The Pure Joy of Painting

'A Magical Memory'              5x7          pastel            ©Karen Margulis
click here to purchase $55

 Painting is truly Magic. Artists take a blank canvas or piece of paper and create something from nothing.  What could be more exciting than to create a new world on a flat surface.  This is what I love best about painting. Creating something from nothing is such a great feeling. It is pure joy.

I went through a photography stage before I decided to learn how to  paint. I love photography. Capturing beauty and interest with a camera is also magic.  But painting is even better.  Painters don't have to wait for the right light or the perfect moment. We can imagine it. We can invent it. We can create it.

'Blue Sky Day'                5x7            pastel
click here to purchase $55

Some artists develop a fear of the blank canvas. It is scary. What if you mess up?  I don't let this fear stop me. In fact  I am never afraid of a blank surface. To me it represents possibilities. A chance to create a new reality. It doesn't matter if the painting doesn't turn out. It is the process of creating that is the high. Besides we can always fix it.

The original paintings before my touch ups

Take today's paintings. I unearthed them from a dusty pile of older work. (I never throw anything away)  They were plein air studies on Pastelbord. They were some of my very first plein air efforts that I did while on a painting retreat to Creighton Island, Georgia. That was probably 5 years ago or more. They weren't awful but they were dull and dingy and didn't really represent the true beauty of the island.

So I decided to touch them up. It was Pure Joy to take out my pastels and bring these little paintings back to life. All they needed were a little TLC, workable fixative and some nice soft Terry Ludwig pastels!

CYBER MONDAY...take 20% off anything in my Etsy shop. Use Coupon code GIVEART

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KarenMargulisFineArt

Finding Your Tribe...the joy of the art community

'Fall Splendor'            12x18           pastel           ©Karen Margulis
click here to purchase $175

 It took me 42 years. But I found my tribe. Being a part of a community of artists is something I am very thankful for.  I am lucky to have family and friends who are not artists and they enrich my life tremendously. But no one else quite gets me like a fellow artist does. I have had this discussion with many of my artist friends. We all agree that often we are the oddballs in our family. Who else gets excited by the way the late afternoon light makes even a garbage can beautiful?  Who else understands the pleasure in spending hours looking at art supplies?  I could go on......

My artists friends get it.  It is an exclusive club but one that is very welcoming. I have met some of the most wonderful friends through my involvement with pastels. They inspire me. They motivate me. They make me laugh. From beginners to professional artists....we all get it.   I am privileged to be able to learn from the best artists and in turn to share with others.  I am grateful for this blogging platform and social media that allows me to connect with artists around the world.

So a special thank you to all of my artist friends....from my VIPS, my Art Spirit Friends, my wonderful teachers (you all know who you are)  to the friends around the world that I have met and thoseI have yet to meet in person....Thank you for sharing this journey with me.  I am proud to be a fellow artist and friend!

drawing for painting done with compressed charcoal

As a special Thank you I am offering a 20% savings on everything in my Etsy shop in case you were considering the gift of art this year.  
Use coupon code GIVEART at checkout.https://www.etsy.com/shop/KarenMargulisFineArt

Seeing Beauty in the Ordinary

'Fair Ladies in the Meadow'            8x10         pastel          ©Karen Margulis
sold

 "Are you painting the weeds again?" my husband likes to say when I am working on a Queen Anne's Lace painting.

Weeds? Maybe. But they are glorious.  Have you ever really looked at a patch of Queen Anne's Lace?  I mean really look carefully at them.  The way they gracefully sway and nod in a breeze.  The complexity of a bloom which rivals the finest piece of lace. The beauty of the various stages of bloom from the tight bird nest stage to the wonderful colors of a spent bloom. And the colors ....greens and peach and lavenders and sometimes a delicate pink....heavenly.

Queen Annes Lace is  often overlooked. It is so common and ordinary.  They fill the roadsides and we hardly notice them as we speed by.  Not if you are an artist. Or anyone with a sensitive eye. We are able to see the beauty in the ordinary. We are fortunate to be able to see something interesting in the most common overlooked places. We are able to see and appreciate light and how it creates beauty.

I am thankful for being able to see the beauty that surrounds us. To really see it. To take it all in and then express it in a painting. It is my privilege to share this vision. In my paintings and by pointing it out to those who might not notice. And when they do start to notice.... it is wonderful.  I have done my job.

About this painting:  This is 8x10 on Uart 500. I have done a watercolor underpainting and used a mix of Diane Townsend pastels and Terry Ludwig greens.

Give the Gift of Art this holiday season!  I am offering a 20% savings on everything in my Etsy shop! Use coupon code GIVEART at checkout. 
 Link to my shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/KarenMargulisFineArt

The Thankful Artist....My Top Three List

'Among the Trees'            18x24           pastel             ©Karen Margulis
contact me for availability 

I am sitting here in my warm and cozy studio. Writing my post while waiting for a student to arrive. I have the holiday weekend ahead of me to do nothing but paint. It is great to be an artist.  In this time of giving thanks we all reflect on what we are grateful for. Of course my family and health are at the top of my list. But then comes art. 

Today I am a thankful artist. There are many things about being an artist that enrich my life so I will narrow it down to my top three. 

'Autumn Joy'   8x10    pastel  sold

In this post I will list my top three things that I am thankful for. I will expand on them over the next three days....during this weekend of Thanksgiving.

1. Being an artist gives me the ability to see the world with a new and sensitive eye. Artists can see beauty and interest where others may see nothing.

2. Being an artist connects me to other artists. This community of like minded people is a treasure. One doesn't need to be a professional artist to benefit from being a part of the art community.

3. Being an artist gives me pure JOY.  There is nothing like creating something from nothing. The sheer joy of painting is such a rush. It's the process that makes me happy. A good painting is icing on the cake.

What are some of the things you are thankful for?

A Great Benefit of Painting en Plein Air

'The End of September'            18x24           pastel        ©Karen Margulis
sold

 I have been meaning to do this. Ever since Richard McKinley suggested I use my plein air studies for studio paintings. That was a few years ago during his Lake Tahoe workshop.  I really haven't done much with that idea though. I usually come home from a trip or plein air outing and throw my paintings in a box.  Once I am home and wrapped up in everyday life I don't take time to revisit these little studies.

I am missing out on one of the benefits of Plein air painting. Making use of the studies. These studies may not always be great or frame-able  but they do give you better information than a photo.

I discovered that my plein air studies shows the emotional response I had while studying the scene on location. Compare the photo of the scene and my plein air study below. Can you see the drama and feel the wind in the painting?  You can't see that in the photo. When I look at the study I am reminded of the wind and the ever-changing drama in the sky. Now to recapture that drama in a studio painting!

Reference and Plein Air Study

I decided to use the plein air study for the demo painting I did last week for the Atlanta Artist's Center. The demo painting is 18x24. I chose it for the demo because I am familiar with this place. I wouldn't want to paint something totally new to me in front of a big group! Also the study made it simple to choose my palette.

The demo was a success. I got a lot of positive feedback and had a lot of fun with it. I don't think I captured the wind in the big painting and I think it is partly because I was talking and painting at the same time so I wasn't in the 'wind zone'. Also it is different paper. I used wallis Belgian Mist for the study and Uart for the demo....so it seems much smoother.

I am not finished with this motif so I will try it again to see if I can capture the energy of the study. I am encouraged to work from my plein air studies more often. I just needed a reminder!

If you didn't get to see my new YouTube video demo because the link wasn't in the daily email here is the link    http://youtu.be/HJwX_3-Qg7o   I apologize for that. It seems the email subscriptions don't pick up embedded links.

My First Pastel Video Demo on YouTube

'Early Morning Magic'                8.5 x 14.5        pastel      ©Karen Margulis
click here to purchase $145

I feel like a kid at Christmas today!  I got a new toy and it is hard to focus on anything else!  I treated myself to a GoPro video camera.  If you aren't familiar with these fun little cameras here is a bit from the GoPro website but basically it is a very small waterproof camera that shoots wide angle videos and photos. It can be mounted on just about anything to get great action shots.

"The camera that started a revolution.

Impossibly small. Impressively high performance. Incredibly versatile. It all adds up to a camera that makes it easy for anyone, anywhere, to capture stunning photos and video of their life’s most meaningful experiences."

I may not be into any extreme action sports but I can see the possibilities for filming my painting adventures. I will be putting it to the test in a couple of weeks in the Caribbean!  And I have some really exciting adventures planned for 2014 so this little camera will get a workout!

What about using it closer to home?  I thought I would try it out while I painted yesterday and made my very first video demo which I have added to my Youtube channel.  Read on about how I did it.

My Set up ...I mounted the camera on the box top which I stuck on a tripod

I am definitely a novice when it comes to video and editing. But the GoPro made it easy (along with the many tutorials you can find on Youtube. After I got the camera out of the box (I did need to watch a tutorial on that!)  I set up the camera and the GoPro app for my iphone. You can control the camera via the app using wifi....very cool.   I took a quick video of the dog and managed to get it on the computer and do some basic editing. I was excited.

Next I decided to do a quick painting.The camera does Time lapse which I think will be great for a bigger more involved painting. This demo took me 7 minutes so I filmed it straight through. I didn't cut much out at all. I figured out how to add titles and music too.  I have some great ideas for my Youtube channel so I hope you will subscribe and check out my first demo.



Here is the link to the demo. Let me know what you think!  http://youtu.be/HJwX_3-Qg7o


Information:
The camera is a GoPro Hero3 Silver (not the latest model but a great bundle price at Costco)
The painting is on Canson MiTeintes paper with Terry Ludwig pastels.

A Simple Start for a Pastel Painting

'Mountain Memories'       16x20          pastel        ©Karen Margulis

You just can't go wrong with this simple start. So often we get caught up in deciding about the underpainting...choosing techniques and colors.  This is fun but sometimes it is nice to just simplify the painting process.  A Value underpainting with an alcohol wash is a simple but very effective way to start a painting.  

Today I am sharing a commission I just finished in which I decided to do a value underpainting. I did a pair of 16x20 paintings that will be hung together. I chose  to do the value underpainting so that both paintings would have something in common. The underpainting unified them.

Value underpaintings are also a great way to set up the design of the painting. It provides that strong value map that will hold the painting together. It acts like the glue....the details to follow will now have something to hold them together!

'Mountain Memories II'            16x20          pastel 

4x6 studies available in my Etsy shop

I began by doing small 4x6 studies. I was working from paintings I had already finished but making some changes in format. The studies gave me and my client a visual. We could decide on composition and colors on a small scale.

Next I began the paintings by doing the Value underpainting.  I used a dark blue Nupastel #305 and blocked in the darks. I varied the pressure for the middle value shapes. Then I used a stiff brush and rubbing alcohol to wash in the pastel. I allowed it to drip which adds to the painting.
I am using Uart 500 grit. Once dry I began layering with my softer pastels. I used Terry Ludwig pastels.

Here is my working space. I am working from the original painting and the small studies. No photos.
My client is happy with the results and I had a fun time painting them.  If you haven't tried an alcohol wash and would like to, you might like to have a look at my Digital Download Demos in my Etsy shop. I have a demo on doing a turpenoid wash which is the same process only I substituted alcohol for the turpenoind.  The download is $6 click here for more information.

A Quick and Easy Way to Make Greeting Cards of your Paintings

'A Happy Summer Day'             18x24            pastel         ©Karen Margulis
available here $450

5x7 photo greeting card featuring my work
$5 in my etsy shop

I like to keep it simple. I look for ideas that are low cost and low tech.  When I decided to make greeting cards of my paintings I didn't want to spend a lot of money or time making them.  I tried printing them on my own printer but my printer goes through color ink like water and eats more paper than it prints. (yes I need a new printer)  Printing my own cards didn't work for me.

I considered using a third party printer such as Zazzle , Fine Art America and Cafe Press. But I wanted to have the cards on hand and not worry about placing orders for cards. 

 I decided to make my own cards using photos of my paintings. I love the way they turned out!

a card rack I found at a thrift store

Each card cost less than 15 cents including the photo, card, envelope and clear bag. Here is what I do:

• I order glossy 4x6 prints of my favorite paintings. I take photos of my paintings using a point and shoot camera and crop it in iPhoto. I have had very good luck with Walgreens. I upload my photos to them online and pick them up at my convenience. I always wait for a sale on prints.

• I use Strathmore blank greeting cards. I have used both the blank cards with deckled edge and the photo mount cards which comes with the adhesive. I use a glue stick for the regular cards. You can get a box of 100 cards with envelopes on sale at Jerrys Artarama for about $25. here is a link
• I sign each card under the photo for a personal touch.

• I slip the card and envelope into a clearbag for protection. I get my bags at www.clearbags.com

• The only drawback of not printing your card is that you don't have contact information on the back of each card. I will sometimes hand write my email and website or I include a business card in the bag.

I have a few of my cards available in my Etsy shop. Next week I will be adding my annual snow people cards to the store so stay tuned.

A Fun Idea for a Painting...and wrap up of the virtual studio tour

'What's in my Box'        6x6      pastel       ©Karen Margulis
sold

 I love this painting!  I have had it hanging in my studio for awhile now and I posted before but it is time to let it go. But it gives me a great idea for a painting subject.

Why not paint our tools of the trade.  Pastels, paint brushes and tubes of paint, palettes...no matter what your medium...painting your supplies is a great subject. I remember in a workshop I took with Terry Ludwig I painted a can of paintbrushes. It was a favorite of mine. I have painted my pastels twice and it was a lot of fun. I think I will do another one!

Thanks for visiting all week to see my studio. Today I will wrap up the tour with some more photos. I hope you have enjoyed seeing my space!

Here is a display corner. I like to keep a few empty frames and tabletop easels on hand to pop work into for display. It also helps me decide if a painting is done or needs more work. I don't bother with glass since it is just temporary.

This is actually my demo easel.  I have two 18x24 beach pastels on display. These were special orders but they are now for sale. I also have 22x28 prints of these paintings.

In the background I have my art library....lots of art books. I love books. In front of the shelves I have my painting 'Blue Skies Ahead' which won the poster competition for the IAPS convention in 2011. You can see the poster in the frame. I have a few of these left as well.  It was quite a moment when Maggie Price announced that I had won. My 15 minutes of fame!

This table is used for everything from framing to shipping to planning. I often paint here when I want to sit and of course students who prefer to sit use the tables.

Here are the student easels. This week I have several commissions in progress so I am using all of them!  For the Open Studio I  displayed some of my favorite paintings. The baskets hold more paintings in clear bags.

More paintings and easels around the other side of the room. The beach painting will be in the movie 'And So it Goes' with Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas. I can't wait to look for it. (hope it makes the cut)

This is my oil painting easel and supply shelf. My big paper rack is to the left of the shelf but not in the photo.

On display are more special order paintings and prints. All are available. Behind the paintings is another shelf unit. I keep all of my reference photos and file crates of my teaching files.

These photos show my Outer Studio. I use it now for storage though you have to walk through it to get to the inner studio. I have a sink in here and lots of shelves. During the Open Studio I set up some of my larger paintings. Heidi likes curling her big body up on the chairs!
This room opens up to a screen porch complete with rocking chairs. I didn't get a photo of the porch.

I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of my studio. As a visitor I invite you to take advantage of the Open Studio prices by taking 10% off anything in my Etsy shop. Just use coupon code LOVEART at checkout!https://www.etsy.com/shop/KarenMargulisFineArt

Keeping Safe with Pastels

'Among the Wildflowers'             8x10           pastel         ©Karen Margulis
sold

 It came in the mail yesterday. A gift from my students. I am so lucky to have such wonderful students and friends. Thank you Sandy Springs class!  So what did I get?  A big bottle of the barrier cream 'Gloves in a Bottle'.  I am happy to have it.  I admit that I don't pay much attention to safety while working with pastels.  I take basic precautions such as never blowing on a painting and wiping down surfaces and vacuuming daily. I avoid blending with my fingers. But I don't have a filtration system or wear masks and gloves.

  I have read that some pigments can be absorbed through the skin so it really is in our best interest to protect our hands. But I don't like to wear gloves....even the finger cots that some of my students use.  So I have made due with using lots and lots of baby wipes. I am constantly cleaning my hands with wipes. And that leads to dry skin. So what choices do we have if gloves are bothersome?

Try using a barrier cream!

Choices for protection...Barrier Creams

There are a few choices in protective hand creams available including ArtGuard Barrier Cream, Invisible Gloves, Marvelous Mariannes SkinSafer Barrier Cream and EZ Air Invisible Care. Check them out at Blicks.com HERE

I gave the Gloves in a Bottle a try for the first time today and I noticed a big difference. The pastel wiped off my fingers with no effort at all and now my hands feel noticeably softer. It will be the perfect compromise for me....safety vs. comfort....the best of both. It is just a matter of making it a habit.

If you have tried any of the other barrier creams I'd love for you to share your recommendations.

Read more about the hazards of pastels in an article shared by Chicago Artist Resource

About today's painting:
8x10 on Uart. This is a painting I did using the dusting method. I rediscovered it while organizing for the Open Studio Tour and it is one of my favorites!

Painting Demos in my Studio

'Oh to Be at the Beach'              11x14          pastel          ©Karen Margulis
purchase here $150

 'We can dance in here now!"  was the reaction from students when I rearranged my studio over the summer.  All I did was shift my storage shelves to my outer studio. This gave me so much more space. I bought all new easels, tables and stools and spread them around the edges of the room. Now we have a dance floor!

Actually I make use of the extra space for lessons and demos.  We now have a nice roomy area to pull up chairs for the demo. I open each class with a lesson and demo and now we don't have to cram into a tiny area.  Also the flow is better in the room so it is easy for students to get around and see all the work. I love these sharing breaks that we can have now.

An overview of my studio/classroom

 Here are a couple of photos of the demo area. You can see the easels and tables in the top photo. I use the large table in front to display paintings and books that represent our weekly lesson.  Below is the easel and table I use for demos. Notice the tray of pastels. I always preselect my pastel palette for each painting.

Having this extra room is great for private classes as well. I often do paint- alongs and this set up allows the student to see what I am doing as they follow along.  Today I painted a beach/dune scene with a student. We each had a different photo but the lesson was focused on using a step by step method of completing a pastel painting. Join me as I explain what we did:  

My Demo easel with my cat Jennifur

The reference photo for my demo

We began by evaluating our reference photo and deciding what changes to make. We then did value studies with greyscale markers. I decided to change the steep shape of the dune and grasses.

Thumbnail and Block-in

Next we talked about color choices and what to choose for block-in and final colors. I decided to use warm colors for my block-in.  We worked on yellow Canson paper.  We rubbed in the first layer using pipe foam insulation. We then continued with softer pastels layering color. We stayed with bog simple shapes for as long as we could then we put in the final details.

My student did a great job and I am looking forward to seeing what she paints next!  I love sharing and doing pastel demos in my studio!  I can't think of a better way to spend a morning!

I have posted my Winter Class schedule and classes are filling fast. I do have a few openings so please contact me to register or for more information. Email

Visit My Petite Pastel Corner...virtual studio tour

'Back to the Marsh'           2.5 x 3.5           pastel          ©Karen Margulis
sold

There has been an explosion of minis in my studio!  I am calling these small original pastels 'Petite Pastels'.  At 2.5x3.5 inches they are just too much fun to paint. Once I get started I can't stop!  I don't have a dedicated space in my studio for these minis. I keep the papers, clear bags and foamcore pieces in a box on a shelf. I use scraps!  Whenever I am in the mood to paint small I just take out my box and set up on a table. I like to sit when I paint this small.  For pastels, I have a small travel box of assorted pastels that I like to use but really any set will do even colors leftover from the last painting makes for a fun challenge!

What do I do with these little paintings when I am finished?  Have a look at the photo below for some ideas for storage and display.

• I put them into clear bags with a foamcore backing and display them on mini easels or boxes.
• I have mats cut with 2.5x3.5 inch openings. They look very important in a 5x7 or 8x10 frame!
• I find ready made frames in 2.5 x 3.5 size. I have found them at Aaron Brothers and even Walmart!  They look great in these frames and they are perfect for shelves and tabletops.
• I haven't done this yet but a friend has framed a group of them by floating them in a big frame.
• I tape a group of them on a piece of black foam core for a nice display. These are in the clear bags so they stay protected.
• You can but small greeting cards with openings for them. They wouldn't work with pastel unless you have the pastel in the clearbag.

Petite Pastels on Display

These little pastels make great gifts. I am offering the paintings below for $15 each or 2 for $20.  Email me if you see any that you'd like.  I also have some available in my Etsy shop.  Consider the gift of fine art this year!

A grouping of minis....number one is top left to right.

'Funky Chicken'   2.5x3.5     pastel
click here to purchase $15

'Marsh Impressions'       2.5x3.5  pastel