So often when we work from photographs we are seduced by what’s there. We follow it with complete devotion and without deviation. In the end, all we have is a copy of the photo. Our painting doesn’t actually say much about us or why we chose to paint the picture. This is one of the
Laura Pollak. I remember seeing some lovely paintings by her years ago. Very nice. And then…one day…a more abstracted piece appeared on the scene. It was totally unlike her landscapes. Wow! And then a painting appeared that was surely illuminated from within. How? I mean, this is pastel on paper, not a three-dimensional lightbox! This
“Blue and green should never be seen” – ever heard that saying? It’s an oldie that generally applied to fashion and home decor. Personally, I could never understand it as I’ve always loved blues and greens together – think green trees against a blue sky!! BUT, I’ve found a place where blue and green really
This month’s guest, Tara Will, will blow you away with her bold, colourful, energetic work! I was delighted when she agreed to contribute a guest post. (I wrote about one of her pastels in a monthly roundup. You can read it HERE.)
Okay, pet peeve coming up! How do you write inches? Let’s say we’re talking about a painting that’s five and a half inches by seven and one eighth inches. Do you write 5 1/2 x 7 1/8 in? Or do you write 5.5 x 7.125 inches? I hope you write the former rather than the
If you know me, you know I LOVE colour! I love painting with bright colours and then, when needed, layering pastels to create greys. This de-intensifies the saturated colours. Seeing colours in greys can sometimes be tricky. It all just looks grey! With time, deep looking, and the tips below, you’ll see the colour that’s
I may as well come right out and say it – Albert Handell is one of my pastel heroes! I’ve followed and been inspired by his pastel paintings whether I’ve seen them in magazines, social media, his books, or, on rare occasions, in art galleries. I also was lucky enough to see Albert demonstrate at
It’s the start of a new year and like many, I use the first few days as a time to reflect and plan, to look back and look forward, and to begin filling my calendar with actions towards my goals. There’s a part of me that feels that I need to get a move on
Do you set goals for your art practice? We were talking about goal setting and doing annual reviews as part of our Turning Up Art Camp in IGNITE! * this month. I know a lot of people struggle with getting to painting. They end up doing anything and everything to avoid the one thing that
What’s your biggest struggle when it comes to art-making? Perhaps it’s understanding composition – what it is, why it’s important, and how to use it to improve your painting. Certainly, composition is one of the topics I get asked about most frequently. So when I was given the book entitled, Landscape Painting and Composition: An
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