Art by Anima

December 2009 Studio Sale

2009-12-16T14:56:00.006-07:00

Artwork:
Solare is a 20 by 20 inch square oil pastel painting of a beautiful woman aglow with the sun. Solare is currently on sale at 50% off!

My first ever studio sale is on! You're invited to get 50% off some of my favourite original paintings, 50% off all my prints and art cards and 50% off a custom painting of your choosing! There's an enormous selection so browse at ArtByAnima.com and at my Etsy shop.

Make a List

2009-11-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Artwork:
Delicate Dream 1
© Anima McKertcher
12" x 12" (30 cm x 30 cm)
Oil Pastel on Stretched Canvas

I love lists. I love making them, reading them, crossing items off of them, seriously. I. Love. Lists.

And I've got a list 163 strong of painting ideas. When am I going to get around to painting all of them? I don't know. But now I don't have to worry about forgetting any ideas - they're stored up in case of an inspirational drought or whenever I come home with a prestine new 36 by 36 inch stretched canvas.

I have an ongoing list describing my experimental acrylic painting process. I like to follow the steps closely so I can learn from what works and what doesn't and tweak my process as needed.

Then there's the list of all art work in progress including how many hours I've spent on each piece and what the next stage is.

There's my 28 day calendar with lists outlining what tasks need to get done each day and which events are coming up that I need to prepare for. This helps me juggle my crazy schedule and battle my urge to procrastinate.

And as the saying goes: the list of my lists goes on and on. I may be knee deep in lists but I'm happier, more organized and less stressed because of them.

So what are you waiting for? Go make a list.

Patience is an Artistic Virtue

2009-11-19T07:00:00.001-07:00

Artwork:
Beating Hearts of Fire
© Anima McKertcher
12" x 9" (30 cm x 23 cm)
Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

So how virtuous am I? Apparently not very. My patience is being severly tested, artistically speaking, especially in the last few weeks.

I've painted a slough of experimental pieces with a goal in mind that doesn't seem to want to get achieved. And I'm doing this with a medium that's relatively new to me, acrylic paints. While oil pastels are like coming home, acrylics are like a trip on the Mindbender in West Edmonton Mall. I'm praying on the way up and screaming on the way down.

Hopefully once this particular journey in experimentation comes to a conclusion, I'll have an acrylic painting technique to complement my work with oil pastels. Plan B is an acrylic paint bonfire in the construction area a block from my house.

But really, what I'm learning from all this is that I need to take a deep breath, exercise patience and persevere in my experimentation. It's only a matter of time till I make it to my final goal.

And in the meantime, I must admit I've been learning a lot and having a ton
of fun on my way up the roller coaster.

November 2009 Newsletter Launch

2009-11-12T12:26:00.003-07:00

Artwork:
Glimpse of Power 1 is the first piece of the triptych, Glimpse of Power, commissioned by Redhill Systems.
© Anima

My November Newsletter launched this morning at 7 AM MT. This issue includes:

~ 7 new full sized paintings

~ 4 new tiny ACEO paintings

~ The Debut of Glimpse of Power

~ A listing of paintings in progress

Long Blog Posts Go Bust

2009-09-28T07:00:00.001-06:00

Back in the day, I was ambitious. I'm talking 500-to-1000-words-per-blog-post ambitious. But reality has finally set it - I'm not Katherine Tyrrell, I'm not Darren Rowse, I'm not Sonia Simone and I'm not Brian Clark. I'm not a writer, at all - I'm a painter!

I'd read some excellent advice that really motivated me to teach my readers and build a great blog. And no doubt, back in the day, I managed to write a couple hefty articles that I'm actually proud of like 8 Ways to Add Height to Your Room and You Got Oil Pastel Paint on Your Carpet. But they were few and far between and a real challenge as a wannabe writer.

So I'm changing tactics: instead of agonizing as I try to write long blog articles all the time (and end up writing very few), I'm going to write bite-sized posts on a regular basis. And I'll leave writing longer pieces for whatever special ocassions evokes . I'm excited! Let's hear it for less agonizing and more time to spend painting!

Tree Trunks: Miquelon Lake Photography Project 1

2008-11-09T22:01:00.001-07:00

My only photography goal for May's camping trip to Miquelon Lake Provincial Park? Crisp focus or at least as few blurry photos as possible. Lofty and ambitious, right? But taking baby steps is my way of cementing a strong foundation for my photography skills.

Since focus was my only objective, I didn't worry too much about fancy things like composition.

My Miquelon Lake Photography Projects

I picked out 4 subjects that should prove useful as reference photos.

Tree trunks
Trees, buds and leaves
Sky and water
Fire

Over the next few weeks, I'll be featuring my best photos for each of these subjects. Today, it's tree trunks.

Project 1: Tree Trunks

I took about 50 tree trunk shots in less than half an hour. The sun blistered and the spider webs clung, but I plunged into the brush anyways. (I didn't see any actual spiders or I would have wailed all the way back to my husband.)

Only a hand full of the photos turned out blurry, so I'm going to give myself
a B minus. Here are 3 of my favorite shots:

Photograph:
Paper bark birch tree in Miquelon Lake photographed May 2008
© Anima

Photograph:
Heavily scarred tree trunk at Miquelon Lake photographed May 2008
© Anima

Photograph:
Fallen tree trunk at Miquelon Lake photographed May 2008
© Anima

2 Step Journey to Becoming a Better Photographer

Avoiding Blurry Photos the Low-Tech Way

I'm adding these tree trunk photos to my stash of reference pictures.

Next time, bud and leaf photos from Miquelon Lake.

October 2008 Newsletter Launch

2008-10-09T07:00:00.001-06:00

Artwork:
Sensation is the newly released red and mysterious painting featured in October's newsletter.
© Anima

My October Newsletter launched this morning at 7 AM MT. This issue includes:

2 new paintings
What I'm painting right now
Highlights from the 2008 Whyte Avenue Art Walk

July 2008 Newsletter Launch

2008-07-11T07:00:00.002-06:00

My July Newsletter launched this morning at 7 AM MT. This issue includes:

My location and what I'll be painting during the Whyte Avenue Art Walk

Avoiding Blurry Photos the Low-Tech Way

2008-06-24T13:47:00.003-06:00

Photograph:
A dewy green leaf on the McKertcher family farm. I took this photo just after sunrise on June 19th.
© Anima

On my journey to becoming a better photographer, I'm setting some very simple, very basic goals. My plan: hone one skill at a time until it's instinctive.

Now that I've mastered carrying my camera around and taking pictures of everything that strikes my fancy, it's time to get really ambitious. It's time to work on taking pictures that aren't blurry. Don't laugh. Camera shake is a real challenge for me. According to my husband, Ter, my photos look like they were snapped during a minor seizure.

Why Such Blurry Pictures?

Apparently, there are at least 4 reasons for blurry pictures:

The focus is on the wrong item
The subject moves when the shutter is open
The camera moves when the shutter is open
The depth of field is too shallow

I'm going to stick to my one-goal-at-a-time/keep-it-simple-stupid motto and worry about the camera moving while the shutter is open.

Avoiding Camera Shake

Digital Photo Secrets is my starting point with these tips on avoiding camera shake:

Hold your camera with both hands
Keep the camera close to your body
Bring your elbows to your side
Hold your breath
Lean on something for extra stability

I'm also trying these pointers:

Keep your feet planted shoulder-width apart when standing
Press, don't stab the shutter release button
Don't move the camera for a moment after your shot is complete
Take your time with each shot
Practice

I keep reading that a tripod is the best solution, so eventually I'll buy one. But for now, I'll be avoiding blurred photos the low-tech way.

2 Step Journey to Becoming a Better Photographer

2008-06-22T23:58:00.003-06:00

Photograph:
Anima photographing her reflection in the trailer window while camping at Miquelon Lake in May.
© Anima

There's a simple 2 step process to becoming a better photographer. Dozens more steps can make you a great photographer but these 2 set your foundation. They may be common sense but I'm only now implementing them myself. Once again, common sense proves not so common.

One thing I've never considered myself is a photographer. For about 92% of my life I've barely taken a handful of pictures a year, all terrible, with the occasional decent fluke. With the discovery of Darren Rowse's Digital Photography School, I'm inspired to change.

Besides slavishly reading through everything on DPS, the plan for becoming a better photographer is this: Practice. And more practice. Trips to Miquelon Lake, Crimson Lake, Montreal, Southern Ontario, and the Devonian Gardens this summer should afford me plenty of opportunities.

Photograph:
Two trees in a field of wheat
Photographed east of the McKertcher family farm near Milverton, Ontario shortly after sunrise on June 19th
© Anima

So what are the first 2 steps to becoming a better photographer?

Carry your camera everywhere

My camera is now crammed into my giant suitcase of a purse along with hand sanitizer, lotion, and baby wipes. (Those baby wipes are indispensable, even in my baby less state.)

Take your camera out of your purse and snap some pictures

Between just plain forgetting and feeling self-conscious and touristy, this is easier said than done. Your companions may wonder why you're photographing a random leaf or ceramic tile. Just smile and keep clicking. As artists, we're used to not fitting into the conventional mould anyways so what's the difference?

Well, my journey starts with these 2 steps. I'll keep you posted. Where are you on your journey to becoming a better photographer?

2 Fantasy Paintings: Day and Night vs. Night and Day

2008-06-13T07:00:00.001-06:00

Artwork:
Day and Night
© Anima
24" x 36" (60 cm x 90 cm)
Oil Pastel on Canvas

Introducing the fantasy painting pair of Day and Night and Night and Day! Here are two beautiful women, one white with pale skin, and one black with dark skin, in contrasting yet symmetrical surroundings of blue skies and starry nights.

There's more information available on Day and Night here and Night and Day here. Both originals can be purchased as of now.

I'm still unsure whether or not I want to release this pair of paintings in some form of a print but I'll update my website if I decide to. In the meantime, I'd love to hear your suggestions.

Artwork:
Night and Day
© Anima
24" x 36" (60 cm x 90 cm)
Oil Pastel on Canvas

Both Day and Night and Night and Day will be made into cross stitch patterns by Heaven and Earth Designs sometime in the near future.

So which one is your favourite and why? Remember to leave a comment with your opinion!

View more of my fantasy paintings of beautiful women here.

June 2008 Newsletter Launch

2008-06-12T16:55:00.002-06:00

My June Newsletter launched this morning at 7 AM MT. This issue includes:

3 new paintings

What I'm currently painting

My new artistic direction

The Whyte Avenue Art Walk

Abstract Landscape artist Mandy Budan

Preliminary drawing for oil pastel paintings

Peaceful Fantasy Painting: Dreamscape

2008-06-03T16:59:00.001-06:00

Artwork:
Dreamscape
© Anima
20" x 25" (50 cm x 62.5 cm)
Oil Pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes paper

After 15 months of painting, Dreamscape is finally complete! It's a fantasy painting of a black man and a tree that, I've been told, evokes feelings of peace and serenity.

You can get more information or purchase the original here. I don't have any plans to release Dreamscape as a print or a greeting card at this time. But if you're interested in a print or greeting card, let me know and I'll definitely consider it.

Dreamscape will be available as a cross stitch pattern through Heaven and Earth Designs shortly.

View more of my fantasy paintings here.

Miniature Oil Pastel and Acrylic Painting: Fractured 2

2008-06-01T12:04:00.003-06:00

Artwork:
Fractured 2
© Anima
4" x 6" (10 cm x 15 cm)
acrylic and oil pastel on canson mi-teinte paper

Love that Blue

In my teenaged days, blue was my favourite color. Any kind of blue. Royal, navy, cobalt, sky, powder, baby, it didn't matter. I loved them all. And even though my tastes have expanded over the years, I'm still a blue girl.

Brown-Eyed Girl

For Fractured 2 I started out with the idea of big beautiful brown eyes. From there it was easy to fall back into my blue habit. Brown and blue naturally complement each other and create a modern, contemporary feel.

Why brown eyes? Well it's hard to resist a set of big brown eyes. My four adorable brown-eyed nieces are all the evidence you'll need of that.

About Fractured 2

Fractured 2 is second in my Fractured series and has a completely different mood than Fractured 1. It's a miniature acrylic and oil pastel mixed-media on canson mi-teinte paper.

What Next?

Fractured 2 is matted, ready to frame and on sale at my Etsy shop now. Browse my Etsy store here or view more art work for sale here.

Fractured 1

Abstract Landscapes and Florals by Mandy Budan

2008-05-27T19:55:00.007-06:00

Artwork:
Forest Patterns
© Mandy Budan
16" x 20"
Acrylic on Panel

Canadian acrylic artist Mandy Budan's work is unexpected and striking. Her Etsy avatar was my first glimpse of her art, and always curious about another Canadian artist, I checked out her shop on Etsy. What a brilliant surprise!

What I'd assumed to be a contemporary abstract painting went far beyond that. The kaleidoscope of shapes and colors transformed into a beautiful summer landscape. I was fascinated.

Artwork:
Last Rose of Summer
© Mandy Budan
18" x 24"
Acrylic on Panel

By day, Mandy's a "mild-mannered graphic designer", to quote her own words. But by night, she recreates the scenery, decomposing sky, trees, leaves and flowers into discrete shapes and colors. Ordinary details are reimagined as geometric designs, but with the structure, patterns, and rhythms of the natural world.

Mandy's strong use of color strikes a chord with me. Hues are vibrant and
create stunning contrasts. My favorite thing about her work is the feeling I get
of coming in and out of the painting, of seeing abstract forms one minute and an entire landscape vista the next.

Artwork:
Mist Patterns
© Mandy Budan
9" x 12"
Acrylic on Panel

Mandy's blog, features her paintings in progress. I'm filled with curiosity about her translation of reference pictures into her painting concepts and then to preliminary drawings. Her preliminary drawings are intricate, to say the least.

Looking through her portfolio of work, the finished paintings vary in their levels of abstraction. Some are barely recognizable as landscapes while the scenes of other pieces jump right out. It makes for a refreshing variety. Diverse color palettes and subjects also keep the viewer interested. Make sure you browse her abstract landscape art website to see her entire portfolio.

Passionate Florals by Lisa Ernst

Fraud Alert! - Scam Alias: Morris Whiye (White)

2008-05-26T21:33:00.004-06:00

Image:
Elemental 1
© Mark Cotton

Artists are now common targets of advance fee fraud, also known as the Nigerian letter scam, 419 fraud, or a Nigerian money offer. In January 2007 I got one of these suspicious emails and started looking into the alias of the sender. That’s when I learned many artists are being targeted by advance fee scams.

Now I share my 419 fraud emails here for the benefit of other artists who might be targets of this scheme. I also wrote a response you can use whenever one of these emails lands in your inbox. Since using that standard reply, my scam emails have slowed down to a trickle.

Mark Cotton was kind enough to let me post his hilarious email exchange with scammer Morris Whiye (White). Make sure you read it - I got stomach cramps from laughing so hard. Maybe you'll be inspired to have your own bit of fun with the online thieves that knock on your inbox.

From: morris whiye [mailto:m_white112@yahoo.com]

Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 8:48 AM

To: mark……@mywdo.com

Subject: INTERESTED IN PURCHASING YOUR "Elemental 1" Rust and beeswax on canvas over wood panel

Hello,

I'm Mr. Morris residing at 24307 SE 41st Pl. Issaquah, WA 98029 USA, i saw your item posted for sell,and i am willing to purchase it, so i will kindly want you to get back to me with its present status of condition, your last price offer that you are willing to let it go
Elemental 1" Rust and beeswax on canvas over wood panel

I will be happy to see more pictures of it ? I will appreciate an earlier reply and pls let me know if you are the real owner

Regards, And awaiting for your response

(Morris

Thank you for your interest in my painting. The painting is hanging in my home and still available for sale. It is priced at $500 plus the cost of shipping. If you are interested, before you commit to purchase, we should discuss the delicate nature of the beeswax that covers the canvas and possible effects of shipping the painting during warm weather.

Mark Cotton

From: morris whiye [mailto:m_white112@yahoo.com]

Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 3:28 AM

To: Mark Cotton

Subject: PICKUP METHOD OF THE "Elemental 1" Rust and beeswax on canvas over wood panel

Thnaks for the prompt reply and how are you and how is the family and i really appreciate your interest in selling the( "Elemental 1" Rust and beeswax on canvas over wood panel $500 )am ok with the price,but i will like to inform you that right now am in UNITED KINGDOM for MY HONEYMOON

I will have to instruct my CLIENT to send you a check or a money order, since that is the only means of payment I can offer now due to my present conditions

Please provide me the following information so that my wife can send you the payment asap

Full Name To Be Written On The Check................

Full Contact Address,City,State And Code.................

Home Or Mobile Phone #..................

Permanent Email Address..................

So that I can instruct my CLIENT to send you the payment

NOTE: Never bother about the shipping I will handle it myself. I look forward to hear from you as soon as possible and also i was advice by the shipping agent to include the shipping charges in the same check

You can call me on my private number +447031983979

Many Thanks

(Morris)

Mr. Whiye (May I call you Morris?)

The family is fine, but thank you for asking. Mama’s leg is much better once we got her to quick sticking that yardstick down in the cast to deal with all the itching. I told her she should have never been up on the roof trying to fix the Dish antenna anyway, but she just told me what she always does: “Children are meant to be seen and not heard.”

I’m thrilled that you like my painting so much that you contacted me and really want to pay that much money for it. I’ve got to talk to Jolena (my wife) to make sure it’s OK to sell it first. She really likes the painting because the little wire snake I used to make it is the same one we used to unclog the drain when she cooked her first meal from me after getting out of jail that time. (She was in for intentional bodily harm for an incident with a curling iron at The Cue-Tee-Py School of Beauty)

What’s your new bride’s name? And, how old a fella are you? I need to know for a sort of demographical study I’m doing of those who appreciate my art. When we have the art show down at the Mini-Mall and I show my best work, I usually leave some recipe cards there for people to write down their name and age. Some people write other things, but I just ignore them. A real artist has to learn that it takes all kinds.

How long will you be in the United Kingdom? Is that close to England?

I also think I have some good news about the shipping. I talked to a friend of mine who lives in Seattle and he will be making a trip out here in a few days. He will be able to deliver the painting right to you instead of worrying about how the shipper will treat it. Isn’t that great news?

Your friend, Mark Cotton

Morris,

I’m sorry to bother you on your honeymoon like this, but I wanted to update you on the situation here.

I talked to my buddy Delbert, who lives in Seattle, Washington and he won’t be able to come down here to pick up the painting after all. He thought he could come for a visit for a few days, but the ankle bracelet he has to wear won’t let him get past the driveway without going off, and he says the little shock it gives you is something he just couldn’t tolerate for more than an hour or two.

And, I talked to Jolena about selling the painting and she insists that I’ve got to make sure you send me the money before I can send you the painting. I was going to let Delbert just leave the painting and pick up the money at your house, but with Delbert out of the picture it’s probably better for you to send me the money first anyway.

I hope you’re still interested. I like the idea of one of my paintings hanging in a fancy house in Washington.

Your friend,

Mark Cotton

P O Box xxxx

Hobbs, NM 88241

Dear Mark Cotton

Compliments and a top of the day to you over there, So really sorry for the delay of payment and finally i want to let you know that the payment will delivered to you by the ups courier service and here is the tracking number you can confirm it ( J2187748341 )

Please you are to take the check straigth ahead to your bank to get it deposited so that your bank can notify you when to come for the payment and email me back as soon as you have deposited the check to know when the check will clear your bank so that i can contact my shipping agent to get ready for the pickup as soon as he get the shipping charges ,cos right now am in united kingdom for my honeymoon

Many thanks

(Morris)

Morris,

I am so excited! I spent all morning getting the tire on the pickup changed so Jolena can go to town to pick up the check at the post office. That truck has just been sitting there since Jolena lost her license in that New Years Eve incident out at the Twilight Lounge. But, Jolena just completed the Road Rage 101 course that the judge make her take, and she past the test with flying colors, mostly (if you don’t count her colorful language).

I’m expecting Jolena back at any time, she usually drives pretty fast when she’s got somewhere to get to. Should I start boxing the painting up and getting it ready to ship? Where did you say I should ship it too?

I hope your honeymoon is going nicely. I asked Jolena recon you got to meet the king, but she said just because they call it the United Kingdom doesn’t necessarily mean they have a king over there. (Jolena’s always real good about letting me know when I don’t have a clue about something) I hope you’ll send me a picture of you and your blushing bride.

Mark Cotton

Thanks for the prompt reply and how are you and how is the family and i really appreciate your mail for letting me knows that you have the payment,pls kindly proceed to the bank and get the check deposited while i contact my shipping agent to get ready for the pickup as soon as the check clear,like i said in my last mail that i have some outstanding items that are awaiting for shippment that will be both shipp together with your artwork am buying from you

Pls email me back as soon as you have deposited the check to know when the funds will clear your bank and You can call me on my private number +447031983979

(Morris)

Morris,

Something has gone terribly wrong here. Jolena left yesterday morning to go pick up the check and I haven’t seen her since. And, not only that, but her clothes and all her stuff is gone. And, so is the painting. I went to get the painting to start packaging it up and there was just a note tacked to the wall that said: “I’m out of here”

I am so upset I can barely type this. That woman is the sunshine of my life and now she’s done gone, gone, gone. There ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone. Only darkness every day.

What do I do now? I would call you but I’ve been deaf and unable to work since that fireworks accident last 4th of July and besides that we don’t even have a telephone.

I can’t believe Jolena would do me like this. Maybe you should write to her and ask her to come back to me and bring the check and the painting so we can complete this transaction. Her e-mail address is jolenayomama@gmail.com Earl Cotton

from Jolena Yomama

to m_white112@yahoo.com

date May 24, 2008 6:31 AM

subject Painting

mailed-by gmail.com

Dear Mr. White,

You have been trying to buy a painting from my husband, Earl Cotton for the past few days. Earl doesn't know his @$$ from a hole in the ground most of the time, so I have to watch out for him, or he'd get taken by the first lowlife to come along from from Nigeria. There's lots of creepy so-and-so's on the internet, so THANK GOD for honest people like you who will actually send the money like you did.
There's just one thing though. The painting Earl was trying to sell you is worth a whole lot more than $500 and I'm not about to let you have it for that. My family left me that painting along with a little money, so I have a little more brains than Earl when it comes to money.

I took the check for $2,300 you sent and put it in the bank along with the money my family left me. I will consider it a down payment for now. The painting is easily worth $10,000, but I will agree to sell it to you for $7,500 (plus shipping of course) if you will help me with a favor. Earl don't know about the money my family left, so please don't mention it to him. He would want to move out of the Relaxation Acres Trailer Park and get a fancy house somewhere that don't have wheels. But, the fact that he stays with me regardless of how poor we may appear proves to me every day that he loves me for who I am, not how much money I have stashed away.

And, speaking of true love, I sure hope you are enjoying your HONEYMOON in the United Kingdom. Earl is such a doofus, thinking there was a real king just cause they call it the United Kingdom. He didn't have a television when he was growing up, so he never got to watch MARLIN PERKIN'S MUTUAL OF OMAHA UNITED KINGDOM SHOW like I did. Now you be careful with all them tigers and lions and such. That younger guy on the show was always getting bit and stuff, while that old fella just sat back and sort of laughed at him.

Like Monty Hall always used to say: Let's make a deal!!

Jolena Yomama

So what became of our cohorts Mark and Jolena and out favourite honeymooning scammer, Morris? After stringing Morris along far enough to get an actual cheque, Mark contacted the company who's account had been hijacked on the cheque. In just one week they've had about 50 fraudulent checks with one of them made out for over $20,000. And Mark's wasn't the only one involving artwork.

Contact me to add your scam emails to the collection or enter it as a comment below.

Rebel Against Creativity Killers

2008-05-21T10:15:00.002-06:00

Image: Blue Pendant by Anima

Copyblogger's Brian Clark compiled quotes shooting down what history has proven to be great ideas. Here are a couple samples.

“Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” ~H. M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927

“We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” ~Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962

Do you ever get those kind of responses to your artwork? As a visual artist, negativity and rejection flood in from all fronts: galleries, juried exhibitions, schools, instructors, critics, the media, collectors. We should expect criticism, listen contemplatively, and ignore, reject, and do the opposite of it most of the time.

By all means, improve your technical excellence and develop your style, but never, ever, ever, give in to the creativity killers.

One I've gotten a lot of: "Who wants a picture of some strange girl on their wall?" If you've seen any of my art, you'll notice I'm completely ignoring that one.

When have you rebelled against creativity killers?

Reader Question: Under-Drawing or Preliminary Sketching Mediums for Oil Pastel Paintings

2008-05-13T14:33:00.004-06:00

Reader Question

A fellow artist and friend who's dipping her toe into the joyous world of oil pastels asked me:

With oil pastels, do you draw out everything in pencil first? I'm doing some practice runs but the pencil blends in a bit with the pastels... what do you do?

Quick Answer

I sketch with a neutral colored oil pastel stick or sometimes a soft grey colored pencil.

To Elaborate

In over ten years of using oil pastels, I've tried a lot of mediums for drawing out my composition. In this post I'll discuss using pencils, colored pencils, and oil pastels. There's pros and cons to each, but I definitely have my preferences.

Why I Almost Never Under-Sketch with Pencils

Graphite pencils are a natural first choice when it's time to draw your composition before painting. They're as comfortable as fleece pants on a cold northern Alberta day. After all, as artists, we've been drawing with them since grade school. When the general public thinks of the word 'draw', the word 'pencil' isn't far behind. So what's the problem, then?

On paper, pencil is an easy fit. But it's a different story on canvas which is my support of choice for major paintings. The natural roughness of the canvas' gessoed cotton or linen is a hassle as a surface for pencil. Pencil will skip over and skirt around the bumbs, making your lines look shaky and broken.

Ever made a mistake on your drawing? How about changed your mind about where to put your subject's hand? Pencil can be forgiving but not always. If your marks are too dark, they may not totally erase away, whether you're using canvas or paper. In fact, some papers can't bear up under vigorous erasing at all.

Plus even lightly drawn pencil marks show through under layers of light to medium values of oil pastel.

Ok, I'm done raining on pencils now. They're not all bad when it comes to under-drawing. Pencils are great for drawing fine details (eyes and ears), complex subjects, or structures that call for precision (architecture). So if you're the kind of artist that completes detailed under-drawings before the oil pastels go on, you may want to consider pencils anyways. Just remember to press lightly!

Why I Under-Draw with Colored Pencils Some of the Time

Colored pencils marry the precision of graphite pencils with a soft blendable mark. Of course, the softness and blendability (is that a word?) will vary depending on the brand of colored pencil. So choose the brand based on your preference: hardness for precision and softness for blending and forgiveness.

I strictly use gray colored pencils for my under-drawing. Gray is such a lovely neutral color. It blends well with oil pastel colors and leaves a light mark that's easy to cover up. I tend to cover up changes more so than erasing them, so they fit well with my painting process.

Why I Under-Sketch with Oil Pastels

Because I like forgiveness and I need a lot of it! Changing my mind about compositional details is something I like to have the option of doing. It's my peroggative, right? Sketching with oil pastels gives me that freedom more than colored pencils and definitely more than a graphite pencil. They'll either blend with your other layers of color easily or be covered over, depending on the techniques you use for applying the oil pastels.

Be careful when under-drawing with colors that are dark or contain yellow. Dark oil pastels will stain your support and then their goes the forgiveness you were hoping for. Also, yellowish oil pastels may add unwanted tints to the colors you lay over top.

I typically use a warm pale grey color. It's easy to see over the whiteness of the canvas but blends beautifully with all the other colours.

The only negative to under-drawing with oil pastels is the lack of precision. Try cutting the edge of a blunt stick of oil pastel with a razor to help you make more detailed marks. But even with this trick, you'll rarely achieve the accuracy of a pencil (graphite or colored). But if you're like me and save your details until you get further along your painting process, then oil pastels are definitely the way to go.

What about you? What medium do you use for under-drawing your oil pastel paintings?

Exchanging Roses for the Big Five

2008-05-11T23:32:00.001-06:00

Photo: One of the lilies from the giant beautiful bouquet of roses and lilies Ter got for me.

Friday, May 9th, was Ter and I's 5 year anniversary. If you're reading this, happy anniversary, baby!

Ter surprised me with a spectacular bouquet of red roses and white lilies from Victor Michaels. The smell is incredible! I think they're the most beautiful bouquet he's ever gotten me - and he's given me lots of gorgeous flower arrangements over the course of our relationship. I do so love getting flowers from him! And for the first time ever, I sent him a dozen red roses at work today too.

Photo: Roses from the bouquet of red roses and baby's breath I got for Ter.

Our actual celebration, though, will have to wait as we're out of town this weekend and too busy to do anything special. Next weekend we'll do a romantic dinner at Normand's, our traditional anniversary spot, where yummy French food meets immaculate service. Then we head out to Miquelon Lake Provincial Park for four nights of camping. Ah, camping. Night-time fires, day-time painting, sleeping in, and general laziness (accompanied by liberal doses of Amarula). Sigh. Perfection in a vacation.

This will be our first camping trip of the season with hopefully two or three more to come before the dreaded winter rolls back in. Let's hope for plenty of sunshine and anorexic mosquitoes while the summer lasts.

My goals for our camping trip? Lots of painting, of course, and taking as many reference photos as I can. Particularly of the sky and close up shots of trees. I promise to share a few when I get back.

I Stumble For Ya!

2008-05-11T21:11:00.003-06:00

I read about the Stumble Upon Meme on Emila's Illustrated Blog and decided to try it out for fun. Here's how it goes:

--START COPYING HERE--

Here are the rules:

Copy from "START COPYING HERE" to "STOP COPYING HERE".

Add your site(s) to the list. Just be sure to post the "StumbleWorthy List" at each site you add.

Let me know your blog’s name and url by leaving me a comment HERE. I will add you to the master list.

Come back and copy the master list back to your site, often. This will allow the new comers to achieve equal benefit as the late comers do.

Go to the sites found on the list and give them a thumb up (I like it!).

Add me as your friend in StumbleUpon: Blanne.

Note: Your url will be deleted in the Master List if you do not comply to the given rules.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD! TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE LIST. OR CLICK HERE TO GET A BANNER THAT YOU CAN PUT ON YOUR BLOG. THE MORE PARTICIPANTS, THE GREATER INCREASE IN TRAFFIC!

~StumbleWorthy List~

1. Hit-or-Miss 2. Mommy’s Little Corner 3.Unpredictable Life 4. The Journey 5. Sigh 6. Say Cheese 7. Make Every Day Your Lucky Day 8. Blessed Sanctuary 9. Hailey’s Beats and Bits 10. Photo Hook 11. A Sweet Taste Of Life 12. Nyumix’s Blog 13. Juliana’s Site 14. Juliana’s Lair 15. Juliana’s World 16. My Library 17. Fun.Fierce.Fab 18. When Silence Speaks 19. Etc Atbp 20. Mariuca - Wishing On A Falling Star 21. Dance of Motherhood 22. Emila’s Illustrated Blog 23. The Other Side of Emila 24. Mariuca’s Perfume Gallery 25. Read my Mind 26. Picturing of Life 28 27. Spirit of Bonoriau 28. My Careless Whispers 29. Coffee Cup Princess 30. betterthanEzraH 31. Just Another Day 32. Lifepassedby 33. Simple Life 34. A Housewife’s Journal 35. Life Together Starts 36. Scrap For Dollars 37. Jesie Blog Journey 38. My Drift 39. Pinay Mommy Online 40. Thesserie 41. Mirage as Usual 42. Photography on the Move 43. KitchenMaus 44. Vienna Daily 45. Days Of Our Life 46. QueenB 47. GreenBucks 48. My Bug Life 49. Filipino in Canada 50. Artsy Creatures 51. Click Here to Forward 52. Day by day 53. Breather 54. YOUR BLOG/SITE HERE!

--STOP COPYING HERE--

Miniature Oil Pastel Painting: Cryptic Eyes 2

2008-05-07T14:03:00.003-06:00

Why Yellow?

This is Cryptic Eyes 2, the second miniature painting in the Cryptic Eyes series. I introduced the first in that series, Cryptic Eyes 1, a couple weeks ago. In an out of character move, I chose yellow for the primary color for this piece. The only other time in recent history that I've used yellow like this was for the fantasy painting, Solare.

Maybe my mind was addled by all the wine I'd been tasting before painting this piece. Ter and I were at the Fall Wine Festival in the Okanagan, a trip I highly recommend and would like to repeat in the next couple years.

Yellow may not be my favorite color (though I love creams and golds), but
I do like how this painting turned out. The contrast of the blue with the yellow
and orange makes for an optimistic, bright, sunny effect.

Making Cryptic Eyes 2

I used Canson Mi-Teinte paper that I'd cut down to 4" x 6" (10cm x 15cm),
the size of a OSWOA or Original Small Work of Art. Then I taped out the edge making the image 3.5" x 5.5" (8.75cm x 13.75cm). Oil pastels, always my favorite, was the medium of choice. I had a little fun by using a toothbrush to create the textured background behind the cryptic design. Finally, I matted the finished painting with white 5" x 7" (12.5cm x 17.5cm) Crescent® Conservation Grade Mat.

What Next?

Cryptic Eyes 2, this bright and cheerful miniature painting, is matted, ready to frame, and on sale in my Etsy shop now.

Learn more about Cryptic Eyes 2 here, peek inside my Etsy shop here, or check out more miniature art here.

My Small Business is Painting Women

2008-04-24T07:23:00.004-06:00

Naomi Dunford at IttyBiz, easily writes the most colorful blog I read. And yesterday she invited us to play the 'What's your home business' game. Apparently one of her readers recently surprised her with just that question.

I can't imagine that anyone's unsure of what I do based on the giant Art by Anima lettering at the top of this page, but who knows. It certainly can't hurt to be more explicit. So here are my answers to Naomi's questions.

1. What’s your game? What do you do?

Art, baby, art. Specifically, creating visual art with oil pastels and acrylic paint on stretched canvas. Subjects: beautiful women, colorful flowers, and plans are in the works for fine wine too. Style: romantic realism meets fantasy.

Sometimes I release this art as high quality, professionally printed, limited edition prints. And sometimes I collaborate with you to create personalized custom portraits done to your specifications.

2. Why do you do it? Do you love it, or do you just have one of those creepy knacks?

I have an incredible passion for painting - the challenge, the process, and the final product. I'd like to think I also have a 'creepy knack' for it but mostly it comes down to practice and hard work.

3. Who are your customers? What kind of people would need or want what you offer?

My customers are self confident, know their own mind, and are bold about
expressing their personal taste. After all, they don't shy away from having a
large colorful painting of a beautiful woman on their living room wall. And occasionally, they like to spoil themselves with luxury items such as fine wine, fresh flowers, original paintings, and limited edition prints.

4. What’s your marketing USP? Why should I buy from you instead of the other losers?

Quality. Beauty. Originality. And great customer service directly from me.

5. What’s next for you? What’s the big plan?

Doing more of what I love.

How About You?

What's your small business? Write your own post, share here, and or comment on IttyBiz.

When Naomi does her round-up of everyone's posts and responses, I'll add the link here.

Color Reference Tip for Artists

2008-04-21T20:39:00.004-06:00

If you're an artist, I recommend you go to Home Depot and grab one of every single color card from the CIL paint collection. I did this on Saturday. Then I grabbed the Ralph Lauren color sample book for good measure. I'm not sure how long it actually took but it felt like an eternity - there were hundreds, and hundreds of cards. Plus, I braved a record-breaking snow storm and icy roads. Ah, the joys of spring in northern Alberta!

So why bother? For three reasons:

1) Commissions

Getting the colors right on a commission is critical, especially when your collector has plans for where the painting is going to hang. But the words your collector uses for colors might be vague, inaccurate, or just plain different from what you're used to. For instance: peach, coral, and pink, or turquoise, aqua, and sea green, or mauve, lilac, and lavender. Which one is which, and would your collector, husband, sister, and best friend all make the same call?

It's so much easier to have them just point to the color on the card! This even works when there's no chance to meet with your collector locally. Just have them email you with the names and brand of the colors they like.

Then all you have to do is match their selections within reason.

2) Choosing the Right Color

Whether it's for a commission or your own self-directed painting, take the color samples to the art supply store when you're picking out your oil pastels, or your colored pencils, or whatever you're medium of choice is. If your memory is anything like mine it's best to have a tangible reference to work from and not a vague recollection.

3) Inspiration

This was an unexpected side effect of looking at all those colors. I felt instantly inspired. It was kind of like the feeling I get at the art supply store when I'm looking at all those gorgeous oil pastel sticks. Honestly, I'm getting tingly just thinking about it.

The different hues, shades, values, and tints can really get you going if you ever get painter's block. Just imagine all the color combinations you've yet to explore!

How About You

Check out how Jerry Lebo uses color references or share what you use for reference colors and why.

Easy XML Sitemap Creation and Blogging for Artists

2008-04-17T22:21:00.003-06:00

Create an XML Sitemap for your Artist Website or Blog

For months now I've been thinking about creating an xml sitemap to submit on Google's Webmaster Tools. Being busy, being lazy, or whatever label you want to use, meant I hadn't put any effort into learning how to go about it. And thanks to Katherine Tyrell of Making a Mark and I never had to. I've finally done it and it was dead simple.

Check out her post on how to add a sitemap to your website to learn how. Plus she includes other helpful hints for your website or blog.

For anybody who has ever looked at the page on Google which describes how to create a sitemap this will seem like a complete godsend. It took me hours and hours prior to this to even get my head round it and even then I couldn't create a proper xml sitemap and gave up!

Blogging for Artists

Looking for 27 pointers on blogging as an artist? Robert Bruce did a guest post on Problogger about just that. It's food for thought.

1. There’s never been a better time to be a working artist. Ever.

2. There’s never been a worse time to be a working artist (if you’re not truly dedicated to your craft).

Painting Tips for Realistic Hair and Shadow Colors

2008-04-16T22:05:00.004-06:00

In the last week I've read a couple really exceptional posts with painting tips that I'm going to start using myself.

Painting the Colors in Shadows

Jerry Lebo of Sixty Minute Artist offers an excellent exercise on exploring shadow colors.

The first message I want to get across is: shadows are colors! Let me say it again another way: the color you are putting in the shadow is just as important as the color you are putting on the highlight. If either one is wrong--the painting will suffer. Okay, so how do you find the right shadow color? Well, first, you need to be able to see the shadow color. So let me give you a little exercise that I have learned that will help developed your mind and eyes to better see shadow colors.

The Secret of Visualizing Hair as Ribbons

Ever struggled to paint hair simply but realistically? For many years, I've had varying degrees of success with painting hair. After reading James Gurney's article on the Ribbon Secret, I now have words for what I've been trying to do all along.

Earlier this week we looked at how to solve the “string mop” problem by using big brushes, keeping the masses simple, and softening edges. It also helps to visualize masses of hair as ribbons. In a real ribbon, the highlight goes across, not along, the curving shapes.

What are your useful painting tips and techniques?

Art by Anima

December 2009 Studio Sale

Make a List

Patience is an Artistic Virtue

November 2009 Newsletter Launch

Long Blog Posts Go Bust

Tree Trunks: Miquelon Lake Photography Project 1

My Miquelon Lake Photography Projects

Project 1: Tree Trunks

Related articles

October 2008 Newsletter Launch

July 2008 Newsletter Launch

Avoiding Blurry Photos the Low-Tech Way

Why Such Blurry Pictures?

Avoiding Camera Shake

More Articles on Preventing Blurry Photos

Related Articles

2 Step Journey to Becoming a Better Photographer

Carry your camera everywhere

Take your camera out of your purse and snap some pictures

2 Fantasy Paintings: Day and Night vs. Night and Day

June 2008 Newsletter Launch

Peaceful Fantasy Painting: Dreamscape

Miniature Oil Pastel and Acrylic Painting: Fractured 2

Love that Blue

Brown-Eyed Girl

About Fractured 2

What Next?

Related Articles:

Abstract Landscapes and Florals by Mandy Budan

Related Articles

Fraud Alert! - Scam Alias: Morris Whiye (White)

Rebel Against Creativity Killers

Reader Question: Under-Drawing or Preliminary Sketching Mediums for Oil Pastel Paintings

Reader Question

Quick Answer

To Elaborate

Why I Almost Never Under-Sketch with Pencils

Why I Under-Draw with Colored Pencils Some of the Time

Why I Under-Sketch with Oil Pastels

Exchanging Roses for the Big Five

I Stumble For Ya!

Miniature Oil Pastel Painting: Cryptic Eyes 2

Why Yellow?

Making Cryptic Eyes 2

What Next?

My Small Business is Painting Women

1. What’s your game? What do you do?

2. Why do you do it? Do you love it, or do you just have one of those creepy knacks?

3. Who are your customers? What kind of people would need or want what you offer?

4. What’s your marketing USP? Why should I buy from you instead of the other losers?

5. What’s next for you? What’s the big plan?

How About You?

Color Reference Tip for Artists

1) Commissions

2) Choosing the Right Color

3) Inspiration

How About You

Easy XML Sitemap Creation and Blogging for Artists

Create an XML Sitemap for your Artist Website or Blog

Blogging for Artists

Painting Tips for Realistic Hair and Shadow Colors

Painting the Colors in Shadows

The Secret of Visualizing Hair as Ribbons