Attitudes

Coming to your favorite online catalogue soon!!!!

Practice stokes of color and shapes....

Visualize Don’t Copy

Photographs dictate color, values and the unnecessary fluff for those who depend on them for composition.  Local colors are safe choices for most painters, values are perdicitable, and at times to much information.  Stepping out of that familiar comfort zone.....green trees, red barn, blue sky is not life threatening.  Putting all those pieces together for the sake of composition takes time and several sketches to achieve the goal.  Painting what is there doesn't stretch the mind nor take much creativity.  No one has escaped that phrase from a novice 'it doesn't look like that in the photograph'.  My reply....'it did where I was standing'.  In my years of painting and instructing, the lack of understanding good composition is missing.  Photographs are reference...spur of the moment excitement.  I have seen or taken few photographs that are sound painting compositions.  Shapes, color, value, and sometime format needs a refreshing perspective to produce 'a one more look' when framed.  If ask to give a book review, would you rewrite the book....think of using those photographs in the same light....they are only references.   Learn to paint ‘what could be not what is’.  What is....is done...what could be is your interpretation of a familiar subject.  Speaking of the familar....we don't take the time to review any seen changes that may have taken place.....so, the familiar is repeated over and over....
JoBeth

Quote from C.S. Lewis

Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring two pence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed.   C.S. Lewis

Suggested Books for Watercolor Painters

I have been painting watercolor for 20 + years and still learn from reading and viewing other artist creative works.  Although techniques are basic, each artist has their own approach for application.   The  goal of each brush stroke is to produce a masterpiece.  Refreshing the basics gives me a new perspective, one of those 'Oh! yeow' moments.  I have listed a few books that I recommend for that moment if you are a veteran painter or a beginner.

Zolton Szabo's 70 Favorite Watercolor Techniques

A good book on techniques, composition, and color.   The use of bristle slanted burshs for washes.  There are demonstrations on simplification of photographs for traditional or an idealized design.  Great for beginners or seasoned painters...

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Daring Color

Rich, rich color with a direct approach in painting.  Mixing colors for just the perfect neutral gray needed to enhance hues. Several demonstrations with additional tips on painting, color, supplies and composition from photographs.

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Charles Reid Watercolor Solutions

Drips, runs, splatters of color with lost and found edges describes figures and landscapes published in this book.  Problem solving solutions that every painter has encountered at least once.  Charles is a master at contour drawing..
  

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Painting Outside the Lines
Negative shapes are difficult for the beginner.  This book includes exercises for painting and understanding the negative shapes for every painting.  Using under paintings to start the process of finding a composition expands the creative mind.

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The Watercolorist's Answer Book
From the basics to tips, techniques and painting demonstrations from several artist.  Creating  interesting compositions with line, shape and textures from photographs or value sketches.

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Luminous Watercolor - Spring Landscape
Sterling Edwards DVD
Mixing and painting landscape greens in a 4 step process seems to be a challenge to most but Sterling's instruction is easy to follow.  Sterling's explanation of the reference photo is most helpful for future paintings.

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Painting in Pampa

Had a great time with Pampa artist.....lot of fun...with eager painters. 

Learning a few new techniques is always a challenge but they all

weathered the storm with confidence...

Good job Pampa.....

Upside Down in Lamesa

Yes...you read correctly....today in Lamesa drawings were critiqued then turned upside down for the first washes of color....after the paintings were dry...upside down again to add shadows and adjust the values.  Final darks and calligraphy marks finished the paintings....great job ladies.  This exercise helps to loosen a painting with lost and found edges with little regard for the drawing....below are some of the finished works... 

The Leagcy...Frist Friday Art Trail

Few new things for the Art Trail....come visit and enjoy great art....

Yogi Anyone

Recently an email from a friend sent memories flooding across my minds ticker tape with images of my first Yogi class, much like an 'I Love Lucy' episode.  It began friendly and informative but quickly turned ugly, when the instructor plugged in the music.  Those women were serious..no one spoke, the only sound heard, was mine. I  pretended to know what I was doing chocking back tears of embarrassment and pain.  Sure didn't want anyone to think this was my first rodeo. I began trying to imitate the group, which seemed like a crowd, 8 women's bodies preforming those contours and convex positions like well made clocks.  From the corner of my eye without pointing or gasping, the instructor had folded her body into a small envelope...well...my body instantly went rigid speaking to me rather loudly..no way. That class lasted about an hour which was about fifty minutes to long for me. I could have left after the introductions. It is rather difficult to smile when you are in such pain.  Someone handed me the schedule for the next class and I was afraid it would go up in smoke, all I could do was nod....and that wasn't easy.  Holding back the tears...my mind was saying 'you got to be kidding', along with 'this is the last time you will this face'.  I struggled to get the schedule in my pocket and walk to my car....you know that feeling when you accidentally fall and you want everyone within 3 blocks to know you are okay....the pain. Well those cute tights are still in my closet as a reminder....to the pain my body experienced that first class of Yogi.

Palette Club..Midland Workshop

What fun I had in Midland with 14 great painters...didn't get enough photos.  I need to tie the camera around my neck...for those candid shots..thanks ladies for a great week..The Palette Club is a group of active artist painting in diverse mediums.  The Clubs programs each month give the members variety of mediums to expand their painting skills or explore another medium. Thanks to the Palette Club memebers.

Same drawing but four different painting expressions.....aren't these great?  All of the paintings where on the floor to dry and before I could get a shot some were picked up and framed....great job ladies....

Creative vignettes from Lamesa...great job..Jimmie, Donnie, Adriana, Carol, Brenda and Diane...we had a fun day...of course any day is fun if your painting..

Check side bar for future classes and workshops....hope you enjoy this quick glance of my passion.....