I feel super accomplished! I finished 2 owl paintings this weekend, woohoo! The first one was an 8x10, because I knew I could finish that one. The second one was 20x20 and I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish it this weekend but I finished a few hours ago!
First Owl:
Second Owl:
I am really happy with the way both owls turned out. I'm going to try to paint some more owls in the near future. I've always loved birds.
As a reward for finishing both paintings this weekend, I treated myself to a Salted Caramel Mocha from Starbucks (dellliiiicccciiiiouuuussss!!!!) It's like dessert in a cup!
Have a relaxing Sunday, everyone!
You can find both owl paintings for sale on my etsy; prints coming soon!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae
Red Tulips
Red Tulips
Sunday, January 22, 2012
For Sale on Etsy
For Sale on Etsy
Saturday, January 21, 2012
New Paintings - Owls!
I've decided to paint some owls today, because today seems like the perfect day to do it! Here in Georgia, it's dreary and rainy outside. The rain always puts me in a quiet, thoughtful type of mood. How many of you love to curl up with a good book on a rainy day? I absolutely love it! So as I was unpacking my art materials this morning, the image of an owl came to my mind and I knew I just had to paint it. To me, owls are both majestic and mysterious. They are always watching, never impulsive, and so beautiful.
I'm going to paint several owls and hopefully get them up for sale this weekend for anyone interested. A day full of painting, cannot wait!
As a side note, although I may find this day very inspirational... my poor dog doesn't feel the same. He is the sweetest dog, but has a lot of anxiety about EVERYTHING! So when he heard the first roll of thunder this morning, he ran for the bedroom and hid his head under the bed. Poor baby is having a rough day!
I'm going to paint several owls and hopefully get them up for sale this weekend for anyone interested. A day full of painting, cannot wait!
As a side note, although I may find this day very inspirational... my poor dog doesn't feel the same. He is the sweetest dog, but has a lot of anxiety about EVERYTHING! So when he heard the first roll of thunder this morning, he ran for the bedroom and hid his head under the bed. Poor baby is having a rough day!
 |
| Meet Dexter! |
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Creating a Style for your Work
On Friday night, I attended the reception for the McDonough Arts Society annual art show at the Winsor Gallery, where 3 of my paintings were being shown.
It was a great show! I was so honored to be featured next to amazing artists in the community. Looking at the artwork made me start to think about how artists create a style for themselves.
As I was browsing the show, I could spot a painting across the room and almost guarantee it was work by the same artist I was currently viewing just because of the style. I have been working with my AP Studio Art students about creating a style as well and have come to several conclusions about how you can create a style to your artwork.
Speaking of styles, I've been working on my tulip series for a while now and have a new tulip painting (I think I'm craving some warmer weather!)
 |
| My paintings are the blue heron on the left, the bicycle in the middle, and the peppers on the right |
It was a great show! I was so honored to be featured next to amazing artists in the community. Looking at the artwork made me start to think about how artists create a style for themselves.
As I was browsing the show, I could spot a painting across the room and almost guarantee it was work by the same artist I was currently viewing just because of the style. I have been working with my AP Studio Art students about creating a style as well and have come to several conclusions about how you can create a style to your artwork.
- Medium - The medium you use can be an important step to creating a style; almost a jumping off point. If you are a painter, which paint do you use most successfully or which paint would you like to do more of? If you are more of a realistic artist, you might want to avoid oil pastels (although it has been done!). Additionally, many artists create mixed media pieces that are beautiful!
- Technique - How you use the material you've selected is another important step in creating a style. For example, Salvador Dali paints very smooth with hardly any texture on his canvas. Colors are blended for a realistic look. Compare this to the work of a palette knife painter, who uses thick application of paint for an almost impressionistic look. The mark-making, tonal qualities, and tools used are all important to consider when using a technique to create your style.
- Subject Matter - Many artists who have developed a style are known for painting, drawing, photographing, sculpting, etc. similar things. Some people may consider Monet a landscape artist, while Dorothea Lange is most known for her photojournalist pictures of people. Of course, artists grow and their interests change, so this does not mean you stick to the same subject matter for your entire life. However, when you are first starting off or about to introduce new paintings to a gallery, it is a good idea to have paintings with similar subject matter so your work is cohesive.
- Meaning - A final way to create a style to your work is to have a message behind each work that is similar, which will help your audience to connect with your work. For example, you could explore the topic of natural disasters that have occurred and place an emotional context behind each image you create. Seeing all of your work together, your audience will easily be able to tell your purpose.
Speaking of styles, I've been working on my tulip series for a while now and have a new tulip painting (I think I'm craving some warmer weather!)
 | ||
| http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae |
Sunday, January 8, 2012
How to Wire a Painting for Hanging
A great way to prepare paintings for sale is to place wire on the back of the painting (as long as the sides are already painted!) so it is ready to hang as soon as your customer receives it. Many galleries also request that paintings come ready to hang, either in a frame or with wire. It is very easy to put wire on the back of a painting! This guide will show you how to do it:
Supplies you will need:
Wire cutters
Ruler
Step 1
You should have your canvas face down so you can see the stretcher bars on the back.
Make sure you take note of where the top of your painting is so that you put the wire in the right place!
Step 2
With the top of your canvas in the right position, measure the side of your canvas with the ruler. You should be placing the wire between 1/4 and 1/3 of the way down.
My canvas is 16x20, so I am measuring down 5 inches on the 16 inch side and placing a mark with my pencil.
Repeat this for the opposite side - make sure you place a mark at the exact same measurement!
Step 3
Push the tip of one of your eyehooks into the inside edge of the stretcher bar, lined up with your pencil mark. Placing the eyehook on the inside edge will help your painting to lie flat against your customer's wall and avoid leaving any wall damage.
Step 4
Twist the eyehook into the stretcher bar. The wood used in the stretcher bars is fairly soft, so it should be easy to twist in. Make sure you twist it in straight so it does not come up through the top of the stretcher bar or through the bottom and into your painting!
Step 5
Repeat Step 3 and 4 for the opposite stretcher bar so that both eye hooks are in place.
Step 6
Measure out your wire so that it is abot 6-8" longer than the eyehooks on both sides. I usually line it up and then cut it with my wire cutters.
Step 7
It is important that the wire is secured to the eyehook. This step describes how to tie the wire onto the eyehook. First you should loop the wire from underneath the eyehook and up.
Next you should make a letter "P" with the wire by looping it underneath of itself.
Now push the tip of the wire through this loop.
Pull tightly for a very secure knot.
To make the wire even more secure, you should knot it again. To do this, first pull the end of the wire through the eyehook again from underneath and back up.
Push the tip of the wire through the loop.
Pull tightly for a second secure knot.
Step 8
Repeat Step 7 for the opposite eyehook. When you first put the wire through the second eyehook, make sure the wire is taut. You do not want slack wire; as the wire hangs it will loosen some, so you do not want to loosen so much that the painting no longer hangs correctly!
Step 9
Wrap the extra wire on both ends around the taut wire going across the canvas. I wrap mine very tightly for extra stabilization.
Now admire your professional, wire hanging!
Supplies you will need:
 |
| 2 Eyehooks |
 | |||
| Wire - gauge will depend on canvas | weight; read packages for information when purchasing. |
Wire cutters
Ruler
Step 1
You should have your canvas face down so you can see the stretcher bars on the back.
Make sure you take note of where the top of your painting is so that you put the wire in the right place!
Step 2
With the top of your canvas in the right position, measure the side of your canvas with the ruler. You should be placing the wire between 1/4 and 1/3 of the way down.
My canvas is 16x20, so I am measuring down 5 inches on the 16 inch side and placing a mark with my pencil.
Repeat this for the opposite side - make sure you place a mark at the exact same measurement!
Step 3
Push the tip of one of your eyehooks into the inside edge of the stretcher bar, lined up with your pencil mark. Placing the eyehook on the inside edge will help your painting to lie flat against your customer's wall and avoid leaving any wall damage.
Step 4
Twist the eyehook into the stretcher bar. The wood used in the stretcher bars is fairly soft, so it should be easy to twist in. Make sure you twist it in straight so it does not come up through the top of the stretcher bar or through the bottom and into your painting!
Step 5
Repeat Step 3 and 4 for the opposite stretcher bar so that both eye hooks are in place.
Step 6
Measure out your wire so that it is abot 6-8" longer than the eyehooks on both sides. I usually line it up and then cut it with my wire cutters.
Step 7
It is important that the wire is secured to the eyehook. This step describes how to tie the wire onto the eyehook. First you should loop the wire from underneath the eyehook and up.
Next you should make a letter "P" with the wire by looping it underneath of itself.
Now push the tip of the wire through this loop.
Pull tightly for a very secure knot.
To make the wire even more secure, you should knot it again. To do this, first pull the end of the wire through the eyehook again from underneath and back up.
Push the tip of the wire through the loop.
Pull tightly for a second secure knot.
Step 8
Repeat Step 7 for the opposite eyehook. When you first put the wire through the second eyehook, make sure the wire is taut. You do not want slack wire; as the wire hangs it will loosen some, so you do not want to loosen so much that the painting no longer hangs correctly!
Step 9
Wrap the extra wire on both ends around the taut wire going across the canvas. I wrap mine very tightly for extra stabilization.
Now admire your professional, wire hanging!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Goals for 2012 - Painting, Art, and Teaching Art
2012 is finally here! I have a really good feeling about this year and have some personal goals as well as some goals for my students. I am going to really push myself to participate in as many local art shows as I can. That means I need to stay creative, try new things with my work, and not lose focus! I'm already starting on a good note, the first show I'll be participating in has an opening reception on January 13 and will feature 3 of my paintings:
"The Blue Heron." 28x22" Acrylic on Canvas.
Prints will be available in a few days; contact me at http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae if you are interested!
"Carefree." 24x36" Acrylic on Canvas
Prints will be available in a few days; contact me at http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae if you are interested!
"Bell Peppers." 20x20" Acrylic on Canvas.
Prints will be available in a few days; contact me at http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae if you are interested!
I also want to expand my work by creating prints (which I've mentioned in a previous post). I am in the process of having some paintings scanned so prints will be available of my more popular paintings.
And my goals for teaching are to give my students more open ended assignments to expand their creativity and really make them think outside of the box. ESPECIALLY the AP art students =)
Happy New Year!!
"The Blue Heron." 28x22" Acrylic on Canvas.Prints will be available in a few days; contact me at http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae if you are interested!
"Carefree." 24x36" Acrylic on Canvas
Prints will be available in a few days; contact me at http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae if you are interested!
"Bell Peppers." 20x20" Acrylic on Canvas.
Prints will be available in a few days; contact me at http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae if you are interested!
I also want to expand my work by creating prints (which I've mentioned in a previous post). I am in the process of having some paintings scanned so prints will be available of my more popular paintings.
And my goals for teaching are to give my students more open ended assignments to expand their creativity and really make them think outside of the box. ESPECIALLY the AP art students =)
Happy New Year!!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Prints of Paintings
Currently, I am in the process of researching methods of making prints of my paintings. I think this would be a great way to promote my work. Two methods that I have researched are scanning and photographing. Seems like scanning would be the preferred method, providing more high res images. Keep your eye out for prints of some of my paintings on etsy, and some that have not been listed, in the near future!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae
http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae
Monday, December 26, 2011
How to Paint the Edges of a Painting
Happy Holidays to all! As I've recently started selling artwork on Etsy, I've been thinking about painting the edges of my canvas more and more. Painting the edges makes the painting ready to hang, without the need for a frame, which appeals to many people (including myself!). It seems like many artists paint the edges of their canvas black, so it mimics a more modern framing around the picture. I think this works beautifully will many paintings. Other artists continue the painting onto the edges, so it wraps around the stretcher bars. I have done this myself for a few paintings and I think this is a really neat effect.
My dilemma is that I never use straight black paint in any of my paintings. Many of my paintings are very colorful, and I feel that black paint would take away from a lot of my colors. So for these paintings, I tend to paint the sides a dominant color found in the painting, or a neutral color like brown. For example:
I painted the sides of this particular painting a flat yellow-green. This helps to match the overall tone of the painting without being distracting, and I think it works really well.
For this painting:
I painted the sides a dark umber brown. I love this color on the sides because its an earthy color, which goes along with the organic nature of this painting. I didn't want any one color of this painting to become dominant by painting the sides of the canvas that color, so the brown was a good choice for this particular painting.
Overall, I think painting the sides of a canvas (as long as it is gallery wrapped) is a great choice for artists. Personally, I love hanging paintings on my wall without the frame, because that is how the artist was looking at the canvas while painting so that is how I want to view it as well. It also gives a more modern feel to the room the painting is hanging in.
You can find these paintings and more at my etsy store (hey I rhymed!): http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae
My dilemma is that I never use straight black paint in any of my paintings. Many of my paintings are very colorful, and I feel that black paint would take away from a lot of my colors. So for these paintings, I tend to paint the sides a dominant color found in the painting, or a neutral color like brown. For example:
I painted the sides of this particular painting a flat yellow-green. This helps to match the overall tone of the painting without being distracting, and I think it works really well.
For this painting:
Overall, I think painting the sides of a canvas (as long as it is gallery wrapped) is a great choice for artists. Personally, I love hanging paintings on my wall without the frame, because that is how the artist was looking at the canvas while painting so that is how I want to view it as well. It also gives a more modern feel to the room the painting is hanging in.
You can find these paintings and more at my etsy store (hey I rhymed!): http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbyjae
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)