Got up and went right to the easel

I can't help myself! It's Saturday and it's my day off and all I want to do is my art. I tried a structural painting yesterday, but I am chucking that one. I will try it again to see if I can achieve a better effect. Until then, this landscape was something I thought would be pleasing.

Chris Tanner, plein air leader and vice president of the Lake County Art League gave me some good advice regarding my compositions. He said "Deb --- Your painting capture the viewer's attention with the wonderful color, but now you want to hold the viewer's attention with composition. That means directing their eye through the painting with carefully staged patterns, lines, details, contrasts, focal points or any other trick you become comfortable with. Look at artist's work you really like and figure out how they did it. It's a big step, but fun. The next step is actually engaging the viewer to get something of you and your feelings across." Good point Chris, Thanks!

Still Life of Pears

Yesterday, I did a challenge on Wet Canvas.com. Wet canvas is a forum for artists where you can post your artwork for critiques and meet other artists. I really enjoy the forum, because it gives me a place to show other artists my work and meet other creative people. It's also fun to hear their ohh's and ahh's about my work.

This was a challenge in the pastel forum. You had your choice of four photos. I chose the still life of the pears, because I really don't do still life painting and I was definitely outside my comfort zone on this one. I also have been wanting to try out a technique where you take turpeniod and wet down the pastels. First I blocked in the color with Nu Pastel sticks, then wet the surface with turpenoid. Once the painting was dry, I came back in with the colors that you see on the surface. I had to spray this once, but the results were very interesting.

I do have to say, I enjoyed the challenge, but will stick to my landscape painting! I will have to try the turpenoid on one of them in the future.

Wow, it's been awhile since I wrote in here. I am going to start uploading my art for you all to see. Here is a painting I just did today. I purchased some Arches watercolor paper and walla, I found something that works for me. I hope you enjoy!

This painting is approx. 5 x7. I was inspired by a photo I took several weeks back of an open field in Deer Park area, I believe it's part of the marsh off of Ela road and Long Grove Road.