Epoxy Flowers Table

People are so darned talented. Enjoy!



Think Creatively!

Artistic Day in Philly

I have visited PAFA before but not like this. Being led on a personal tour by a knowledgeable French docent named Danielle. I was on my way to a gallery when she offered to take me on a tour. How kind she was! There were many new pieces on display and she was an engaging guide. Her subject of the day was “What is an American Artist?” I think we determined by the end of the tour that there was no such thing (or maybe I should say I did because something tells me Danielle already knew this to be the case.) Amazing how many artists – though born and bred in America - studied and/or migrated to other countries. And if that’s the case, does it even matter where they were born if their talent is a culmination of cultures?

Thank you for today Danielle!

Vive la France and God Bless America

“Yellow Earrings” sketched today from Philadelphia Sketch Club

A Word About Color Temperature

One of the most important rules of color temperature is that warm colors protrude (pop forward) and cool colors recede (fade back). So, if you think about the color scale, this would mean that red, yellow and orange would surge forward in a painting as opposed to the cool colors of blue, purple and green which would make things look like they are further away. That is why cool colors are used to signify elements in a distance like trees and houses because it denotes atmosphere between the foreground and the background of a painting.

We won’t go into a lot of detail about value (light and dark) but I will mention that the value scale is also used to show how close or further away something is and that there is a value scale within these temperature groups that will also intensify atmosphere. The closer something is to us the darker and clearer it should look and the further away it is the lighter and more diffused it should be, again signifying more atmosphere. Nothing explains concepts better than examples so let’s look at a painting by Henri Lebasque titled Blue Mountains in Cannes.

Henri Lebasque

Starting at the top of the painting, we see the mountains are painted with cool blues & purples (very gray, meaning lack of color intensity), showing atmosphere and visually telling the viewer that the mountains are far away.

Now, here is something interesting. Balconies are usually high, higher than the landscape below them and in this painting the perspective tells us that the balcony is indeed very high in the air. Which would mean that the possibility of having trees right next to the balcony is not impossible but is improbable. So, let’s focus on the balcony. Look at the first opening to the left. The cool purple makes it look like whatever you are catching a glimpse of is far away but look at the other openings to the right of the figure. The dark green is too dark and not cool enough. Do you see how that green looks like its bursting through the balcony openings? Now, I am not saying that the great Mr. Henri Lebasque did not see that intense green on that bright beautiful day in Cannes, but I AM saying that this is a great example of how temperature is important to denote atmosphere in a painting.

So remember, cool colors recede, warm colors push forward so the next time you look at a painting notice how the artist has used temperature to portray atmosphere and mood. 


Think Creatively!

Book Recommendation 1 - "Creative Workshop" by David Sherwin

 

I was at my local library and was leaving when I saw the book. I think it caught my eye because it was so colorful. It was called “Creative Workshop” by David Sherwin. I looked at the back cover, scanned through it and was hooked. I checked it out. When I got home, I immediately started reading my new design bible. The author Mr. Sherwin has brilliantly put together 80 design challenges to teach and motivate you into learning about maximum creativity.

 So, first let me tell you what happened and why I think this book is so awesome. I read the first challenge and knew there was no way I was going to be able to complete it within the 30-minute time frame given. I decided to give myself the best advantage by using the tools provided by Mr. Sherwin in the Introduction. Well, long story short - I did it! One of my main challenges is coming up with ideas within a given time frame. There are times I have an idea but it might take days/weeks to flesh it out on paper. So this exercise showed me that with practice I can hone my design skills in all areas of my life and for that I will be forever grateful to this talented author.

Moving on, I got a little busy after the first Challenge and had to renew the book. I worked on Challenge two, finished it and again ran out of time before I could start the next challenge so I decided to do myself a favor and just buy the book. So now I am working on each challenge and having a great time learning new things. One thing that I found particularly helpful were the techniques Mr. Sherwin provided to help with time management and structuring your ideas, such as:

Time Boxing – Allocating a time period for each activity.

Mind Mapping – Using a diagram to visually organize information.

Word Listing – Using words to visually organize information.

Picture Association – Using pictures to visually organize information.

Brute Thinking - Using attributes attached to random words or pictures to find an association.

There is so much more and I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. This book should be used to teach students how to create and document concepts on the clock and it is not just applicable to art.

Think Creatively!

Vanzant Artist Paint Brushes Now Available!!

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Rubens and African American Skin Tones

Hello! I found this interesting video on YouTtube by documentary maker IDTV Docs. Very interesting video about Rubens and his painting of an African American man. I am having a problem creating links tonight so I will cut and past the bio of this filmaker directly into the blog (see below) and of course, you can always follow the link from the video itself. Please enjoy and pay a visit to this interesting site. Best Regards, Monica

IDTV Docs develops and produces documentaries, auteur films, commissioned films, art films and TV series with a widely varying look and feel to them. Socially engaged and quality-oriented, the makers cover a very wide range of socially relevant and cultural subjects. The productions are made for regional and national broadcasters; local and central government; non-profit organizations, arts and cultural funds; as well as companies. IDTV Docs has built up an impressive track record, including many productions that have received national and international awards.

Blick Art Materials Sponsored Red Bubble Winner!

Congratulations to the very talented George Paul Miller who won the Blick Art Materials sponsored challenge on Red Bubble.

George's winning entry titled "Lauren's Gift - With Hope" and more of his work can be viewed on the Red Bubble site by visiting here.

Thank you Blick Art Materials for your continued support of the arts and sponsoring this challenge. The products you offer and your fantastic deals keep me coming back! I hope others will discover what your website has to offer.

Best Regards, Monica

George Paul Miller

African American Artists

This blog post is dedicated to master African American Artists who many may have never heard of. I will try to add links to their work, biographies and their movement. There are so many many more that are not included on this list. To continue your art history education and to learn more about these and other African American artists not included in this blog, a great start is Artcyclopedia. This site provides the artist, date of birth/death and worldwide locations of their artwork. These artist’s have contributed their creative vision to the history of art and I hope some will research and view their body of work and enjoy.



Robert Scott Duncanson, 1821-1872. Hudson River School Painter. Beautiful and serene, Duncanson’s work sheds light on American art that has been forgotten over the years…






Edward Mitchell Bannister, 1828-1901. Painter/Tonalism. Although primarily known for his idealized landscapes and seascapes, Bannister also executed portraits, biblical and mythological scenes, and genre scenes…








Harriet Powers, 1837-1910. Quilting. She used traditional appliqué techniques to record local legends, Bible stories, and astronomical events on her quilts…










Edmonia Lewis, 1845-1911. Neoclassical Sculptor. Was the first African American and Native American woman to gain fame and recognition as a sculptor in the international fine arts world…







William “Bill” Traylor, 1854-1949. Folk Artist. William Traylor was a self-taught artist born into slavery on a plantation near Benton, in Lowndes County, Alabama…







George Joseph Herriman, 1880-1944. Illustrator/Comic Art. was an American cartoonist, best known for his comic strip Krazy Kat…









James Van Der Zee, 1886-1983. Photographer. He was a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance…

Art Contest On Fine Art America Sponsored By Dick Blick Art Supplies

Calling All Artists!

I am currently hosting a fine art contest on Fine Art America. If you don't know about it, it is a social networking art website and is a wonderful forum for communicating with other artists and also exhibiting and selling your art. Unfortunately, the contest is for FAA current members only, but now that you know about it - check it out! You may want to become a member and enter the next contest.
This contest is for oil painters only and is titled "Oil Painters - Your Best Figurative Art. This contest is being sponsored by my favorite art supply company Dick Blick Art Materials.The grand prize winner will receive $50 worth of Dick Blick product ordered directly from their website! I have been ordering art supplies from these folks about ten years and I can honestly say I have found the best deals with Dick Blick. If it seems that I am talking them up, well I am. I don't attach my name to anything I don't believe in so give them a try.

Best Regards, Monica

Online Proportional Scale Calculator

Hello,

I found a Proportional Scale Calculator on the web and thought I would share the link. If you want to create a larger canvas from a study and need the correct dimensions the link is -

http://scriptygoddess.com/resources/proportioncalc.htm

Thank you so much Jennifer for creating this!

Regards, Monica