Color Notes - Making Grey/Gray

Obviously, Black and some White makes gray.  Here is another way.....combine two complimentary colors together and you get gray.  Try this, take red and add green to gray it down.  Keep adding green until you end up with a nuetral gray combination....usually a 50/50 combination.  You can do this with Blue and Orange or Yellow and Purple.  The yellow/purple combo is one of my favorites.  I use Dixoazine Purple and Yellow Ochre.  NICE!!!!!  These grays are not your usual cold gray colors, but very warm and earthy grays. 

Pear Study

This is the beginning phase of a small 11 x 14 oil on gessoed illustration board painting of pears.  I actually have two of these going side by side on the easel.  Very loose, very free.  An exercise I like to do when I have been painting very tight and need to stretch myself a bit.  I have been working on the portrait of Dianna and needed a bit of a break.

You Tube Heaven

I spent most of the day yesterday watching you tube art tutorials.  What a wonderful thing this You Tube is!!!! Unfortunately, I am on dail up still and only get to do this at the Art Square Studio, where I have access to Wi Fi.   I highly recommend the Rob Liberace demos at The Art League.  

Petite Perspectives Reception

Tonight is the reception for the Petite Perspectives show at Art Square in  Leesburg.  I actually remembered my camera and will snap a few shots for the blog.  The reception runs from 5:30 until 8:00 and Art Square is located at 12 Cardinal Park Dr., Leesburg Virginia. 

Color Notes - Black

Time and again, students are told not to use Black.  I held to this for many years myself.   If you find yourself without black in your box, you can mix a rich black using French Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, and Sap Green.  Try equal parts of each. If you don't have Sap Green, try a bit of Burnt Umber.  I now have black in my paintbox.  I guess I am getting lazy.

The First Thanksgiving

I forgot to post this to my blog, back at Christmas.  During our trip to Williamsburg, we drove over to Berkeley Plantation.  Its not far from Williamsburg and was a good thing to do since the weather was rainy and cold.  Did you know that this is the actual site of the very first Thanksgiving in America?  The thanksgiving held here predates the Plymouth Rock Pilgrims feast by an entire year.  Unfortunately, the Pilgrims had better Marketing and PR people.   

Color Notes - Put Away the White!!!

If you are looking at a painting with chalky colors, blame it on the white.  The mistake most students make in color mixing is thinking that white is the only way to lighten a color.  OK, I use white also, but I always try to be conscious of the fact that my colors will become chalky if I use only white and go too far with it.  Next time try this.......put some French Ultramarine Blue on a palette and try to add some Cobalt Blue to lighten it before grabbing the white.  The same with yellows.  Lay out some Yellow Ochre, add some Cadmium Yellow Pale or Zinc Yellow.  If it goes too bright, add some white.  NOW, GO PAINT!