In this video, I wanted to show you a little bit of my process to paint a winter scenery. Oil paint can be tricky and there are a couple of things here and there that are worth learning. It's part of the learning curve...however don't forget that when you create your paintings - keep it fun!!
Being an artist can be a hard journey for many of us...and one of the reasons is not necessarily that we don't know what to do or how to best do things, but the incredible amount of feedback from peers. Not including what goes between our ears (that's the main factor). However when you try to go after something special for you; be strong...because you will inevitably encounter lots of people (including friends and family) trying to stop you or slow you down. Main cause of this is not because they'd like to see you fail - but because they don't want to see you get hurt or fail and they may offer a more comfortable alternative. Remember....stay the course.
Hi guys, I wanted to post this video blog for a little while...it is about one of the great questions artists ask themselves all the time "Do I Need Formal Training To Be An Artist?". I hope you enjoy it and get as much great content out of it.
Alright, so when it comes to painting still lifes...it's pretty much like painting anything else. Many people have the idea that a still life, a landscape, or a portrait is all too different. And they have reason to believe that - because almost everybody agrees with this notion. I believe that this idea is not necessarily true, in fact; I believe is wrong and can be very missleading to a new or even a seassoned artist. While a portrait may requiremore likeness to the subject in some instances (depending on style of artist) - painting a still life should be the same as painting a landscape. I believe that artists who have not reached a certain maturity in they're work...cannot see this. Do this, next time you're going to paint, don't think about it and paint any subject under the sun. You'll find out that if you don't attach thought to it - you wont notice the difference.
I wanted to show you guys a little something on how I paint with a palette knife. There really is not good or bad way to go about it. I believe that the best way to go about it is to simply....go about it. Enjoy!
So today I was thinking of the subject of formal training, and it occurred to me - why do artists continue to suggest formal training in order to be artists? Don't give me wrong...I'm not against it but I think that it is certainly not the only path or the higher path to artistic enlightenment. I believe that in order for artists to continue growing, we must stop putting stoppers and suppressors in our path. Formal training can be a suppressor to those who do not need it in their journey.
How to Break Personal Limitations as an Artist.
In this video blog I talk about how simple limitations can hinder you and not allow you to be more proactive and productive as an artist. Also, some small unseen limitations can hold you from flourishing in your art career.
For example, one limitation that I had is; should I paint with a palette knife or a brush. This sounds silly, but it really happened to me. See, I was really afraid of my self-image and how I was going to represent myself as an artist. This kind of little stuff can really slow your progress and it's important to take note of it and get rid of it as quickly as possible.
I decided to make this blog because so many of my collectors have asked me about this...so I felt that it was only right to talk about it. So the reason why we prime a canvas is because we need whats called a 'ground' in order for us to apply the oil paint. This creates grit or otherwise known as 'tooth' which is were the oil paint hold on. You see, oil paint binds mechanically (it has to latch on) as opposed to it's cousin; acrylic paint which binds chemically. Another reason besides the obvious why you should prime your canvas is because - the canvases you buy from the store (specially rolled canvas) may not be primed or may have low-grade canvas; making painting a real pain in the behind.
Hi everyone, in this video I wanted to show you how I paint a duck in a pond. I believe that 'blocking' paint is a good easy way to get the values and desired colors down. Another thing that I like to focus on is drawing with your paint brush - as o opposed to doing a pre-drawing with a pencil or charcoal. This will allow you to draw and paint at the same time. Please don't forget to leave your comments below and also share this blog with anyone you think may benefit from. I hope you enjoy this video. Thanks!
Today I realized once again that nothing comes easy or free for that matter! So on that note I asked myself what is the price of artistic inspiration? Yes! What do I or you have to pay as an artist in order to be or feel inspired. It didn't took me long to realize that inspiration is not a given and in order for me to be inspired I had to do something to get me there. For example, one of the very first things I do every morning - is that I just start sketching or creating small plein air type of painting studies. This insures that I get in the groove of painting. I don't usually like it when I get started...it feels like work (because it is), and I know that it is an exercise that I have to do daily in order to get in the groove and start producing more and larger works with that great feeling or inspiration. So, ask yourself are you willing to pay the price of admission - that is of inspiration. This price is just to get in the game.