I hope you will join us! *

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Variations on a Winter Landscape

'A Snowy Morning' 6x6 oil on gallery wrapped canvas

'Another Snowy Morning' 5x7 monotype oil on paper

I've been playing with this winter scene and trying it out in different mediums. I first did it 2 weeks ago in pastel and then I decided to try an oil painting. I would love to do more oils this year and I have set up a dedicated area for my oil paintings supplies. If it is out and ready to go I think I will choose to paint with them more often. The second image is a monotype done with oil paint on a glass plate with a hand pulled print made on Arches 88 paper. I love to play!

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My New Project for 2011...Keeping a Sketchbook

"Like a musician, an artist needs to practice every day and a sketchbook is an ideal place to work on your observational and drawing skills. In time you will learn to select and simplify so that you can encapsulate an attitude, a pose or a movement in a few lines. Sketching regularly also improves visual memory and manaul dexterity, enabling you to make accurate and rapid records of the subjects that interest you." Albany Wiseman, The Artist's Sketchbook

I know the benefits of keeping a sketchbook and drawing more and every year I resolve to start a sketchbook. One year I did about 10 sketches, one year I had a calendar with big areas for each day...a perfect place for a daily sketch...I got to Day 5 and stopped. This year my goal is to stick with it and sketch every day. I paint just about every day but I don't make time to do a quick sketch. I decided that by posting my daily drawing to a blog I would be held accountable to my goal. So welcome to my new blog! Here's the twist... I want you to join me. I know you are aware of the benefits of sketching more and I know you want to....so why not join me! I intend to make it fun with weekly challenges, themes, new techniques, inspiring information. I'll invite you to share your progress on the blog as well. So what are you waiting for? Get a new sketchbook and some pencils and get ready to sketch! We will start on January 1st.
I will be posting to my Daily Sketchbook blog www.sketchwithkaren.blogspot.com Have a look and sign up for updates. I'd love for you to join me!

Summer's End Wildflower Painting

'Summer's End' 8x10 pastel

I came across these wildflowers in Grand Teton National Park this past summer. There was a large patch of them all in various stages of bloom. I like the spent blooms for some reason. I like the shapes and colors and their character. I am gearing up for a couple of projects for the new year and I will be sharing the details soon! I am so excited to get started.

California Landscape ...Point Reyes National Seashore

'Fields of Gold' 5x7 pastel

I have so many reference photos from my trip to California in September and today I was in the mood to paint a California scene. We stayed in Inverness near Point Reyes. I loved it! There was so much wild beauty in this area that I could have spent weeks! We only had two days but we drove all over and I got some good photos. I loved the interesting trees and the golden fields of early Fall. This little painting is on UArt with a watercolor underpainting.

Mingo Point Kiawah Island Pastel Painting

'Mingo Point' 9x12 pastel

I did a commission last week of Mingo Point on Kiawah Island SC for a couple who will be married there this Spring. They wanted more detail than I usually put in including some hints of the buildings on the far bank. After I finished the commission piece I did this one for fun. I loved the scene but wanted to be a bit looser with it. I used a piece of watercolor paper that I had prepared with a toned pumice mixture. If you look closely you can see the texture of my surface. It is hard to get too fussy on this rough surface so I recommend it for anyone who wants to loosen up!

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A Pair of Dragonflies ...monotypes with pastel

'Dragonfly Dance II & I' 5x7 monotype with pastel

Here are two new dragonfly monotypes that I did last week with Corey. The bottom dragonfly is actually the first print. The top one is the 'ghost' or second print I pulled. I used black oil paint on a glass plate. I created the dragonfly by removing paint with various tools...Q-tips, bamboo skewers, push pins. When the prints were dry I went back into them with pastel including some iridescent pastels.

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Snow Country Pastel Painting

'Snow Country' 8x10 pastel

It's cold and windy with snow on the ground here in Georgia. The perfect day to pack for my caribbean cruise!! My husband and I usually take a get away cruise in the winter since that is his slow time at work. Summers are too busy for him to take any time off. We have visited cold and wintry places but we really enjoy the total relaxation of a cruise. If you follow my blog than you know that I still paint every day on my cruise. I have perfected the 'lounge chair' plein air set-up. This year I want to do some plein air painting on the islands as well. Got to get packing!

Winter Peace 8x10 pastel

'Winter Peace' 8x10 pastel

Wishing my friends and family a Merry Christmas and a holiday weekend filled with peace and joy. I am looking forward to relaxing with my family this weekend and then having the chance to do more art with Corey...perhaps a pastel lesson! That will be fun!

Let it Snow! pastel snowman painting

'Let it Snow' 5x7 pastel

They are calling for a white Christmas here in North Georgia. Last report I heard called for a dusting to 1-3 inches of snow on Christmas Day. I really don't mind and hope for enough for me to get out and take some photos. I love to paint winter scenes so Let it Snow!! Corey is home from school and today we did some monoprints. He tried my technique and I tried his. It was fun and I am anxious to do some more but I need to take a break and do some baking!

Late Afternoon Light 5x7 pastel

'Late Afternoon Light' 5x7 pastel

For today's painting I decided to grab a photo out of my box of reference photos and paint whatever I pulled out. It happened to be one of my favorite scenes. This is the beach at North Wildwood New Jersey. It was very late in the afternoon and the sun was going down fast. We wanted to walk on the beach so we parked the car and hurried down to the beach just in time to watch the last sliver of warm light disappear from sight. Great memories!

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Sanford Farm Nantucket

'Summer Walk' 16x20 pastel ©Karen Margulis

Another Nantucket painting today. This one is a larger painting I did from a 5x7 study. It was fun working from another painting rather than a photo! I did an underpainting with oil paint which I really enjoy. Next up on the easel will be another 12x24 Southeastern mountain landscape. I had a private student today and we worked on focal areas and using a reference photo to develop several concepts for paintings based on the photo but choosing different areas of interest. I am going to give myself the same assignment and see what comes of it!

Cape Cod National Seashore 10x20 pastel

'Summer at the Cape' 10x20 pastel Karen Margulis

The summer before my son left for college in Chicago we decided to take a family vacation. When the kids were younger we had taken them on 3 week trips just about every summer. We had been to most of the National Parks in the country and made wonderful memories. For this trip we asked the kids where they wanted to go....anywhere in the US. They chose to return to Maine and Cape Cod. We all seem to have a soft spot for the North East! This painting is from one of my photos from that trip. The views from this spot in Eastham are so inspiring!

Pastel Classes and Workshops for Winter 2011

I have finalized my pastel class & workshop schedule for Winter 2011. If you are in the Atlanta area I would love to have you join us for a class. I also offer private lessons for all levels.
BACK TO BASICS IN PASTEL
A weekly class which is scheduled in blocks of four weeks to a session. Each session
focuses on a different topic relating to painting basics and pastel techniques. Past topics
have included color, composition, landscape basics, still life, painting water. Topics for
the winter sessions will include composition, incorporating the figure into your paintings,
painting movement. Classes are suitable for all levels of experience. Small class size
allows me to work with each student at their own pace.
The class is offered on Wednesdays:
Morning Class: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Evening Class: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Tuition is $100 per four week session. Class size is limited.
Session I class dates: 1/19 1/26 2/2 2/9
Session II class dates 2/16 2/23 3/2 3/9
Session III class dates 3/16 3/23 3/30 4/6

WINTER 2011 MINI WORKSHOPS
I have scheduled four mini workshops for the winter/spring 2011. Each mini workshop
meets for 4 hours on a Sunday afternoon from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm. During the workshop
I will provide talks, demos and handouts relating to the topic and students will have
plenty of time at the easel with individual attention. It is a fun afternoon of painting,
socializing with other artists and learning! Upcoming mini workshops are:

1) SUNDAY JANUARY 30, 2011 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm $45
BREAKING FREE OF PHOTOGRAPHS: HOW TO USE YOUR PHOTOS MORE
EFFECTIVELY TO CREATE BETTER PAINTINGS
Learn how to rely less on your reference photos and how to use them to jump start and
inspire your work. Photos are the cause of may of our challenges with our paintings so
learning ways to avoid the pitfalls of photos will help us improve our work.

2) SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2011 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm $45
MONOPRINTS AND PASTELS ....PLAY & EXPERIMENT with Mixed Media
Explore the possibilities of introducing mixed media to your pastel paintings. We will
experiment with making monotypes with different inks and then applying pastel to our
prints. Degas used this method for many of his works and it is exciting and fun! I will
supply the printing supplies, just bring your pastels and a sense of adventure!

3) SUNDAY MARCH 27, 2011 1pm - 5 pm $45
PAINTING THE MOODY LANDSCAPE...FOG, MIST AND ATMOSPHERE WITH
PASTELS
In this workshop we will explore techniques for getting a moody look to your landscape
paintings. We will learn ways to paint fog and mist and how to introduce atmosphere
with pastels.
4) SUNDAY APRIL 24, 2011 8 am - 5 pm $75
PLEIN AIR 101
Whether you are an experienced plein air painter or want to give it a try, this all day
workshop will introduce you to the basics and make it easy for you to get outside and
paint. We will be painting outside in Marietta (location to be determined) Painting
outside is one of the best things you can do to improve your work and it is my goal to
make it less intimidating!

All classes and workshops have limited enrollment so please call or email to reserve
your spot early! kemstudios@yahoo.com (404)697-1717

Aspens in the Snow...monotype with pastel

'Aspens in the Snow' 5x7 monotype with pastel Karen Margulis

I had planned to paint today but got side tracked with some Christmas shopping. I have a pastel on the easel that I plan on working on tomorrow. Here is a monotype I did last week. This was done with black oil paint on a glass plate. The pastel was added after the print had dried. I love doing these!

Dionis Beach Nantucket Island

'Dionis Beach' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

I have had Nantucket on my mind for some reason. Perhaps because I just received a Christmas card from my cousins who live on the island. I have had the pleasure of visiting them a couple of times and the photos and memories I have of my visits continue to inspire me. In fact, I think I am inspired by Nantucket more than any other place I have visited. There is just something about it that speaks to me. My grandfather was born and raised there and we can trace our family back to the founding families of the island. So perhaps this is why it speaks to me so loudly. I hope to go back and do some plein air painting. For now I will be happy with my photos and memories.

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Price: $145 USD
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Rooster Pastel Painting 8x10

'Big Red' 8x10 pastel

Another painting from my new farm series. I have collected photos of farms and farm animals and thought it would be fun to put them to use. I like working in a series of similar subjects but I usually have more than one series going on at the same time. That way I can decide what I feel like painting. So will tomorrow be a day for pigs or a day for wildflowers? I'll be surprised!

Power Poppies...monotyes and pastel

'Power Poppies III' 5x7 monotype with pastel

'Power Poppies I' 5x7 monotype

'Power Poppies II' 5x7 monotype

I have been having so much fun with these monotypes. For these poppies I used water mixable oils paints on a glass plate. They are hand printed. The bottom photo shows them in order. For the first print on the left there is no addition of pastel. For the second print I added more paint to the plate and changed the flowers a bit. The third print is the 'ghost print ' from the second version. That one printed much lighter and so I used it as a base for adding pastel. This was different from my previous prints because I used color on the plate rather than just black ink. I am getting more adventurous!

'Behind the Scenes' Cow Painting 12x24

'Behind the Scenes' 12x24 Pastel Karen Margulis

close-up details

Underpainting with gouache

I wish the photo showed the scale of the painting better. 12x24 is actually large for me! I had this photo for a couple of years and I've been wanting to paint it. I took the photo while Jayne, Holly and I wandered around the Amish Country in PA. I couldn't resist taking a photo of these cows as they ate. I thought they needed a long format. I did an underpainting with gouache and did a few layers of pastel, used some fixative so I could get a bit of texture and more contrast. It was a fun change of pace for me. I am doing a little farm series and have some chickens, sheep and pigs on my list!

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Winter Landscape 9x12 pastel

'Winter Hush' 9x12 pastel

Here is a winter scene that is a bit different for me. I decided to leave it very soft and loose. I had planned on doing a more detailed painting but this painting had another plan. I blame it on the paper! I used a piece of watercolor paper that I prepared with pumice mix that was tinted peach. I thought that the texture of the paper would help create the lacy effect of the bare branches. That didn't happen! The brushmarks of the pumice mix were going in the wrong direction! So I did something I never do...I rubbed it all in with my fingers (yes I did Susan!!) and I actually liked the softness. I did go back and add pastel but I chose not to put in too much detail. Now I need to try another version and make my textured brushstroke work for me! That's the plan anyway.

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Monotypes with Pastel now on Etsy

I have been enjoying the monotype process and love how the printmaking papers take the pastel. My son will be home from SAIC next week and I am anxious to see his monotypes and to try some together. I have put some of my monotypes in my Etsy Store. I have some of my pastels in my store as well. All of the art in my store is inspired by nature. You can see my store here at Songbird Studios Fine Art.

Chickadee in the Snow 5x7 pastel

'Chickadee in the Snow' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis sold

Today's painting is another little bird in the snow. He looks like I feel today....trying my best to stay warm. It is a good day to stay in the studio where it is nice and cozy and paint the cold. I have another snow painting on the easel which I will work on next. This one is on LaCarte pastel card. I also am working on finalizing my winter pastel class schedule and I will be posting it by the end of the week. I am excited about my upcoming mini workshops!

First Snow....Cardinal Painting SOLD

'First Snow' 5x7 pastel

We had some flurries here in Georgia today so I wanted to paint a little snow painting. This little cardinal trying to stay warm called out to be painted. We only got some flurries and nothing stuck so no photo opportunities...just cold cold weather! Tomorrow I plan to stay inside painting all day!

Landscape Variation... Texture and pastel

'Landscape Variation #42' 5x7 pastel

I am getting ready to start my new pastel challenge so I was looking over my 100 variations which I still have hanging in my studio. I have sold several of them including some of my personal favorites. This one caught my eye today. I love the texture I got with this one. I used acrylic matte medium on top of pastel with additional pastel added on top of the medium once it was dry. I need to remember to uses this technique more often.

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Teton Mountains Plein Air Paintings

(top) 'Mt. Moran' 5x7 pastel
(bottom) 'Teton Blue' 7x5 pastel SOLD

This must be the week for the Tetons. I have sold a couple of my Jackson Hole paintings and I am working on a new commission. I also got a nice Christmas Card from Moulton Ranch. (Iola sends her best to all of the Art Spirits) It is fun to look through my photos from the trip. What a fantastic time we had. I know there will be plenty of paintings to come!

Winter Cold Pastel Painting 11x14

'Winter Cold' 11x14 pastel

It has been cold here in Georgia the past week and there is more cold on the way! We get the cold weather but no snow to enjoy. I really don't mind the cold weather as long as I am dressed warmly. My studio had a gas heater which does a good job of keeping the room warm. I think it also helps to know my husband and I will be taking our annual winter cruise in January. Winter is his slowest time at work so it is usually when we take our vacation. We have gotten some great deals on cruises which makes them such a good value and there is nothing more relaxing than sitting on a lounge chair and painting caribbean scenes!

Dragonfly Magic monotype with pastel SOLD

'Dragonfly Magic' 5x7 monotype with pastel Karen Margulis

For this dragonfly I did a monoprint with black relief ink on a glass plate. I used the subtractive method and had the most fun doing the wings with a bamboo skewer! This is actually the ghost print (2nd Print) I pulled. When it dried I added pastel mostly Great American iridescent pastels. You can't see the shimmer very well in the photo but they are perfect for painting dragonflies!

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Island in the Marsh 9x9

'Island in the Marsh' 9x9 pastel

A productive day in my newly organized studio. I set up two additional easels so I now have a pastel area, an oil area, an acrylic area and a print making area. It is so nice to have a roomy studio! I am hoping by having all my supplies out and ready I can experiment with these different mediums as the mood strikes me. I also organized all of my printed reference photos. They had gotten so unorganized so it feels great to have them back into their categories. Today's painting is a scene from Kiawah Island. I have painted a larger view of this spot but it was fun to rethink it and paint a square format.

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Price: $140 USD
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Robin Eggs Mixed Media Monotype

(top) 'Blue Jewels' 5x7 monotype with pastel

My printing supplies arrived from Blicks and I had fun playing with monotypes. First I organized my paper. I ordered several kinds to try them out. I also had to cut the paper into smaller pieces. Finally I got to try a print. I used relief ink on a glass plate and drew the nest with various tools. The big nest on the left is the first print I pulled. I was able to get two more smaller ghost prints which I then added pastel once the print was dry. For the last 8x10 print I added more ink including blue and gold inks and made another print. This is so much fun! What surprised me is that I really liked how the pastel went down on the smooth Arches 88 paper!

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Plein Air California September 2010

I didn't get to paint today so I went into the 'archives' to find a painting I have not shared. This is a 5x7 plein air study I did at the Richard McKinley workshop in Hope Valley California. I thought it would be fun t share the photo of the location where we were painting. I was interested in the long morning shadows and the bits of golden grasses. The study is 5x7 on Wallis Belgian Mist paper. I don't remember but I may have been sitting down to paint this which would explain the lower angle. Sometimes when I am in a spot I will paint several paintings by shifting my viewpoint slightly and sometimes I will even grab my small box of pastel and sit down to paint. I love the close up views you can get on the ground!

Tiny Meadow 2.5 x 3.5 pastel SOLD

'Tiny Meadow' 2.5 x 3.5 pastel

I am looking forward to getting back in the studio this week to paint and play with my new inks and papers. I have some ideas swimming around my head for some monotypes and I am anxious to try them out. My studio is all organized and ready for me and I can't wait!

Sunflowers with Turquoise 7x5 pastel

'Sunflowers with Turquoise' 7x5 pastel

I am sharing a sunflower painting that I did a couple of week's ago. No time to paint today as I was busy with last minute things for tomorrow's Open Studio Sale. Please stop by my studio if you are in the area on Saturday. We'll be here from 10:00-6:00 and would love for you to see our work. Today I was also at a meeting for an exciting endeavor I am involved with. I will share the details soon!

Bison At Grand Teton National Park

'Morning at the Ranch' 11x14 pastel

This past summer we spent a week at Moulton Ranch Cabins in the Grand Teton National Park. Every morning a huge herd of bison would wander past the ranch and we would gather inside the fence to watch the parade. It was magical! To see bison of all sizes from huge 'Big Daddys' to mamas with their babies was fascinating. I can still hear them shuffle through the grass and grunt and groan. Every once and awhile a few would break away from the herd and run....and I now know what it means to sound as loud as a herd of buffalo! What an awesome experience.

Winter Landscape 8x10 pastel

'Winter Color' 8x10 pastel

You never know what you might find when cleaning up the studio! Today I found this painting on a top shelf wrapped in glassine. I put it up there when it was on the Twitter 140 hours auction and forgot about it. That was over a year ago! I remember doing this study for larger paintings I did for demos at the Appalachian Pastel Society and the Southeastern Pastel Society. It was my first time doing a demo in front of a big group and I wanted to be sure I was prepared. This one is 8x10 on Pastelbord with a value underpainting done with dark blue Nupastel and turpenoid,