Painting my World

Tips for Successful Watercolor Underpaintings ...Part I

2012-01-28T15:59:00.006-05:00

'Wishful Thinking' 5x7 pastel with watercolor underpainting

I love doing watercolor underpaintings for my pastels. But I struggled with them. I still struggle but a workshop with Richard McKinley last year has given me hope. As Richard told us it is just a matter of practice. Do more underpaintings...just underpaintings...never mind the pastel...just practice! So I have been working at it and I love the possibilities of the watercolor. In today's post I will pass on some tips on getting started with watercolor underpaintings. In my next post I will show you a step by step demo and discuss why you might want to consider watercolor under your pastels.

My watercolors from top left: Daniel Smith Color Map set, Pelikan Opaque pan, Schminke Hordam tubes, Schminke travel pan set.

Sample watercolor underpaintings from top left: Schminke pans (today's dandelion painting), Daniel Smith, Old Holland pans, Pelikan pan set

Surface Choice: You need to use a pastel surface than can accept a wet underpainting. Certain papers such as LaCarte can't get wet. Some surfaces perform better than others. Rigid surfaces such as Pastelbord don't warp or buckle. Some papers buckle more than others and do better when wet and stretched or mounted. I have had success with unmounted Uart paper with little to no waving. Canson MT Touch also performed well. I have had unmounted Wallis buckle but just got a tip to dampen it and stretch it first so I have to try that!
Surface Color: White surfaces are best for the most vibrant results. Dark and grey papers tend to make the watercolors look dull. I prefer very light colors with white being my favorite.
Watercolor Choice: There is a variety of opinions on the best watercolors to use. I have always heard that artist grade watercolors are best with the richest pigment and vibrant results. I have had success though with an inexpensive Pelikan pan set. My favorite set is my travel Schminke pan set but this little set was expensive...$100! I just got some Schminke tubes that were on clearance so I look forward to trying those.
Brushes: You want to use inexpensive bristle brushes and not the expensive watercolor brushes. The sanded papers will tear up the brushes. I also like the stiff brushes to scrub the colors in and make texture.
Most important consideration: Don't be Skimpy...Skimpy =Wimpy! This is the most important thing I have learned. The little travel sets are nice but you just don't get enough paint moving around. You don't want it thick but if your little pans are tiny you will end up being too skimpy with your paint.

If you haven't tried a watercolor underpainting or want to improve yours...get your paints out and come back for tomorrow's post for a step by step demo.

For more information see Robert Sloan's review of the Daniel Smith Color Map set

What Makes a Great Art Workshop?

2012-01-27T17:59:00.007-05:00

'Crow Creek Fall' 5x7 plein air pastel ©Karen Margulis

Purchase painting with Paypal

I have taken some excellent pastel workshops. Each one has given me skills and a unique perspective that I have incorporated into my own way of working. I would like to share some thoughts on how I choose a workshop and review some of my favorite workshops,beginning with Stan Sperlak. First, what do I look for when choosing a workshop?

The most important thing is that I like the artist/instructor's work. If I admire the work then I will be more interested in learning about how the artist works.
I look for an instructor who is organized. I want to know what we will be doing, what to bring and once the workshop starts does the instructor go over the schedule, have maps, have handouts? There is enough to think about with learning new things so I don't want to wonder about the logistics.
I learn best from an instructor who combines lectures/talks with plenty of demos. I would rather have a few short demos than one long one. For me handouts to accompany the lectures are a nice bonus.
I love workshops where the instructor goes the extra mile and shares reference books and materials, meets with the group for a dinner or informal art talks after class. As a teacher myself I know it is tiring but as a student I really learn from these after class sessions. I appreciate the instructors who takes time to meet after class some evenings.
I prefer to take workshops with a small group of students but for the most popular instructors this isn't always possible. Some instructors do a great job making sure that everyone gets individual attention at the easel no matter how large the group.
I like an instructor that gives plenty of group feedback...whether at the end of each day or the end of the workshop but I learn so much from hearing what is said about everyone's work and not just my own.

When choosing to take a workshop I try to find reviews or talk to other artists to find out if the workshop instructor meets my criteria. This isn't always easy to find so I will be reviewing my favorite workshops in the coming weeks. I'd like to start with one of my top choices...Stan Sperlak

'Farm View' 8x10 plein air pastel

I have taken three workshops with Stan. He meets all of my criteria and then some....which is why I keep going back! Here is a little bit about Stan's workshops taken from his website

"Stan believes in working from life first, and understands the artists need to also work in the studio. Here he excels in teaching students how to see, analyze and re-interpret a scene, how to bring from within yourself paintings that reflect your emotion and connection to your subject and produce believable images. Stan constantly weaves lessons from life, history and nature into all his critiques and lectures. You will come away from the workshop with a new appreciation of the world around you!"

Stan really goes above and beyond to be sure he helps you no matter what your experience level. I love how Stan is able to relate lessons about the natural world to art. For example he doesn't just demonstrate how to paint a sky or a sunset....he explains why the colors in the sky look as they do...while you are out looking at it. Now when I paint a sky I remember this lesson and it helps me make better paintings.

Here is a Stan experience that sums it all up... My two friends and I attended a workshop at Stan's Crow Creek Farm. At one point we were struggling with painting a field. Stan was making his rounds and realized we were struggling so he got his easel, set up and did a quick demo to show us a way to approach the field. (He had already done 2 group demos) That is connecting with your students and really helping them learn! We will never forget how he went out of his way to make sure we understood how to see the aerial perspective in that field.

'Afternoon Weeds' 5x7 pastel

The paintings I am sharing in this post are all plein air paintings I did at a workshop at Stan's Crow Creek Farm in Goshen New Jersey. It is a wonderful, inspiring place and a fantastic location for a workshop. Stan has a full schedule of workshops for 2012 and you can see them all on his website. If you can get to one, you will not be disappointed!
See Stan's work HERE

A Wonderful Alternative to a Home-made Pastel Surface

2012-01-26T16:24:00.007-05:00

'Magen's Bay Winter' 11x14 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $150

Do you like the look and feel of your own home-made pastel surfaces? I love it but I don't enjoy preparing my paper and boards. I have discovered a great alternative to making my own... Townsend Pastel Paper. This paper is made by Diane Townsend's daughter and it is available at Dakota Art Pastels. Here is the description from Dakota's website:

The exquisite velvety surface of this coated sheet is produced on Rives BFK 100% cotton paper. A mixture of two grades of silica, methylcellulose, liquid adhesive, chalk, whiting and water is hand brushed on the paper. Several passes are made to achieve an incredibly smooth, even surface. The resulting surface is like very fine sandpaper. The coating is clear, with coloration coming from the BFK papers. The Townsend paper is completely archival and will handle light water base washes and also solvent base washes.

I have been playing with this paper and really enjoy the soft feel of the Rives paper with the tooth of the ground. I find I am getting an textured effect very similar to a smoothly applied home-made ground. For today's painting I did a watercolor underpainting on white paper.

watercolor underpainting with Schminke watercolors

The BFK Rives paper give a nice cushiony feel. I am a fan of paper rather than stiff boards.
The hand applied ground is very smooth and even yet has nice tooth. I got about 50 layers of soft pastel in my layer test.
I like the way the texture of the paper shows through and give the painting a textured look.
If you are a fan of smooth blended areas you will need to put down several layers before you can blend.
I like that the paper can accept a water or solvent based underpainting. I tried watercolor and alcohol wash with good results. There was very slight waving which 15 minutes under a heavy book flattened the paper right out.
The paper is available in white,cream,grey and tan. This is actually the paper color since the ground is clear.

Overall this could easily become one of my favorite papers. I love how it feels and if I am painting a subject that would benefit from texture then I would definitely use this paper as one of my top choices. You can read more about the Townsend Pastel Paper on Diane Townsend's website. I also love her pastels and will review them in another post.

If you enjoyed today's post I'd love to hear from you and invite you to sign up for email updates.

How to Avoid Muddy Snow...A Quick Pastel Demo

2012-01-25T15:12:00.009-05:00

'Winter Light' 6x6 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $75

Painting snow with pastels can be a challenge. I am especially snow-challenged because I live in the south. I don't get much opportunity to see snow so I have to work from bad photos. I have had to figure out ways to help me interpret winter photos to make better paintings. I have learned to exaggerate and add colors to my snow and shadows as they often appear black, white and grey in my photos.
One of the other challenges we have with snow and pastels is avoiding muddy looking snow. This can happen easily since in winter scenes we are working with very light values (snow) next to dark values (trees,water, rocks) If we don't plan out our value masses and end up trying to put snow on top of darks we risk getting dull and muddy color. Yes you can brush out and redo....but it is better to get it right the first time.
For snow scenes it is important to do your value studies and I like to take it a step further and do a value underpainting. I use a dark blue or blue-purple Nupastel to block in my dark and middle values leaving the paper color for the lights. I try to use no more than 4 values. I like to wash this in with an alcohol wash to set it into the paper. Now I have a value road map so I will have a better chance of getting it right with my pastels.

Mini Pastel Demo

Value study with 3 values. I like to use Tombow markers and a tiny sketchbook. Value study just indicates the big simple shapes...no details,no lines.
I am using white Pastelmat paper size 6x6. I have taped off my reference photo to find my composition. Looking at my value sketch, I block in the big shapes with a blue-purple Nupastel. I wash this in with rubbing alcohol to set it into the paper. This is my value road map.
A selection of pastels that I may use for my winter paintings. I pull these out of my big box and will use this palette for several winter scenes. It helps me keep my colors more harmonious if I pick them out before I start to paint.
Close-up of finished alcohol wash.
I start with soft pastels and reinforce the dark shapes with 2-3 layers of colors in the same value. I made sure to put some warm darks in the sunlit areas.
Next I key in the lightest lights in the snow and blocked in the sky.
I continue by blocking in the distant trees with a muted purple,the sunlit trees and the start of the shadows on the snow. All values are in place now it is a matter of refining the painting.
Continue building layers. Add some greens and snow to the evergreen tree, putting down the snow in shadows and in sunlight...shadows getting lighter and cooler into the distance and snow getting duller.
Adding the finishing touches by putting bright,warm snow on tree and sunlit trunks with a peach pastel.

I hope you enjoyed my mini demo! I plan to post a new demo each week so I hope you will sign up for updates so you don't miss a post. Sign up on the side bar for email updates, facebook and twitter too!

A Great Way to Store Finished Pastel Paintings

2012-01-24T15:12:00.009-05:00

'Summer Fields' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis SOLD

What do you do with all of your unfinished paintings? I have a multi step approach to painting storage and the first step is courtesy of IKEA. Many artists like to keep finished paintings around the studio before framing and storing so they can evaluate them with fresh eyes. This is a challenge with pastels because they need to be protected so leaving them sitting around the studio is inviting damage (especially when you have curious cats & dogs) So I discovered a great way to keep paintings in view but up and out of the way. It is a wire curtain line from IKEA.

My Hanging System courtesy of IKEA
Paintings on wall are part of my 100 variation challenge

This curtain wire is easily attached to the wall on two sides and mine stretches 12 feet. It comes with clips that hook onto the wire so it is simple to clip your painting and hang it on the wire. Extra hooks are available. I find I can hang about 30 paintings 11x14 or smaller...perfect for a month's work. Having them hanging all month gives me a chance to revisit them and make changes as I see fit. Looking at a month's allows me to see what I am pleased with and what I want to work on. At the end of the month I take them all down and file them away (I'll get into that in another post) I am now ready to start the new month. I find it helpful to keep my current work handy and in view. It is also great for my students to see what I've been working on up close.
This wire is available at Ikea stores. It is called a DEKA Curtain wire and it includes clips. Here is the link for the curtain wire from the Ikea website.
I will be sharing the next steps to my storage system in an upcoming post. Be sure to sign up for email updates (on sidebar) so you don't miss a post.

How to Paint Falling Snow with Pastels

2012-01-23T17:19:00.008-05:00

'Evening Snow' 11x14 pastel on board ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $150

I've been painting up a storm! This week I have been working on my own home made surfaces and painting some winter landscapes. One of the things I have been wanting to paint is the effect of falling snow. Painting individual snowflakes doesn't work very well. Anytime you try to be too literal with landscape elements you don't leave much to the viewer's imagination. Painting every snow flake would be like trying to paint every leaf on a tree. I find it better to suggest rather than spell it all out. I wanted to find a way to suggest falling snow. I discovered a couple of techniques that work for me.

Snow Making Kit for pastels

The first method is a twist on a technique I learned from Terry Ludwig. I attended a plein air workshop a few years ago and Terry demonstrated this technique for adding spray to whitewater. To make snow all you do is shave some white or very light value soft pastel into a cup or lid, add a few drops of water to make a paste. You are actually returning the pastel into is wet, pasty stage. Now take a stiff brush or toothbrush, rub it into the liquid pastel. To create the snow, hold the brush over your painting and either flick or run a finger over the bristles to spatter the pastel 'snow'. You might have to play around with the consistency of the paste to get the effect you want. Don't worry about the wet spatters. They will dry and most of the pastel snow will stick. Instant snow!

Palette Knife Technique

Another snow making technique is to shave some soft pastel on the area of your painting where you want the snow. Press these shaved pieces into the paper with a palette knife. This works for adding small specks as well as for larger areas such as snow covered branches. I love using iridescent white pastels with this technique.

This photo shows both techniques and how they appear on your surface. I have fun with this technique and I have ideas for using it in other landscapes that I can't wait to try. Do you have techniques for painting falling snow? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
P.S. I just read Richard McKinley's Pastel Pointer blog post which is on this technique called 'Dusting'. He explains it in detail in his post.

My Guide to Painting Beautiful Places....Nantucket Island

2012-01-22T11:38:00.006-05:00

'A Nantucket Bouquet' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with Paypal $145

I have Nantucket sand in my shoes. My Grandfather was born and raised on Nantucket Island. A few years ago I did our family genealogy and discovered we go back to the founding fathers of the island. I also discovered a treasure....an unknown cousin who has lived on Nantucket all of his life and along with his father built many of the island homes. I have been to visit him a couple of times and hope to go back.
Nantucket is the most beautiful and inspiring place just full of magical landscapes. Nantucket has it all....beautiful beaches both wild and tame, harbors full of colorful boats, lighthouses, a wonderful town that takes you right back to the 1700's...cobblestone streets, gas lights and window boxes filled with flowers. But that is not all...the interior of the island has magical moors and meadows filled with wilflowers, misty marshes, ponds filled with waterlilies. Not to mention the birds and other wildlife. I could spend an entire summer soaking up and painting the beauty of this island. Here are some of my favorite spots.

'Steps Beach' 8x10 pastel

Many steep steps must be descended to get down to the beach but the views of the winding paths through the dunes are wonderful. I love standing at the top of the steps and feeling the sea breeze, smelling the beach roses and enjoying the expansive views. See more about The Beaches of Nantucket here.

'Madaket Daisies' 11x14 pastel

If you go as far west as you can you will come to Madaket Beach. This spot is famous for the sunsets. For me it was the wildflowers that got me excited. The fences and yards around the beach are filled with wonderful wildflowers. It is heaven for a wildflower lover like me. We visited Madaket on a foggy day which made the colors of the flowers even more intense. I was happy for some fog for moody photos but also glad when the sun came out later in the day. You can take the Wave...Nantucket Regional Transit Authority Shuttle buses to get to Madaket as well as all over the island. Read more about Nantucket Transportation here.

'Sanford Farm Path' 11x14 pastel

Nantucket is famous for beaches and as much as I love the sea I am just as drawn to the interior places on the Island. One of my favorite places is Sanford Farm. The Nantucket Conservation Foundation has preserved this beautiful spot and now it is laced with trails for hiking, birding, photography or plein air painting! To read more about Sanford Farms and other Nantucket Conservation Foundation properties visit their website here.

'Evening Stroll Nantucket' 8x10 pastel

Imagine a day exploring the island capped off by a wonderful dinner of Lobster rolls and fried clams (my favorites). After dinner you get an ice cream cone and stroll the cobblestone streets in town. I am not really a painter of architecture or street scenes but the possibilities here are endless. There is really something for everyone on Nantucket...art lovers, nature lovers, beach people, boat people...I can't wait to go back!
If you would like to visit Nantucket know that getting there is half the fun. I like to take the slow ferry. We don't take a car (expensive) and just use Island transportation. Here is more information on the ferries.

I posted an album of additional Nantucket paintings on my Facebook page. I'd love for you to have a look and 'like' my page! www.facebook.com/karenmargulisart

Nantucket Paintings are available for purchase. Contact me at kemstudios@yahoo.com for information

Laying it on Thick...A Recipe for Thick Pastel Ground

2012-01-21T14:16:00.008-05:00

'Winter Creek' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $145

I love experimenting with new techniques. When I read the recent Pastel Journal article about Robert Carsten and how he uses homemade pastel grounds I knew I had to try them. I decided to go for the thickest ground. I wanted to get the most texture possible. I mixed a smaller amount since I only had one 8x10 piece of gatorboard to coat.
The recipe for the Thick Paste-like Ground calls for 1 cup of Golden's Light or Coarse Molding paste mixed with 1/8 to 1/4 cup of water with 4 tablespoons of grit added. I painted my board first with Golden Fluid Acrylic and when this was dry I applied my ground mixture. It made a wonderful textured board with lots of exciting brush marks!

Close-up of my painting showing the texture and underlying brushstrokes

When I began to apply pastel I had a mini panic. The ground was so rough the pastels only stuck to the higher ridges. Not only that it was rapidly eating up my pastels. I was about to give up. I like to experiment but not with my softest pastels! Luckily I had just found a box of Richeson pastels that I had forgotten about. (Don't you love when that happens!) and they worked perfectly on this surface. They were just the right consistency in that they were soft enough to fill in the ridges but hard enough to hold up pretty well. Not to mention the colors were wonderful. One thing I did was to push my first layer into the surface with a piece of pipe insulation foam. That gave me a nice underpainting to build on.

Overall I had fun with this thicker ground once I found the right pastel to use. One thing I would do differently is to apply the ground with a palette knife the way Robert Carsten demonstrates in his article. I like the brushstrokes but it would be fun to get a different kind of texture. I will definitely be doing more thick pastel paintings!
Robert Carsten's article appears in the October 2011 issue of the Pastel Journal. For additional techniques from Robert see the online article on Artist Network.

One Way to Loosen Up Your Painting Style

2012-01-20T15:18:00.008-05:00

'Winter Impressions' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $95

I am not one for painting details. A looser approach is just my natural tendency. If I wanted to get more detailed I have to work at it. I am often asked for advice on how to paint more loosely. If your natural tendency is to be detailed oriented there are some things you can try to loosen up. I want to share one way in today's post.
Change your painting surface to one with a lot of texture.
Why does this help? To paint in a loose manner it is important to focus on big simple shapes. You need to forget about details especially in the beginning stages of a painting. Too often we get bogged down with the details and try to paint every branch or blade of grass. If you want to paint loose, it is much better to paint the big shapes and put in just hints of the detail. A rough or textured surface makes it difficult to put in fussy details.
For pastels this means trying out some homemade surfaces. These surfaces can be made to have texture and brushstrokes which will affect how the pastel is applied. Pastels will glide over the ridges creating a 'painted' appearance. The brushstrokes of the ground will show. You can push some pastel down into the ridges but it is difficult to get too fussy. Details are suggested and you have instant looseness. Give it a try!

mini demo of my painting on my own homemade board

I made my own surfaces on Gatorfoam board. I cut a large piece of Gatorfoam into 8x10 pieces. It is easy to score with a utility knife. I coated the board with acrylic gesso to seal it. When it was dry I applied the ground which was made of acrylic gesso, fine pumice powder and water. I tinted this mixture with Golden fluid acrylic paint. There are several recipes for grounds that you can find and you will want to experiment with the ingredients to find mixture you like.
To read more about making your own grounds I recommend Richard McKinley's Pastel Pointer article on Home Grown Surfaces.
Do you like the look of pastels on homemade surfaces?

What Do You Do When a Painting Goes Bad?

2012-01-19T15:49:00.004-05:00

'For the Bees' 3.5 x 2.5" pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $20

'Believe' 2.5 x 3.5" pastel ©Karen Margulis

Not every painting comes easy. In fact most of the time it is a struggle to end up with a painting that you are happy with. That is part of the process. I love the times when I am completely in the zone and a painting appears as if it were a magic trick. But I have also come to love the struggles. I learn the most when I have to work at a painting. It can be frustrating but I am stubborn and I rarely give up on a painting. I never throw a painting away. If I can't fix it or not sure what to do....I put it in a pile. One of my students calls these UFO's (unfinished objects) Sometimes I'll come back to them but often I will just end up reusing the paper.

Yesterday was a struggle. I worked on a small 6x6 painting of a bumblebee for 3 hours. For those of you who know me....this is a loooong time. I couldn't get the shape of the bee to look right. It was a close-up and he was in a strange angle. So I brushed him off and tried again...and again....I brushed that bee off 5 times. I was close to throwing it out but I reminded myself that I shouldn't give up. What could I do differently? I decided to make the painting into a daisy. I can paint those. I hated the daisy. So with nothing to lose I quickly painted a few little bees and cropped them into two small paintings. These bees made me smile. I'm glad I didn't give up.

Never give up or get frustrated when a painting isn't going your way. Turn it into a game. What could you do differently? You have nothing to lose!
Don't be afraid to brush or wipe the offending areas (even if that means the whole thing)
Try not to make your work too precious or you will be hesitant to make changes.
Sometimes it helps to get drastic...spray some workable fixative,do a wash, change the subject.
When all else fails consider cropping out the good parts.
I also learned that Pastelmat paper can take a lot of abuse!

What do you do when a painting isn't working?

Have You Tried Pastelmat Yet? 6 Reasons Why You Should.

2012-01-18T12:00:00.014-05:00

'Taos Meadow' 8x10 pastel on Pastelmat with alcohol wash

purchase painting with paypal $145

Last week it was Canson MT Touch paper this week it is Pastelmat. I am having so much fun trying out new pastel papers. Pastelmat isn't exactly new but I haven't had the chance to use it much. This week I devoted myself to discovering all I could about Pastelmat. What did I discover? Like any surface it has pros and cons but what my work for my style may be perfect for yours so I encourage you to give it a try. Pastelmat is acid free, archival, lightfast and water resistant. It comes in 8 colors. It is a cellulose based surface that feels velvety but really grabs pastel.

Putting Pastelmat to the Test

I painted several paintings on 3 colors of pastelmat using a few different techniques. It is definitely worth giving it a try and here are 6 reasons why:

It feels smooth but really grabs pastel. I only got 15 layers before I lost tooth which is quite a bit less than Canson Touch, Uart and Wallis but plenty for me. It is actually surprising how many layers it takes since it feels so smooth.
Since it really grabs the pastel there is little dust and you don't really need fixative if you usually use it. But this also makes it hard to get big blended areas. You can blend but you can't spread the pastel with fingers. It stays put. You can easily blend by layering so it really isn't an issue for me. Love the NO DUST feature!
The soft velvety surface is great for Pan Pastels. It won't destroy the blending tools like other rough sanded paper can. Also easy on the fingers if you are a finger blender. See a demo of Pan Pastels on Pastelmat by Deborah Secor
Easy to correct problem areas. I had no problems making corrections. I was able to brush off a painting several times in a row with a stiff brush without removing the surface. I also was able to spray workable fixative in between to add texture.
Use it for Watercolor Underpaintings: The paper absorbed the watercolor like a sponge so there was little dripping and blooming. This can be good if you want control however I like the unpredictability of the wet underpainting and found that I wanted more drips and runs. The colors did dry nice and bright on the white paper. Drying time was slow....my 8x10 watercolor took at least 1/2 hour to dry. GOOD NEWS....no waving or buckling. The paper stayed flat and dried flat.
Use it for Alcohol washes: Same results as watercolor...there wasn't much in the way of drips. Very controlled if you like that. Love that it doesn't buckle or wave.
If you like to paint details you will be pleased with the ability to create nice crisp detailed lines on this paper. I found it easy to draw detailed lines on top of several layers of soft pastel.

How do you like Pastelmat? I welcome your impressions and tips!

My Most Indispensable Studio Gadget

2012-01-17T16:34:00.009-05:00

'Safe and Sound' 6x6 pastel ©Karen Margulis

Purchase painting with paypal $50

I can't do without my masking tape dispenser! I can't believe I am saying this because I gave my husband such a hard time when he wanted to get one for me. But now I can't imagine painting without it. I use the dispenser for my white artist tape...which actually is also indispensable. I use a lot of artist tape in my daily studio activity so I tear a lot of tape. This dispenser is large enough to accommodate up to a one inch roll of tape. It is so much easier to get tape faster and cleaner with the dispenser. It seems minor but when you are using a lot of tape it is nice to be able to get a nice even piece of tape with only one hand. It is such a simple gadget but it really makes a big difference.

Can't live without my Masking Tape Dispenser and White Artist Tape

White artist tape is acid free and repositionable and it is very versatile in the studio.
I use it to secure my pastel paper to the support board (see below for my method)
It can be used to secure glassine paper to finished pastels. I use it to make my fome cor shipping sandwiches.
It can be used to attach your reference photo to your easel. You can write on the tape too if you want to add notes.
You can use the tape to mask off your reference photos to find compositions.

I Use White Artist Tape to secure my paper to a board by hinging the tape.

To make a hinge, put a piece of tape sticky side up on the back of your paper then put another piece of tape across the sticky tape. I like hinges because they use less tape than taping down paper on all sides. They also allow the entire piece of paper to be available to paint on. Best of all....hinges remain sticky for several paintings. When you are done with a painting gently peel your paper from the hinges leaving them in place for your next piece of paper.

I got my tape dispenser on Ebay but I found one on a restaurant supply website for $10. If you use a lot of artist tape, it will be the best $10 you ever spent!

What is your most indispensable studio gadget?

3 Ways Pinterest Can Help Artists & Art Collectors

2012-01-16T10:53:00.012-05:00

'Cape May Point' 8x8 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with Paypal $125

A Screen shot of my Pinterest Boards

It's time to start pinning! If you have been holding out or don't know what Pinterest is, you are in for a treat! What is Pinterest?
"Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests."
If you are worried that joining Pinterest will be just another time waster than let me convince you to give it a try. To me, looking at beautiful images on Pinterest is inspiring and motivates me to want to create more art. I leave my Pinterest browsing session refreshed and inspired. How can that be a waste of my time! Not to mention all of the tempting recipes,fashions and decorating ideas. Still not convinced? Let me give you three ways that Pinterest can help you as an artist or art lover & collector.

INSPIRATION BOARDS I use Pinterest to pin all of the wonderful art I come across while browsing the web. I have set up pin boards devoted to things that inspire me. I have a Southwest board, a Color board, a Wildflower board to name a few. I am now starting to make a weekly board devoted to a theme or subject and I will browse the web looking for images in that theme that inspire me. This week it is 'Art of the Beach' and I am on the hunt for beach art that speaks to me.
PRACTICAL ART INFORMATION You can use Pinterest to organize all of the great ideas you find for the practice of creating art. I have an Art Studio board where I pin inspiring artist's studios and storage ideas. How about a board devoted to your medium....supplies you covet? The possibilities for this kind of board are endless. My boards are all a work in progress which adds to the fun.
SHARING/MARKETING YOUR WORK Pinterest discourages users from too much self promotion but there are ways to get your art out there and your followers can certainly pin your work to their boards. Just remember that it is better to share more than your own art. This is new territory for marketing so if you would like to read more I recommend this post on Pinterest for Business on Firebelly Marketing's Blog.

So what are you waiting for? Do yourself a favor and join the fun on Pinterest. Let's share our favorite art and art tips. You will be inspired!
If you would like an invitation to join Pinterest, comment below with your email or send me an email at kemstudios@yahoo.com

Follow me on Pinterest

A Simple Way to Spice up a Boring Reference Photo

2012-01-15T13:55:00.011-05:00

'Nantucket Dunes' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with Paypal $125

'Nantucket Beach Dreams' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

You have a nice photo that you want to paint. But it just nice....nothing special or exciting. How can you make it have more impact? Change the horizon! Take a good look at that reference photo. Where is the horizon? If it is right in the middle than move it up or down....or do a painting with each point of view. It is usually not a good composition with the picture divided in half. You don't want equal emphasis on the sky and the land. That is boring and often the viewer isn't sure where to look first.

Spice things up by choosing what you want to be more important. When I look at a scene one of the first things I decide is if I want the painting to be about the sky or about what's happening on the ground. Each choice will have an entirely different mood and feeling. I like to do thumbnail sketched and try out my choices. It is challenging to break away from a literal interpretation of the photo but a simple change of horizon will open up many possibilities for a more interesting painting.

I decided to to paint two versions of my Nantucket Island Beach scene. In the top painting It is more about the dunes and grasses. The sky is softened and downplayed. In the bottom painting, I moved the horizon down so I could focus on the sky. I added more interest with some clouds and downplayed the grasses. What a fun and easy way to break free from copying a boring photo!
PS Both paintings are done on Pastelmat paper which I will be reviewing here this week so be sure to sign up for updates.

Look What the Dog Dragged In! The Adventures of Heidi the Studio Dog

2012-01-14T17:02:00.007-05:00

'Lavender Skies' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting on Paypal $50

Heidi reading the latest issue of Art Collector Magazine

I can't imagine how she got it. I don't even know where she found it but yesterday Heidi came trotting into my studio with this painting hanging out of her mouth. Now you need to know that Heidi is an 11 month old Golden /Lab mix and she loves to shred paper. Any kind of paper. So I was concerned about that painting. She thought she had won the lottery and she looked determined to hang onto her prize. Fortunately she is highly motivated by food so she gladly dropped the painting for some kibbles. It was UArt paper so the little bit of dog drool quickly dried leaving the painting in perfect condition. I still don't know how she got her paws on a painting but I'm glad she found it! It's always an adventure with Heidi around!

The painting is a Lowcountry Marsh scene. I was working on departing from the literal and interpreting a not so exciting photo. I'll be doing more of that this week.

How to Make your Poppies Pop...A Quick Demo

2012-01-13T11:49:00.014-05:00

'Poppy Love' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis

sold

Painting red flowers can be tricky. How do you make them rich and colorful? How do you make them have depth? How can you paint them so they pop off the paper. I want you to feel like you can pick my flowers. It helps to have the right colors especially with pastels. While you can layer and create new colors with pastels, to make really vibrant flowers, you need to have the right vibrant pastels. Terry Ludwig makes the most luscious rich vibrant reds. I like to use his pastels and some others from Great American. They make up my 'go to' reds. Use the darkest coolest reds first and layer your reds getting warmer in the 'sunlit' areas. You want to use warmer reds.....not lighter reds (pinks). Also you can surround the red flowers with cooler greens and blues which will help intensify the reds.

I started this painting on grey Canson MT Touch paper with a watercolor underpainting. (I prefer white for more vibrant watercolor but Grey is all I had)
I chose my palette. I like to pick out the pastels I might use before painting. It helps me keep a more harmonious limited palette.
I began with my soft pastels blocking in the darkest cooler brick reds and the dark blue-purples in the centers of the flowers.
Decide where the light touches the petals and layer progressively warmer reds. Pale reds (pinks) will make your flowers washed out rather than lit by the sun.
I didn't want to completely cover my watercolor in the background so I lightly layered some greens and blues. Very lightly!
I finished the painting by adding details to the poppy centers and added some stems and seed pods. I use some line work with the edge of the pastels for this step.

If you'd like to see more mini demos let me know what you would like to see! I'd love for you to sign up for updates or join me on Facebook and Twitter!

Miniature pastel paintings of poppies available by auction this week Click HERE

poppy aceo's

How Wet Can it Get? My Review of Canson Mi-Teintes Touch part 2

2012-01-12T13:50:00.009-05:00

'Into the Sunshine' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase with Paypal $145

First layer of pastel before the alcohol wash. Canson Touch Flannel Grey

I love wet drippy underpaintings! So one of the reasons I was excited to try the new Canson Mi-Teintes Touch paper was it's ability to take a wash. It can handle both water and solvent based underpaintings. I tested the paper with a watercolor underpainting and an alcohol wash. My criteria for a paper to rate high in wet underpaintings is that it must dry flat with no waving or buckling. I also like the surface to allow for drips, blooms and happy accidents to occur. My favorite surface for underpaintings has been UArt. So how does Canson Touch compare?

The paper seems very absorbent. It takes the water and alcohol washes and grabs onto it. I didn't have much dripping or blooming. This can be a good thing if you like your colors to stay put but I like to see more 'happy accidents'. I haven't tried turpenoid so I can't comment on the results of a turpenoid wash or oil stain. (I'll report on this soon)
The colors remained vibrant as they dried. I was working on grey paper and I will be trying the white next. My wet underpaintings are always more luminous on white.
Buckling....I would rate the paper in between Uart and Wallis for buckling. For both the watercolor and alcohol wash, the paper waved slightly but dried flat without me doing anything. For a second watercolor I tried getting very wet and drippy and I even spritzed extra water. This sample did buckle more and dried slightly wavy. I put it under a heavy book for an hour and it flattened out. I rarely have any buckling on unmounted Uart so it has become my favorite. Keep in mind I was working on unmounted paper. The board and mounted paper will react differently.

Overall I was pleased with how well the paper performed with wet underpaintings. I want to try some turpenoid washes and oil stains but I would definitely add it to my favorite paper list. As a side note, my pastel class tried the paper out in class last night and everyone was very pleased with their results and will plan on using it again.
I recommend the following merchants who now carry Canson Touch:
Dakota Art Pastels
Blick

Guess How Many Layers I got on Canson Touch?

2012-01-11T13:34:00.011-05:00

'Peaceful Moment' 8x10 pastel on Canson Touch ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting on Paypal $145

Canson has a new sanded surface! I just got my order and I've been putting it through it's paces. So far I am impressed. The new Canson Mi-Teintes Touch is an acid free,archival sanded surface available in paper and board. It comes in 14 of the most popular Mi-Teintes colors. I tested the flannel gray paper.You can see the colors at Dakota Art Pastels.
It is a screen printed sanded surface that looks and feels a bit like Art Spectrum Colourfix. It feels soft and velvety and I didn't think it would hold too much pastel. I was wrong. I did a layer test and was able to get 90 layers of pastel on my swatch before I started getting mud. 90 layers!! I will never use that many layers but it is nice to know that this paper can handle it.
In today's painting, I did a dry wash underpainting in which I blended my first layer of pastel. Canson Touch does take wet underpaintings and I will report on my experience with that in tomorrow's post. Here is what I like about this new surface:

I like the soft velvety feel...the 'touch'.
It is easy to blend even with fingers (if you are a blender)
It has enough tooth for many layers of pastel but smooth enough for detail (fine lines)
Color choice is nice but I would like to see it in Moonstone. Want to try while as well.
I like the texture you get after you have a few layers down. It feels much like working on a smooth home-made surface. (enlarge photo to see the texture)
Nice weight to paper. 353 gsm I haven't tried the board yet.
Takes wet underpaintings...water and solvent based.

Tomorrow I will share my experience with using wet underpaintings on Canson Touch. Have you tried this new surface yet? What do you think?

P.S. I am now on twitter. Follow me @karenmargulis

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The Best Art Advice I Ever Got

2012-01-10T16:39:00.005-05:00

'Marsh Variation I' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting on Paypal $45

If you want to paint better, let me share the best advice I ever got. The advice was to paint more often. The more you paint the more you will accumulate the miles of canvas necessary to paint with confidence and ease. I was also given a challenge to paint 50 small pastels...small and quick. So I did and I couldn't stop at 50! I have been painting daily for 6 years now and I truly believe it has been invaluable in my development as a painter. Two years ago I read an article in the Pastel Journal about Marla Baggetta who painted the same landscape 100 times. What an inspiration that was! I decided to do it myself and it was the best learning experience for me. I experimented with color and materials and technique. It was fun! See my results on my blog 'Miles of Canvas'. I am going to do the challenge again with a different landscape. I will post my progress weekly but I am not giving myself a strict time limit...it may take several months but I know I will be learning with each new painting!

I chose a marsh scene so I can play with water. I did a small thumbnail value study. I will be changing color schemes so I want to see the black and white version first. I don't want to be too influenced by the local colors in the reference photo. All of the paintings will be 5x7. The first painting is posted above. It is on Canson Touch with no underpainting. Would you like to shorten your learning curve? Consider taking the landscape variation challenge. I promise you won't regret it!

Why We Should Travel ...Inspiration for Monday

2012-01-09T11:46:00.009-05:00

'November Marsh Light' 11x14 pastel on Canson Touch ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with Paypal $175

I admit it. I have wanderlust. I always have. If I am not on a trip then I need to be planning the next one. When my kids were young we spent every summer traveling the country. Our trips were always centered around visiting National Parks and we have visited quite a few. I am glad we were able to share those experiences as a family. The photos I took and my memories inspire many of my paintings. Now I am fortunate to have a group of art friends who also share my passion for travel. We have taken several long road trips and these adventures have added to my photo and inspiration files.

Have Heilman Box....will travel!

How do we benefit from travel? Why should we work hard to save and make travel a priority in our lives? Jeff Goins has written a wonderful post on his blog . He writes about how we benefit from travel. I recommend reading his post. You might just be inspired to plan a trip! I agree with all of the reasons he gives ... to grow, to learn, to be inspired, to be humbled, to appreciate where you come from, to experience other cultures among others but for me the key reason I need to travel is this:
Travel helps me see my world with the innocence of a child. When I am away from home all of my senses are sharpened. Everything is new and exciting. Even the ordinary becomes extraordinary. When we see things with the innocence of a child we have a fresh outlook and we can create better art. So every once in awhile I need to get up and go somewhere to shake off the cobwebs and rediscover the wonder of our world!

Painting from Photos ....Good or Bad?

2012-01-08T12:29:00.012-05:00

'Sanibel Surprise' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis SOLD

Painting from reference photos isn't always bad. We often are told that it isn't a good idea to paint from photos. The key to a successful painting is to understand the limitations of photos. It also helps if you make time to paint outdoors or from life. Then you will better understand when the photo isn't accurate. I use photos to inspire me. I only use my own photos because I have a personal connection to the scene. Looking at the photo brings me back to the place and I can interpret the photo based on the feelings I had when I was there. I don't ever copy a photo. I like to pick and choose the elements that I think will make a good painting. I am not afraid to move things, change lighting, change colors. Because I like to work this way, one photo can inspire many paintings. Below is the reference photo for today's painting. Read on to see what I decided to change:

The lighting in the photo is flat and uninteresting. I decided to change the time of day to make it late afternoon with warmer light on the distant beach and the foreground in the shadows.
The beach grasses and plants are very busy and detailed equally from the foreground to the background so I simplified them and only painted some details. Leave something to the viewer's imagination.
In the photo, the green foliage/bushes are the same color and value from front to back so to create some depth I made the distant greens a bit cooler.
The Sky in the photo is blah so I changed it and emphasized more wispy clouds.
I chose not to add the palm frond on the right in the photo. There isn't enough information and it is distracting.If an element in the photo doesn't add anything to the painting....leave it out.
I only put in a few sea oat and really only hinted at them with a few broken lines. It is so easy to over do the grasses and sea oats and you end up with a fence. Less is more is something I try to remember.

This painting is on the new Canson Touch paper. Look for my review next week!

An Interesting Technique for Painting Marsh Grasses with Pastel

2012-01-07T14:45:00.006-05:00

'Lowcountry Dreaming' 11x14 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $165

closeup views of the marsh grasses (oil stain with pastel)

I love painting wetlands and marshes. I love the feeling of wide open spaces and the textures and colors in the grasses. But it can often be a challenge to paint the grasses. It is so tempting to put in too much detail and to paint every blade of grass. This is especially true when painting from photos because the grasses are frozen in time. I prefer to create some mystery and work at keeping my grasses simple.
One technique I like to use is to apply a loose painterly underpainting with thinned oil paint. You need to work on a surface that accepts a wet underpainting. My favorite choice is Uart paper. You thin the oil paint to the consistency of tea using turpenoid. Paint using a stiff cheap bristle brush. I like to start out with the paint not too drippy but not thick. You don't want to clog the tooth of the paper. Toward the end of my underpainting I let the paint drip. As it dries, the paint forms interesting drips and spiderweb patterns. It reminds me of plant root systems! Once dry, I add my pastel, trying not to cover all of the drips and roots. It is perfect for suggesting grasses without overdoing them.

I am planning a more in depth demo of the oil stain technique soon so I'd love for you to subscribe to my blog so you don't miss it!

Are you as Happy as a Gull with a French Fry?

2012-01-06T16:53:00.004-05:00

'Happiness Is...' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

painting available with paypal $145

available as a print

A couple of weeks ago I was browsing Pinterest when I came across a photo of a bird with a french fry and the caption read 'Today I will be as happy as a bird with a french fry'. I thought that was such a great thought. I thought immediately of sea gulls and how excited they are for any scraps left by beach goers. I imagined this painting with a sea gull and his prize french fry. I like his attitude! I am going to try to remember to stay positive and grateful for all of the good things in my life. This will be my motto for the year! I think it would be fun to do a series of 'Happy as' paintings. Any ideas? This painting is on the new Canson Touch paper. Look for my review next week.
By the way, if you haven't discovered Pinterest, it is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. Let me know if you want an invite, it is wonderful!

Canson...Love it or Hate it? My Review of Canson Mi-Teintes Paper

2012-01-05T15:38:00.006-05:00

'A Winter Walk' 5x7 pastel on Canson ©Karen Margulis

Purchase painting with paypal $65

Like many artists new to pastels I started out using Canson Mi-Teintes paper, some NuPastels and some Rembrandts. And like many I struggled with this combination. I couldn't get the rich colors that I admired in pastel paintings. Mine were muddy. Once I discovered sanded paper and softer pastels I stopped using Canson. This past year,inspired by some artists who do wonderful work on Canson including, Lorenzo Chavez and Desmond O'Hagan, I decided to give it another try and I am so glad I did! Now I love it. What I discovered is that I had better luck when I developed a lighter touch and when I used softer pastels. If you are like me and don't enjoy Canson, let me share what I like about it and perhaps I can convince you to give it another try!

It is inexpensive and readily available even in local craft & hobby stores.
It comes in many colors so no need to tone your paper
It is versatile with a bumpy and smooth side. Use the bumpy side if you want texture. I prefer the smooth side.
It has a wonderful soft feel which is so nice to work on.
It is easy to blend areas if you like blending. I like to blend in my first layer to give me a 'ghost' image underpainting. It is harder to blend on sanded paper since it grabs the pastel.
It is a great teacher...it teaches you to have a lighter touch and to make each stroke count.

Yes it is true that Canson holds less layers of pastel than sanded papers but you may be surprised at how much it can hold. I did a layer test and got 11 layers of soft pastels vs. only 7 layers of NuPastels (harder). Some artists sand their Canson to raise the nap but 11 layers is enough for me! Yes it is true that you can't do wet underpaintings on Canson but I can do a soft, blended dreamy underpainting which is wonderful. It may not be as forgiving as sanded papers in that you can't wash off a painting but you can brush out areas and use workable fixative if you want to make corrections. I do love the choice of colors but my favorite color is Moonstone which is a warm medium gray. It works for everything. I will certainly use sanded paper when I want to do wet underpaintings but no longer will I hesitate using Canson. In fact I just ordered some more!

In case you were wondering how to pronounce Mi-Teintes and what it means. I looked it up and it means 'Mid Tones' in French and it is pronounced 'Me Taunts'

Click on the photo below for a look at some of my paintings done on Canson

Pastel Paintings on Canson

Painting Chicago...My Kind of Town!

2012-01-04T13:38:00.007-05:00

'A Night at the Theater' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis original sold, print available here

'Water Tower Place' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis original sold, Prints available here

'Shopping on the Magnificent Mile' 5x7 pastel original sold, Prints available here

I was excited to have the opportunity to paint these small Chicago cityscapes for a new collector. I have painted several variations of these scenes and I always love to revisit them. I especially love painting the city at night. I love simplifying the buildings and crowds and trying to capture a fleeting impression of the excitement of the city. These paintings are all 5x7. The top and bottom paintings are on Canson and the middle is on Wallis. By the way be sure to come back tomorrow for my review of Canson Mi-Teintes paper!

If you would like to consider commissioning a painting of your favorite place, I'd love to discuss your ideas! See more finished commission paintings here.

Tips for Painting Small with Pastels

2012-01-02T19:10:00.010-05:00

'Winter Softness' 9x12 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $145

'Winter Peace' 2.5 x 3.5" pastel purchase through auction

Yesterday I shared with you why I like to paint small and today I would like to share some tips for painting really small with pastels. I am often asked how I get a fat piece of pastel to work on such a small (2.5x3.5) piece of paper. I don't use pastel pencils at all and only sometimes use NuPastels. I usually just use my regular soft pastel pieces. You would be amazed at how easy it is to get small marks. It is just how you hold them....I'll use the edges or lift up on the stick to make smaller marks. Today's painting shows how I used a 2.5 x 3.5 painting as a study for a larger version. Here are some more tips for painting small with pastels.

1. SUGGEST DETAIL

Instead of putting in every detail try using bigger blocks of color with just a few details. The viewers mind will fill in more detail than the eye can see.

2. THINK BIG

Even on a small support you can still suggest scale and depth with aerial and linear perspective. Remember to layer objects and have less detail, cooler and lighter color and less contrast in the distance. This will help a small painting seem more expansive.

3. USE ‘BIGGER BRUSHES’

To create a looser more expressive painting and to hep you keep things simple use the ‘bigger brush’ approach. Don’t rely on pointed hard pastels of pastel pencils as they may cause you to become too concerned with details. Use your large pastels and you will make bigger marks. You can actually get detail with the edges of a big pastel but you are more likely to be more expressive.

THINK IN THREES

To simplify your subject to fit into a small format think in Threes. When planning your painting allow yourself to choose:

THREE SIMPLE SHAPES

THREE VALUES....dark, medium and light

SIMPLE LIMITED PALETTE with other mediums you would only use three tubes of paint and mix all of your colors. In pastel you should keep your palette limited to 12-20 pastel sticks.

THREE FINISHING MARKS after blocking in your big shapes and developing the painting to a finish, allow yourself to make three finishing marks. These will be your final details. Choose their location carefully.

Why Paint Small? ACEO's and Artist Trading Cards

2012-01-02T15:51:00.007-05:00

'Southwest Dreams' 2.5 x 3.5" pastel ©Karen Margulis
Painting available through auction

'Autumn Magic' 2.5 x 3.5" pastel ©Karen Margulis
painting available through auction

I love to paint small. I started working small when I began doing daily paintings in 2005. It was easier to get a small painting completed in a short time so I usually worked 5x7 and smaller. I has been a great learning experience to work small and I continue to be drawn to small formats especially the aceo size 2.5 x 3.5. Why is it a good idea to try small format paintings?

You feel productive.
You learn how to paint quickly and efficiently.
You learn how to simplify.
You get to experiment with new techniques without wasting supplies.
You can use your scraps.
You can try out new styles,colors, subjects
They look great frames
They can be studies for larger works.
It is a great way to practice and get your 'miles of canvas' under your belt.

What ACEO is all about

ACEO stands for "Art Cards, Editions and Originals". These cards have one main rule - they are 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches - the size of a trading card. The reason for this is, of course, that Art Cards are made to be traded! But while artists were happily trading cards, the general public was left out in the cold, having no Art Cards to trade. A group of artists realized this, and quickly made their cards available for sale at remarkably low prices so that everyone could join in the fun!

Cards are also sold either as originals or editions. Make sure you know which you are buying! If it is a print it should say so, and it should be numbered and signed, usually on the back.

Where to get Artist Trading Card Supplies

Jerry’s Artarama has a good selection of ATC supplies including papers, mats, storage bags. See the direct link for a list of ATC supplies they carry.

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/discount-art-supplies/artist-trading-cards.htm

Blick online store carries Strathmore papers in special ATC sizes.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/strathmore-artist-trading-cards/

A Squidoo lens (website) that regularly updates aceo supplies that are listed on Ebay with current prices and bids

http://www.squidoo.com/ACEOsupplies

If you would like to try some smaller paintings look for tomorrow's post where I will share some tips for small format paintings!

More Plein Air Adventures in 2012

2012-01-01T18:29:00.004-05:00

'Afternoon Light' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

More Plein air painting is one of my goals for 2012 and this will be the year to really focus on painting more outside and trying to work more with oils. I have a great incentive now since I decided last night to go to the 1st Plein Air Convention this April in Las Vegas. I will be rooming with my friend Barbara Jaenicke, who is an excellent artist. We will spend some extra painting time after the convention. This convention will be the largest gathering of plein air artists ever and the roster of artists who will be teaching and sharing is amazing. Visit the Plein Air Convention site to read more about it. I wasn't planning on going since it will be a busy year with wedding plans for my son, but with Barbara's little nudge I knew this was an opportunity not to be missed. Who else is planning to go?
Today's painting is a plein air study I did at Grand Teton National Park when we stayed at the Moulton Ranch. What a fantastic experience!

Purchase this Painting $145

Blue Skies Ahead....Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T18:22:00.006-05:00

If I had to choose the painting that meant the most to me in 2011 it would have to be this one 'Blue Skies Ahead'. It was actually painted at the end of last year but it makes me happy because it was chosen as the winner of the poster competition at this year's IAPS Convention. You can see the poster in a frame in the second photo. I was so surprised to be one of the five finalists and even more excited to have won. I purchased about 20 of the posters and still have some left if anyone is interested! I think that the title of the painting is appropriate for me on this New Year's Eve. I am looking forward to an exciting year full of art and friends and family! I wish you a very Happy New Year filled with blue skies!

My Six Favorite Paintings of 2011... #5 Meadow Dance

2011-12-30T20:55:00.003-05:00

'Meadow Dance' 11x14 pastel ©Karen Margulis

I am counting down to my top favorite paintings of 2011. Each one represents some goal I accomplished this year. This painting is special to me because it was accepted into the IAPS's 18th Juried Exhibition in Albuquerque this past June. I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the IAPS convention and see the show in person. I now have earned 3 points towards the IAPS Master Circle! The other reason I chose this painting is because one of my goals was to work with my underpaintings and try not to cover them completely with pastel. I want them to guide me. This painting has an oil stain underpaintings and you can see how I managed to leave a lot of the interesting drips and spiderwebs. I'd like to do more of this in the coming year!

My Six Favorite Paintings of 2011... #4 Desert Dreams

2011-12-29T16:59:00.003-05:00

'Desert Dreams II' 11x14 pastel ©Karen Margulis

The paintings I have chosen to be my favorites all represented a personal accomplishment. For this painting I was happy that I was able to interpret the bushes and desert plants without putting in too much detail. I was happy to leave a lot of the oil stain underpainting. I enjoyed using Terry Ludwig's Arid Landscape set exclusively for this painting. If you have some Christmas money and you are looking to buy a nice set of pastels, check out the Arid Landscape set by Terry Ludwig. I have discovered that it isn't just for arid landscapes. It is a wonderful and versatile set!

Purchase this painting on Paypal $165

Top Paintings of 2011 ....#3 Daisies

2011-12-28T16:53:00.003-05:00

'Carolina Daisies' 11x14 pastel ©Karen Margulis

Today I am sharing another painting which represents a personal accomplishment for me. This painting was done as a demo for my workshop for the Appalachian Pastel Society. The workshops were an accomplishment for me because it was my first multi day workshop and I was asked to teach. I would like to be able to do more out of town workshops so this was a great start for me. But the reason I like the painting is because after a year of practicing watercolor underpaintings I am finally feeling more confident and happy with my results. Prior to the Richard McKinley workshop last fall, my watercolor underpaintings were wishy-washy and washed out. Richard suggested practicing just the underpainting and to do lots of them. So I have been working on this and I definitely see an improvement. Thanks Richard!

My winter & spring workshop schedule is posted. I have three classes in January...Starting an Art Blog, Pastels for Beginners and Painting Winter on Home made surfaces. Let me know if you would like to register for a workshop! kemstudios@yahoo.com

Purchase painting on Paypal $165

Top Paintings of 2011 ....#2 Colorado Wildflowers

2011-12-27T16:26:00.007-05:00

'On the Way to Yankee Boy Basin' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

This week I am sharing my top 6 favorite paintings of 2011. I was asked if it was difficult to choose my top 6 paintings and my answer was that it was actually fairly easy. My top 6 all represented an accomplishment to me and for that reason they stood out. In fact I have most of them out somewhere in my studio instead of filed away.
So why is this Colorado painting a favorite of mine? It represents a breakthrough I had this year with papers. This painting is on Canson Mi-Tientes paper and for the last few years I wouldn't touch it. Like many artists, Canson was the paper I started using as a beginner. It was inexpensive and easily available. But It was hard to work with especially with my cheap, hard beginner pastels. It is kind of like driving an old car without power steering. It will get you there but you may not enjoy the ride. Once I discovered sanded papers I decided I didn't really like Canson and didn't use it.
This summer though I attended the IAPS convention and saw several artists who did beautiful work on Canson paper. I love the work of Desmond O'Hagan and Lorenzo Chavez and when I watched them paint a wonderful painting on a piece of Canson I knew I had to give it another try. Guess what? I love it! I love the softness and the feel of the paper and I am happy with my paintings done on Canson. I ordered more and will definitely be using it more often!

Purchase this painting on Paypal $145

My Six Favorite Paintings of 2011

2011-12-26T16:45:00.004-05:00

'Blue Sailors' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis

It is time for reflecting on the past year and setting new goals for the coming year. I like the ritual Alyson Stanfield recommends in her Art Marketing Action newsletter ...writing down all of your accomplishments from 2011. It will give you a good feeling to realize you've probably accomplished more that you thought. So I thought it would be fun to look back at my paintings from 2011 and choose my top 5. (I added and extra one) This week I will be sharing one each day along with why I chose it and why I felt it represented an accomplishment.

In no particular order, today I am sharing a little 5x7 painting called 'Blue Sailors'. I like the colors of the blue flowers which I saw on my 2010 road trip to Wyoming. I would love a field of these wildflowers! I like this painting because it came to me effortlessly and with total abandon. I was truly 'in the zone' when I painted this one. It reminds me of my 5x7 Early Morning Poppies which won an award in the PSA show in 2010. I had the same feelings when I painted that one. Everything just flowed. Sometimes you think you'll never get that feeling again and then a painting just comes to you like this one did. I suppose it doesn't even matter if no one else likes it. It felt good when I painted it and that is what I like about it. It reminds me that it can happen again!

Do you list and celebrate your accomplishments? How about looking back and choosing your top paintings of 2010. I'd love to hear about yours!

Purchase this painting on Paypal $150

Landscape Variation Challenge another winter version

2011-12-25T14:19:00.005-05:00

'Winter Sunset' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis

Today I am sharing one more winter landscape. This painting is from the 100 Landscape Variation challenge I did in 2010. I enjoyed this challenge and learned so much from it that I think it is time to repeat it in 2012 but with some twists. I am working on my goals for the new year so I will be giving this idea a lot of thought. In this painting I got the texture by painting over my first layers with acrylic matte medium and adding pastel on top when it was dry. A fun technique!

Purchase this painting on Paypal $45

Using Iridescent Pastels ...Winter Landscape 5x7

2011-12-24T14:56:00.004-05:00

I always forget to use my iridescent pastels. I have some from a few pastel brands and I keep them in a separate little box. I need to remember to use them more often. They can add a special touch in the right place. In this painting, I used a opalescent white pastel from Sennelier. The painting was done on a toned piece of Uart paper. I toned it turquoise with a Nupastel rubbed into the paper with a piece of foam. I finished the painting but felt it need some winter magic....some sparkly snow! So I used a palette knife to shave some of the white pastel over the painting creating a sparkly dust. I pressed some of the shaved pastel into the paper with the knife where I wanted my 'snow' to stick and there was my snow! (One of my readers posted about doing a pastel with a palette knife and I am intrigued to learn more about her technique) If you want to add some more sparkle to your paintings consider adding some iridescent pastes to your box. Is it too late to ask Santa for a Set of Iridescent Pastels by Sennelier? Blicks is having a 10% off sale until the 26th!

Purchase this painting on paypal $75

Winter in the City ...Painting Snowflakes in Pastel

2011-12-23T17:04:00.005-05:00

'Winter in the City' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

One of the things I like about pastel is how easy it is to experiment with them. In this painting I wanted the effect of falling snow so I decided to shave some white pastel into a cup, wet it with water to make a paste. Then I used an old toothbrush to flick the wet pastel onto the finished painting. The pastel dried and the pieces stuck to the painting....instant snow! I will do a demo of this fun little technique next week. I want to thank all of the people who have sent me some winter reference photos. I can't wait to paint from them next week.

Did you notice my photos are larger? I did some research and found a way to make my paintings display larger on blogger. How do you like it?

Purchase this painting on Paypal $145

Painting Winter Landscapes...I need your Photos!

2011-12-22T15:24:00.005-05:00

'Winter Hush' 8x10 Pastel ©Karen Margulis

It is the time of year when I am inspired to paint Winter landscapes but living in the South I am at a disadvantage. It doesn't snow very often. I missed last year's snow because I was on a cruise (can't complain!) But I didn't get any new reference photos. If you have a winter photo that you would like to share with me, I'd love for you to email it to me at kemstudios@yahoo.com. I will be painting winter scenes over the next few weeks and I'd love a fresh perspective. This painting is a scene I have painted a few times in different sizes and surfaces. This is on white Wallis with no underpainting.

I have updated my 'About Me' page. I'd love to hear what you think. To view the page, click on the ABOUT tab at the top of the page.

Winter Solstice Painting on Handmade Surface

2011-12-21T15:40:00.013-05:00

'Winter Solstice' 5x7 pastel on board ©Karen Margulis SOLD

Mini workshop on Painting the Winter Landscape on Handmade Surfaces is January 22,2012. For more information or to register email me at kemstudios@yahoo.com

As the year draws to a close and I actually have some downtime I am thinking about my goals for the new year. One of the things on my list is to make my blog the best it can be so I enrolled in a self study online Blog Triage course with Cynthia Morris www.originalimpulses.com/blog and Alyson Stanfield www.artbizblog.com My first assignment is to post about what I want from my blog and what is our audience. I have been blogging since 2005 and my original intent for starting the blog is still the same....to share my work with those who are drawn to the subjects and places that inspire me. I call my blog 'Painting my World'. Through my paintings I want to share the things in my world that move me....the simple beauty that surrounds us. My readers are people who share the same passion for art, nature, travel and who, like me, seek out beauty in the ordinary.

To my readers a big Thank you for spending time each day to view my work and read my musings. I appreciate your visits and hope to make them even better in the coming year.

Sunrise over the Marsh... Kiawah Island painting

2011-12-20T17:25:00.005-05:00

'Morning Marsh' 12x24 pastel

I am so grateful for the opportunity to take a workshop with Stan Sperlak on Kiawah Island. It was a couple of years ago but I am stilled inspired by my photos. We stayed in the beautiful home of one of the students and the house had the most perfect marsh view. It changed with the time of day and the tides and for the few days we were there it was a constant painting and photo opportunity. This painting is 12 x 24 which doesn't show up well on the blog. The long narrow formats always look smaller for some reason. If you would like to see photos of the progression of this painting click on the Demo tab at the top of the page or click HERE

Vintage Glass Ornaments ll 8x10 pastel

2011-12-19T13:28:00.003-05:00

'Christmas Tree Memories' 8x10 pastel

I enjoyed painting my vintage Christmas ornaments so much that I rearranged them and painted another version. This is also on Canson moonstone color paper.
I am excited to announce my pastel class & workshop schedule for 2012. I have workshops planned for every level from introductory classes to art business classes. I hope you will consider joining me for a class or more in the new year. Please email me if you have any questions at all! You can see the schedule if you CLICK HERE.

Santa in the Caribbean 5x7 pastel

2011-12-18T15:58:00.004-05:00

'Magens Bay Santa' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis

Today's painting is Santa Claus visiting Magens Bay on St Thomas USVI. Wouldn't it be nice to be there this Christmas!

Field of Red Poppies 11x14 pastel

2011-12-17T16:57:00.003-05:00

'Dreaming of Poppies' 11x14 pastel

I never tire of painting poppies and they make a perfect subject to show my technique to students. Today I had a private class and we worked on watercolor underpaintings. I chose poppies for the subject and had the chance to use my new Daniel Smith watercolors. I want to play with them some more but so far I liked them. This painting is on Uart 600 grit paper.

Sanibel Island Beach Path 8x10 pastel

2011-12-16T16:52:00.005-05:00

'To the Beach' 8x10 pastel SOLD

Today's painting is inspired by one of my favorite places...Sanibel Island, Florida. Sanibel is known for it's shells and it has never disappointed me. I love walking the beach and search for treasures. It has been a few years since I have been able to get back to Sanibel but I always enjoy painting from my photos. This painting is 8x10 on Canson.

I am working on my class and workshop schedule for 2012 and I will be posting it sometime next week. I have some fun mini workshops planned and I hope you will plan to join me!

Christmas by the Sea ...Vintage Glass Ornaments

2011-12-15T14:47:00.003-05:00

'Christmas by the Sea' 8x10 pastel

Here is another painting in my series of vintage glass ornaments. I was drawn by the beautiful blues of these ornaments. They had a wonderful aged look to them that you just don't find on the shiny new ones. These ornaments reminded me of the ocean so I painted them with the beach in mind. I am having fun with these ornaments. My sister and I (the Recycle Sisters) have been collecting them all year to sell in our ebay store so I have to paint them before they are sold. I have a few more that are calling to me that I hope to paint this week. This painting is 8x10 on Canson.

A Sunny Day ...Sunflower Painting 6x6 pastel SOLD

2011-12-14T15:59:00.006-05:00

'A Sunny Day' 6x6 pastel

It is 70 out today here in Georgia and I have my dooe open to my screen porch. It is so nice for December! So today I will share a Sunflower painting. This is a 6x6 painting that is a part of my ongoing sunflower a day project. I got so busy this Fall that I didn't get to work on this project but I will be putting it on my list of things to accomplish in 2012. I think it will be more fun to paint sunflowers in the winter anyway.

Nantucket Wildflowers with an oil stain underpainting

2011-12-13T16:18:00.005-05:00

'Nantucket Wildflowers' 11x14 pastel

I had my oil paints out for a commission so rather than waste the leftover paint I decided to do an underpainting for a pastel. I love oil underpaintings because of the interesting drips than can happen. You have to get the consistency of the paint just right. Too thick and you fill the tooth of the paper, too wet and it is washed out and you don't get the cool drips. I am sharing a close-up photo of my underpainting and one of the 'drips' I like to call them root systems because they remind me of plant roots. I tried not to cover all of these roots with pastel in my painting so I used a light touch. If you enlarge the photo of the finished painting you can still see the underpainting. If you are going to use an oil paint underpainting, be sure you are using a surface that can get wet. I used Uart for today's painting.

Carolina Coast Marsh 5x7 pastel SOLD

2011-12-12T16:46:00.005-05:00

'Magic on the Marsh' 5x7 pastel

This is the second version of this scene that I tried. The first one had more detail and for this one I tried to minimize all of the grasses and just put in a few. I would like to continue this series with a couple more paintings with each one getting increasingly more abstracted. I used a peach color Pastelmat paper for this painting. I really enjoy working on Pastelmat and ordered some white to see what I can do woth some underpaintings. I will keep you posted on my results. If you use Pastelmat do you like it? What is your favorite color?

Vintage Glass Ornaments 8x10 pastel SOLD

2011-12-11T17:22:00.005-05:00

'Yesterday's Treasures' 8x10 pastel

This week in my pastel class we will be working on holiday themed still life set ups. I have a collection of vintage glass ornaments that make the perfect subject. I set them up by my north light window to paint. I love the colors in these ornaments....purples and pinks and silver and gold make a great combination. I have some other vintage ornaments that I will be using for my set ups so I will be adding to this series. This painting is done on moonstone Canson paper.

A New Mini pastel after Van Gogh SOLD

2011-12-10T15:33:00.005-05:00

'Countryside Sun' 2.5 x 3.5 inches pastel

I have added a few new miniature pastel paintings to my Picasa album. This one was done for my Virtual Paint out class to Arles France. We had a fun class and surprisingly enjoyed trying to paint in the style of Van Gogh. It was hard to change the way we usually make our marks especially for the 'blenders' in the group. But in the end I think we all learned something and had fun doing it.
It isn't too late to purchase a mini pastel original for Holiday gifts. They make great stocking stuffers of thank you gifts and they are priced at $15 each or 2 for $20 with $3 shipping. Click on my web album below to see what is available and email me at kemstudios@yahoo.com if you see something you like.

Mini Sale Paintings

Just for Fun...A Plein Air Snowman 5x7 pastel

2011-12-09T16:10:00.005-05:00

'Plein Air Snowman' 5x7 pastel

Do you ever dream a painting? I woke up this morning with this image in my head. I actually dreamed a whole series of painting snowmen and Santas. I couldn't wait to get down into the studio to paint him! I had been listing some ornaments in my ebay store and listed several Santa Claus and snowmen ornaments....so they were dancing and painting in my head while I slept! Now I want to paint my plein air Santa Claus! I think I will make this one into a Christmas card!

I have made the snowman available as a print or as a greeting card through Fine Art America.For more information Click Here

Sleigh Bells 8x8 pastel SOLD

2011-12-08T16:30:00.005-05:00

'Sleigh Bells Ring' 8x8 pastel

I am switching gears today and doing some holiday themed paintings. I put on some Christmas music and painted some sleigh bells and some vintage ornaments. I am on a roll and will probably work on another one tonight. I love when I start a new series! Today's painting is on LaCarte paper.

Meadow Bouquet 12 x16 pastel

2011-12-07T17:32:00.003-05:00

'Meadow Bouquet' 12x16 pastel

Today's painting is another one of the demos I did this past weekend at High Country Gallery. I have painted this meadow many times and I never tire of interpreting it. For this version I added a blue sky and emphasized the delicate laciness of the flowers. I worked today on my 24 x 24 daisy commissions. I do love painting big and my new Diane Townsends were perfect. I'll post photos tomorrow.

Virtual Paintout Paintings... Arles, France

2011-12-06T16:10:00.004-05:00

I rediscovered the Virtual Paint Out site last month and I've been having fun painting the countryside around Arles France. In case you aren't familiar with it The Virtual Paint Out is a site hosted by artist Bill Guffy. " Virtual paintouts using Google Street View as a resource for traveling the world to find interesting locations and subjects to paint." Artists can post up to three paintings done from the location. The location changes monthly. I thought it would be a fun pastel class to do the Virtual Paint out together using screen shots or our Ipads. Since we are visiting Arles we will also talk about Van Gogh and his landscapes. It is always fun to explore another artist's style so hopefully we will be inspired by the painting style of Van Gogh. These three paintings (all 8x10) are my interpretations of the countryside around Arles. I can't wait for class tomorrow!

Colorado Meadows 8x10 pastel

2011-12-05T19:23:00.004-05:00

'Colorado Meadows in the Summer' 8x10 pastel

I had the chance to paint another Colorado scene for my new wildflower series. I am having so much fun going back through my photos. What a fantastic trip we had. I hope we get to do another road trip this summer. So I better get painting so I can get caught up. Will I ever really be caught up and for an artist is there such a thing anyway. There is always something to inspire me and that makes it all the more wonderful!

A New Red Poppy Painting SOLD

2011-12-04T17:53:00.004-05:00

'Poppy Impressions' 8x10 pastel

Today's painting is a new addition to my Colorado Wildflower paintings. I came across these poppies in a garden in Crested Butte. It was a wonderful spot with poppies of all colors and sizes. I was in heaven and took many photos. I did a watercolor underpainting for this one.

Miniature Bird Nest Painting

2011-12-03T20:16:00.003-05:00

'Tiny Treasures' 2.5 x 3.5 inches pastel SOLD

Today I painted all day at High Country Gallery in Blue Ridge Georgia. I had fun talking about pastels and meeting new people as well as painting. I managed to do five paintings so it was a productive day as well. Tomorrow is a day for cleaning though. I have to get the housekeeping chores out of the way so I can play with my new watercolors and pastels that just arrived. I will post pictures tomorrow!
Today's painting is another mini original pastel. I still have more available for sale. $15 each or 2 for $20. They make great gifts for friends, family or yourself! Visit my picasa gallery for available paintings and if you are interested in any, send me an email at kemstudios@yahoo.com

Mini Sale Paintings

Hunting Island South Carolina Marsh View SOLD

2011-12-02T16:56:00.004-05:00

'Hunting Island Marsh' 8x10 pastel

Taking a break from my big daisy paintings to post this South Carolina marsh done as this week's class demo. We talked about foregrounds this week and tried to remember that less is more. Sometimes we want to put in all the grasses we see in the foreground especially when working from photos. I try to remember I am interpreting the photo and that I should leave a bit of mystery in the foreground. I don't want to create a barrier with a row of marsh grasses.

Daisies Squared

2011-12-01T17:33:00.006-05:00

Daisies Squared I & II 4x4 pastel studies

Today I worked on two small 4x4 inch studies for a commission. I will be doing them much larger 24 x 24 which is about as large as I have painted. I will be doing watercolor underpaintings on each one and I hope my new watercolors arrive in time to use for these paintings. It will be interesting to paint these daisies larger than life! I can't wait to get started.

The top painting has been sold. The bottom painting is available for $45 via Paypal or check. Email me for details.

Painting from the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival SOLD

2011-11-30T17:28:00.004-05:00

'Wildflowers of Crested Butte' 9x18 pastel

This was a fun format for this painting. These yellow flowers seemed to stretch out in all directions so the long format suited them well. I wish long and narrow formats would show up better on the blog but somehow they seem small! This is on Canson paper with an assortment of soft pastels.

More Mini Paintings added to Sale

2011-11-29T18:29:00.004-05:00

'Southwest Storm' 2.5 x 3.5 pastel

Thank you to all who purchased my mini pastel originals yesterday. I almost sold out! I am so glad that the paintings will have good homes. I have added more minis to the album in case anyone else was interested in them. They are priced at $15 each or 2 for $20 with $3 for shipping. Email me if you find one you like! This one is from a photo I took outside of Albuquerque. It is on black Pastelmat which I really enjoy using!
To see the new minis click on the album below.

Mini Sale Paintings

On the Way to Yankee Boy Basin...Colorado Wildflowers

2011-11-28T17:55:00.003-05:00

'On the Way to Yankee Boy Basin' 8x10 pastel

Today I had a chance to paint another scene for my Colorado Wildflower series. We took a jeep ride up to Yankee Boy Basin at the height of the wildflower season. It is something I always wanted to do and I wasn't disappointed. There was one section of the road where the meadows were covered in these blue purple flowers. It was breathtaking! I managed to snap some photos as we bumped along in the jeep! This painting is 8x10 on Canson paper.

Mini Painting Sale 2.5 x 3.5 originals $15 or 2 for $20

2011-11-27T11:41:00.004-05:00

A selection of mini originals

If you are looking for something small and affordable for Holiday gifts, consider the gift of original art. I am offering a selection of my mini original pastel paintings for sale. They are priced at $15 each or 2 for $20. Shipping is $3. Paypal or personal check accepted. These little paintings look great matted and framed or you can display them on little easels. They are protected in a clearbag with a foamcore backing. If you have a special scene or sunject in mind I can paint an original for $25 each. Click on the album below to see the available paintings. Please email me at kemstudios@yahoo.com with any questions.

Mini Sale Paintings

Lowcountry Sunset 2.5 x 3.5 pastel painting SOLD

2011-11-26T18:12:00.004-05:00

'Lowcountry Sunset' 2.5 x 3.5 pastel

I didn't get to paint today so I am sharing another miniature pastel painting. I will be putting together a collection of them and offering them for sale for Cyber Monday. This is a sneak peek! I hope to have a nice long studio day tomorrow. I have a lot of things I want to do but I have been running around all weekend. It will be time to relax and paint tomorrow!

TO BID ON THIS PAINTING VISIT MY AUCTION HERE

Grand Teton National Park mini pastel painting

2011-11-25T20:49:00.006-05:00

'River View' 2.5 x 3.5 pastel

I have finished a new collection of mini pastels this week. I have a new portable set up that I can take upstairs to the den and paint in the evenings. I love my studio but I need to get away from it in the evenings so a small box of pastels and a small board work great at the table while I watch TV. Here is one of my latest. It is a scene from our trip out to Grand Teton NP and Yellowstone. I have so many wonderful reference photos so doing some minis really helps me decide which ones would make a good larger painting.

To bid on this painting please visit my auction HERE

Original Pastel Painting Ornaments on Shrink Film!

2011-11-24T12:29:00.005-05:00

I am always looking to try something new so when my friend shared the idea of pastels on shrink film I just had to try them. What fun they were. It was like being a kid and doing Shrinky Dinks! Who would have thought you could paint with pastels on shrink film?! You can and they turn out great. For these little paintings I used a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch piece of shrink film. Only the softer pastels work well and light colors and linear marks really show up nicely. You can bake them or use a heat gun which is more fun. They will curl up into a ball before they flatten out and shrink. I didn't know that so I threw out several because I thought I had done something wrong! Then I re-read the directions. They shrink to about 2x3 and they are hard plastic. I sealed them with Krylon clear glossy finish. They darken slightly but the pastel is sealed. I tied a piece of black elastic to make them into ornaments. Be sure to punch the hole before shrinking! I had so much fun I am going to do some more. I think the possibilities for them are endless!

Indian Paintbrush Colorado Wildflower Painting

2011-11-23T20:49:00.004-05:00

'A Splash of Red' 8x10 pastel

I was happy to start a new series today. I have been wanting to paint some Colorado wildflowers from some of my favorite reference photos. The summer of 2010 my friends Holly and Jayne and I drove out to Wyoming. We made a few stops in Colorado to enjoy the wildflowers. We were in Crested Butte for the Wildflower Festival and took a jeep ride to Yankee Boy Basin in Ouray. It was a fantastic experience and I am excited to finally paint some of the scenes from the trip. Here is a hillside covered in Indian Paintbrush. I did a watercolor underpaintng on Uart paper.

Autumn Tree 8x10 pastel

2011-11-22T16:56:00.003-05:00

'Colorful Countryside' 8x10 pastel

Today I am sharing an older painting that just hasn't found it's home yet. I had good intentions to paint today but ended up just doing a lot of prep work. I have a new series in the works of Colorado Wildflowers from one of my summer trips and I have two large 24x24 daisy commissions in the works. I am excited about painting daisies in this size. I have the paper all ready for the first one and after working on minis for a week this looks Huge! It will be fun.
About today's painting, I am asked how I got the textured look to the tree...that came out of frustration. I had way too many leaves so I kept brushing them out and each time I still overworked it. So finally I sprayed the tree with fixative and painted on it while damp which gave the tree it's final look.

Tour my Studio and Sale Paintings

2011-11-21T17:51:00.002-05:00

I enjoyed participating in the weekend's Open Studio Tour and I wanted to share my space with my online friends. I also wanted to offer you the chance to participate in the sale and drawing for a free painting. To take the Virtual tour you can click on the tab at the top of the page or click HERE. To see the sale paintings up close along with sizes and prices click on the tab at the top of the page or click HERE. Anyone who purchases a sale painting will be entered into the drawing for a 16x20 original pastel painting. Email me if you find something you like or have questions. Enjoy the tour!

Artist Trading Cards or ACEO's

2011-11-20T17:47:00.004-05:00

pastel 2.5 x 3.5

I just finished a great Sunday mini workshop on painting in a small format. We did 2.5 x 3.5 paintings as well as painted minis on shrink film. What fun that was! Everyone went home with several little gems and hopefully inspiration to keep painting more minis. As I told everyone....these minis may be only inches but they add up to miles of canvas! I will share some photos and more on the shrink film paintings tomorrow.

To bid on this painting click HERE

A New Sea Gull Painting

2011-11-19T18:03:00.005-05:00

'At the Shore' 8x10 pastel

I had a great day today. Open Studio was a success and I had fun with a private student at the same time. I met some new artists and welcomed back several of my regular collectors. I am now setting up for tomorrow's workshop on painting small format pastels. I took lots of photos of the studio and will be putting together a virtual open studio for my out of town friends. Look for it to be posted early next week!

Cardinal Pastel Study 8x10

2011-11-18T18:18:00.002-05:00

'Red Bird' 8x10 pastel

I haven't painted any birds in a long time so earlier this week I pulled out my bird photos and this one caught my eye. I really enjoy painting birds...really any animal. But birds have such personalities. I did this as a study on Canson moonstone paper. I also painted a seagull which I will share tomorrow.
I am all ready for the Open Studio Tour. I have a few paintings on my easels to work on and I have set out my big set of pastels so visitors can see how I work. I've cleaned up but it is still very much my working studio. I have heard that visitors want to see an artist's studio how it really is and not a perfect sterilized version. I welcome my local friends to come by, visit and pick up a map for the other open studios on the tour!

Bumble Bee in the Meadow

2011-11-17T17:27:00.003-05:00

'Buzzing Bee' 16x20 pastel

I am opening my studio this Saturday to visitors as part of the Artist of Northwest Georgia Studio Tour. Our studios will be open from 10-4 and we will be donating 5% of sales to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I hope my local Atlanta area friends will plan on stopping in. I will have a few paintings in progress and you will be able to watch me work and see my space and where I work and teach. I will be giving away this 16x20 pastel original to a visitor so I hope to see you! For my online friends and collectors, I will be having an online open studio next week so you will have a chance to have a virtual visit and painting give away. Stay tuned!

Janet Hartmann....I am trying to get back in touch with you but your email address keeps getting bounced back. Please write again with your number or new email

Pink Water Lilies

2011-11-16T17:12:00.003-05:00

'Twice as Nice' 8x10 pastel

I enjoyed painting these water lilies as a paint along with a student. She has a water garden with lilies so these spoke to her. I hope to have my own pond this Spring. I found a pond form at the thrift store so I am going to be planning my garden over the winter. I don't think I will be able to keep any fish or lilies in my pond though. My dog Heidi loves the water too much and I'm afraid she is going to think it is her personal swimming hole! Today she was out running in the rain so if there is water around she will find it!

Daisy Demo Painting 12x16

2011-11-15T17:10:00.003-05:00

'Carolina Daisies' 12x16 pastel

Here is another one of my demo paintings from my weekend workshops. For these daisies I did a watercolor underpainting on Uart paper. I was successful in not covering the underpainting. I am trying to let some of it show and sometimes it is too easy to be heavy handed and cover it all up.

Demo Painting from APS Workshop

2011-11-14T18:17:00.002-05:00

'Mountain Meadow' 16x20 pastel

I had a wonderful weekend teaching two workshops for the Appalachian Pastel Society. I had 17 artists in my mini workshop and 8 for the full day. We were very productive and everyone did some fantastic work. This painting was my demo for the miniworkshop on Saturday. I did a 'dry wash' underpainting first with a layer of harder pastels rubbed in with some pipe insulation. I will share my other demos later this week.
My next workshop is this Sunday at my home studio. We will be working on miniature pastel paintings and I have several ways to finish them so that they will be ready for holiday gifts. I have a couple of openings so if you are looking for a fun afternoon of painting with a great group, let me know!

A Moody Autumn Day

2011-11-13T21:41:00.003-05:00

'Tomales Bay' 8x10 pastel

I am back from a wonderful weekend in Asheville NC doing a workshop for the Appalachian pastel Society. It was such a great time! I met the most wonderful artists and had so much fun painting and sharing with them. The theme of the weekend was wildflowers and everyone did some great work! I would love to do it again. I love teaching!

I am going to be working this week to prepare my studio for the Open Studio Tour this Saturday. I am looking forward to having visitors see where I work!

Daisies ll A new Series SOLD

2011-11-10T19:39:00.007-05:00

'Daisy Chain ll' 8x10 pastel

I had the pleasure of painting another version of the daisies for my evening class last night. I took the same reference photo and interpreted it in a vertical format. I did a watercolor underpainting again on Uart paper. I think I am now warmed up for my Wildflower workshop in Asheville!

Local friends!! Please be sure to plan on stopping by my Open Studio next Saturday the 19th from 10-4. I am participating in the Artists of Northwest Georgia Studio Tour along with at least 11 other artists. Visit our site for information and tour map HERE
Come see where I paint and teach. I will be painting! I will also have plenty of work in all price ranges for holiday shopping! This year I will be having a drawing for a framed painting and 5% of the proceeds of the Studio Tour sales will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I hope to see you this year!

A New Daisy Painting 8x10 pastel SOLD

2011-11-09T17:36:00.005-05:00

'Daisy Chain' 8x10 pastel

I have been working on new wildflower paintings in preparation for my upcoming workshops in Asheville, NC for the Appalachian Pastel Society. I am excited to share some of my thoughts and techniques for painting meadows and wildflowers in the landscape. I'll be headed to Asheville on Friday and can't wait to see old friends and meet new ones! This 8×10 pastel is done on Uart paper with a watercolor underpainting.

Don't forget to make time for the Artists of Northwest Georgia Open Studio Tour next Saturday November 19th form 9-4. My studio will be open with works in progress on the easel, lots of art for sale and I will be giving away a painting to a lucky visitor.

Another Plein Air Tree 5x7 pastel

2011-11-08T16:25:00.004-05:00

'Up on the Hill' 5x7 pastel

This is the other orange tree I painted last week at the Anderson Creek Paint out. I really enjoyed painting at this beautiful spot and we are making plans for another painting event this Spring! I did all of my plein air paintings on either Uart or Wallis that I had mounted on archival matboard. It made it so easy to frame them on location. Nice to paint on as well!

Be sure to mark your calenders for my annual Open Studio on Saturday November 19th from 10-4. This year I will have my open studio a part of the Studio Tour of the Artist's of Northwest Atlanta. So it will be a great day for you to come out and visit the studios of some wonderful local artists. Click Here for a map and more information on the participating artists.

A Splash of Red....Autumn Tree Pastel

2011-11-07T18:10:00.003-05:00

'A Splash of Red' 8x10 pastel

Ok.....my Wednesday evening students get ready! I went to the Dr. today for this awful cough and guess what they gave me! I had only taken two pills and found myself mysteriously sweeping and dusting. I still felt bad but I was compelled to clean! Hopefully tomorrow I will be feeling well enough to get painting. Last year at this same time my allergies were so bad I was given a course of prednisone and my students will remind me that I painted 10 sunflower paintings in one day! I didn't realize that this could be a side effect until they told me. Today I am sharing a red tree I painted a couple of weeks ago. There is an awesome orange tree in my neighbor's yard that I need to paint next!

Queen Anne's Lace Meadow step by step

2011-11-06T16:12:00.002-05:00

'In the Meadow' 11x14 pastel

Here is today's painting which I photographed step by step as I painted it. I will be using the photos as part of my workshops for the Appalachian Pastel Society next weekend. There are still some opening in Sunday all day workshop. We will have a small class so it will be a great opportunity for a day of learning and painting. I am also working on an idea for a monthly online lesson and these photos will be used for the first class. So...this post is a bit of a tease for now but stay tuned for more and let me know if you can come to the workshop in Asheville next Sunday!

For those of you in the Atlanta area, mark your calenders for Saturday November 19th. I am participating in an Open Studio Tour and my studio will be open to visitors from 10-4. More information to come!

Meadow of Clover 8x10 pastel

2011-11-05T18:24:00.002-04:00

'Fairytale Meadows' 8x10 pastel

I don't usually paint a field of clover without other wildflowers but these were just so wonderful I had to showcase them. I had fun with this using some pearlescent pastels which you can see the sparkle a bit in the photo. Tomorrow I am looking forward to a project experimenting with a bunch of sample grounds by Golden. I am always looking to see what other surfaces will do for my paintings. I think I will try a group of minis each with a different ground. Stay tuned!

More Mini Pastels

2011-11-04T17:20:00.005-04:00

A Collection of ACEO mini Original Pastels each 2.5x3.5 inches

I am glad that I decided to work on these mini paintings this week. I have come down with a cold and since I can sit and work on these it is perfect for my energy level. I had to cancel my demo day at High Country Gallery tomorrow but I would not be up to a full day of painting in the Gallery. I hope to reschedule in the next few weeks. I have to be well for next weekends workshop for the Appalachian Pastel Society so I am taking it easy this weekend. I really enjoy working on these little ones. It is fun to see how little information you need to say something in a painting. It is a great exercise!

Summer Meadows 8x10 pastel

2011-11-03T14:49:00.003-04:00

'Summer Meadows' 8x10 pastel

I am getting ready for my demo and workshop for the Appalachian Pastel Society. The subject will be wildflowers and meadows (my favorite!) I am making good progress in condensing all of my information into a 4 hour workshop and I can't wait to share it with everyone! Today's painting is a demo on Canson.

A New Batch of Mini Pastels

2011-11-02T15:52:00.002-04:00

'Golden Fields' 2.5 x 3.5 " pastel

My project this week is to paint some mini paintings. Some call them aceo or Artist Trading Cards. I just call them minis and I love to paint them! You can easily get nice frames for them now or mat them to give them a bigger presence. I like them because it is a great way to distill my subject and simplify. I use my regular pastels and cut up scrap paper into 2.5 x 3.5 scraps. I am posting them all in a facebook album this week. I'll share the link when I upload today's paintings.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T16:45:00.002-04:00

'Chocolate Delight' 4x4 pastel

I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween! It's a great excuse for some chocolate! I used to love when my kids went trick or treating. They weren't much for sweets so I had months of candy. I have a terrible sweet tooth! Now I can only hope that I don't get too many trick or treaters so I have leftovers!

Orange Tree Plein Air pastel 5x7

2011-10-30T18:42:00.002-04:00

'The Orange Tree' 5x7 pastel

Here is another one of my plein air trees from this weekend. I did all 5x7 vertical paintings because I knew my frames for the silent auction were set up for vertical. I didn't mind the restrictions though and ended up just focusing in on some individual trees that caught my eye. I used the same palette for all of them so when they were all together they made a nice grouping. It was such a fun weekend and I am inspired to get out and do more outdoor painting!

Plein Air in the Beautiful North Georgia Mountains

2011-10-29T19:28:00.002-04:00

'Little Red Tree' 5x7 plein air pastel

What a wonderful day I had painting with the Georgia Outdoor Painters at the beautiful Anderson Creek Retreat in the North Georgia Mountains. We were invited to paint on the grounds as part of the Art of Mountain Living Celebration. There was a Bluegrass band and delicious food and wine. We had a display of our paintings and a silent auction of the paintings we completed in the morning. I sold both of my paintings! It was very cold and windy in the morning and I was bundled in many layers. I set up in the sun and painted five 5x7 tree portraits. I sold a red one and a yellow one and I will post the others tomorrow. It was so great to be able to paint outdoors. I forget how much I enjoy it even the 'extreme' plein air we had this morning! I will post details of the day tomorrow!

Cats in the Window pastel 12x24

2011-10-27T16:48:00.002-04:00

'Cats in the Window' 12x24 pastel

I realized today that I haven't shared my cat commission paintings from this summer. I had the privilege of painting these wonderful cats as well as 5 individual portraits. It was such a fun project because my client wanted color and gave me free reign with the backgrounds. I started by doing small color studies and once she approved I went from there. This painting is from a photo (how did they ever get that shot!) and I did it in a long and narrow format. It really doesn't show up well on the blog. I have posted all of the paintings on facebook in a public album so please go have a look HERE

I am also accepting pat portrait commissions for the holidays. This is a great time to arrange a pet portrait before the rush. If you would like to see more of my pet paintings please visit my pet blog HERE

More Autumn Color 11x14 pastel

2011-10-26T16:41:00.004-04:00

'Autumn Rainbow' 11x14 pastel

I am enjoying my Autumn color series. Today's painting was the demo for my morning class. We did it as a paint along and it was great to see how differently everyone interpreted the same photo. I love the bright colors in the Autumn landscape and everyone wants to paint the red and yellow trees but I prefer the softer colors of Fall when the colors are mixed with more greens and neutrals. I would like to try this same scene in a more muted Fall palette. This one is on Wallis Belgian Mist which definitely has a different look than the two paintings I just did on Pastelmat.

Another Version of Autumn Trees

2011-10-25T18:59:00.003-04:00

'Hillside Color II' 8x10 pastel

I continued today with my series of Autumn Landscapes. This time I tried a vertical composition of the scene I painted yesterday. This is on Pastelmat again this time a peach color which you can see peeking through. What a fun surface to paint on. I just went right in with my softest pastels and they glided on like butter!

Pastel Workshop in Asheville NC

2011-10-25T15:39:00.003-04:00

There are still some openings in my pastel workshop for the Appalachian Pastel Society the weekend of November 12th. The focus will be painting meadows and wildflowers. On Saturday Nov 12 I will be doing a presentation and demo for the monthly meeting of APS. This will be followed by a three hour workshop during which we will explore seeing color in meadows and wildflowers, achieving depth and dealing with green in the landscape. On Sunday I will teach another workshop (full day) exploring wildflowers and meadows in depth...we will explore wet underpainting techniques and more intimate close-ups of wildflowers such as daisies, queen annes lace and poppies. I am looking forward to a great weekend of sharing and painting. Please let me know if you would like more information! kemstudios@yahoo.com

Autumn Trees 5x7 pastel

2011-10-24T16:27:00.004-04:00

'Hillside Color' 5x7 pastel

This week I will be concentrating on doing some Fall landscapes. In class this week we will be doing a paint-along with Fall as our theme. This Saturday I will be participating in a plein air paint-out in the North Georgia mountains with a group of wonderful artists. I am looking forward to getting outside and painting. It was so tempting to join my group this weekend. I saw so many great things to paint as I made the rounds to my students. I think that was the hardest part of teaching! This little painting is on black pastelmat paper.

Back from my Workshop!

2011-10-23T19:39:00.007-04:00

'Landscape Variation #54 5x7 pastel

Forgive the uncropped post but I just returned home from teaching my first multi-day plein air workshop and I was having trouble loading photos. Then I looked at this one and decided I could share how I hang some work on my studio wall. I use these great thumbtack/clips called paper crickets. They don't damage the paper and you can easily change out your work. I have all of my landscape variation series hanging on my studio wall with these clips.I love them!
I had a great experience this weekend teaching in the mountains. I had a wonderful group of nine students who all worked hard and did great work. We had picture perfect weather and had so much fun sharing, painting, telling stories and laughing! It was wonderful!! I was too busy to take many photos but I will try to get some posted with a full report tomorrow.

Fall Color 12x12 pastel

2011-10-19T20:56:00.004-04:00

'The Color of Fall' 12x12 pastel

I think my favorite Fall color is yellow. I love yellow flowers and bushes and trees. I am drawn to them for some reason. It is such a cheerful color. I am headed to the mountains this weekend and hope to see some Fall color. I will be teaching my first multi-day workshop and I have made out a plan so I hope the weather cooperates! It is supposed to be chilly but sunny. I will give a full report on Monday but I won't have internet access this weekend to do any posting. I hope everyone enjoys the weekend!

Painting a Green Landscape without Green

2011-10-17T17:25:00.004-04:00

'Early Fall' 5x7 pastel

This week I am working on green paintings but this time I am not allowing myself to use a green pastel stick. Instead for anything green, I am creating my own blended greens from other colors. I made a little color chart to see some of the possibilities. The above painting was done with these mixtures and no green sticks. I am going to continue going through my big box and see what other combinations make green!

California Landscape 8x10 pastel SOLD

2011-10-16T17:58:00.005-04:00

'Inverness View' 8x10 pastel

This is another painting in my 'green' landscape series. We have been working on making green paintings more interesting and for this one I used an alcohol wash underpainting with some reds and oranges. I am now working on some green paintings without using any green pastels. What a fun challenge that is! I'll post the results this week.

Painting from a Plein Air Study

2011-10-15T17:53:00.003-04:00

'Wishful Thinking' (top) 8x10 pastel
field study 5x7 (bottom)

One of the things that I have been wanting to do is paint from the plein air studies I have done on my travels. It was one of the things Richard McKinley suggested I try when I was at his workshop last fall. I put aside all of my studies but haven't had the chance to take them out and paint from them. So today I decided to give it a try. The bottom photo shows my field study of a cluster of dandelion seed heads. I was actually sitting on the ground painting them on location. For the studio version (top) I did a watercolor underpainting which helped me keep them loose and dreamy. That was fun!

Autumn Color Pastel Landscape Painting 11x14 SOLD

2011-10-14T18:15:00.005-04:00

'Hillside Color' 11x14 pastel

I spend the day cleaning and organizing my studio and made some great progress. I came across this painting from last Fall. I am excited about the rest of the month which gives me a couple of opportunities to get outside and paint. I still have more work to do in the outer studio room but at least now I can walk through it. I am fortunate to have 2 rooms (one large) and a screened in porch all for me and my art! I paint in the big room where I also have my students paint. I am devoting the outer room to storage. I am trying to make it inviting for visitors to view my work as well and it being a place to store finished paintings. I will take some photos when I am finished.