Project Day

Projects

 

Do you have projects waiting to get finished?

 

I always have lots of projects in my head,

but usually I have a lot of things started,

but not completed.

 

Today was completion day for at least 5 projects.

 

Project #1:  Small Wise Men Still Seek Him vinyl on a 5" square tile.

 

   Love this kind of project.

 Quick and easy!

 

Project #2:  A bigger tile.

 

This is 12" square.

Another easy, quick and great looking vinyl project.

 

Project #3.  Wood blocks and vinyl lettering.

 

 This project, as are most of these projects,

several years in the making.

Why I ask?

Because they are so incredibly hard I just couldn't face them.

Not hardly.

I just didn't do it.

But once I got started, I pulled out all the projects I had hidden away that were similar and finished them.

I love the word,

FINISHED.

These were made out of a 2" x 4" cut to size and I didn't distress them.  I painted them all one color as a base coat and then I took three different colors and painted them very lightly over the base.  Whatever got on the board in a swipe or two, is what got to stay.  You can see the kind of mustardy color underneath on all three pieces.  No sanding and then cleaning.  I like that the best.

 

Project #4.  Birthday plaque.

 

I'm an old geezer girl and I have trouble remembering all the birthdays in our family.

I saw this on pinterest

and thought it was genius.  

I had my friendly vinyl lady,

Elizabeth Sanders,

make the vinyl for me.

Painted the board the same color as the underpainting on the prayer blocks,

then put some varnish on it,

then I added the cup hooks,

and I purchased the tags

and wrote each family members name and their birthdate on a tag and then hung them up.

Now,

All I have to do is remember to look at it.

 

Project #5.  Picture frame wreath.

 

 I saw this wreath on facebook, I'm sure it originated on Pinterest.

My frame is a green over cream crackle finish 

and I got in my box of Christmas supplies and pulled out just some odds and ends and created this fun wreath with just bits and pieces. 

I bought this frame at a thrift shop and put the crackle finish on it and it had one of my first paintings in it. 

The painting had to go, but I loved the frame.

When I saw it on facebook, I knew how I could use my fun frame.

 

So, after starting off the day with a migraine,

I ended up having a pretty productive day.

 

Then I went to the gallery and worked on a commission painting.  Next I came home and made a 5 gallon bucket of laundry detergent.

 

Stick a fork in me.

I'm done.

 

Don't forget about my online beginning painting course.

You will learn:

Color mixing,

Color wheels,

brush strokes,

composition,

perspective,

how to practice,

what paint and brushes to buy,

Supports,

and then step by step instructions to complete two paintings. 

 

You can learn to paint anytime, day or night, even in your jammies.

 

Click HERE to check out this course. 

 

I LOVE to Teach

Teaching is What I Do!

Anyone who knows me,

knows I love to teach.

I've taught countless church classes,

I was a retail manager and loved to train people,

I have taught hundreds of people how to paint

in River Run Gallery,

and I've created an online beginning painting course,

(see link at the end).

So, it is safe to say I really do love to teach.

Recently, I published six videos on my 

Painting With Acrylics 101 facebook page,

for this painting.

   Here's a close up of the nest.

I thought it would be a good idea to put the six videos all in one place,

so here they are.

• Video one - about the blue sky background,  Click HERE to view this short video.  
• Video two - My brain said I was painting a pine tree branch, but my hand went a different way, as you can see.  Click HERE to view video #2. 
• Video three - Beginning to add the nest in here.  Click HERE to watch video #3.  
• Video four -  It's starting to get fun as I show you how to highlight the tree limbs and the nest.  Click HERE to view video #4.
• Video five - Adding fine touches to this painting.  Click HERE to view video #5. 
• Video six - We're adding the leaves to this tree, in three different values.  Click HERE to view video #6. 

This was a fun, beginning painting that I hope you'll take a chance on and prove to yourself you can do this.

Give it a try, watch the videos, purchase your supplies if you don't already have them and 

trust that you will be able to do it.

Painting has opened up a whole new world to me,

not only talent wise, but also in seeing things around me that I might not have noticed in the past.

Where are the lights and shadows in the scene I'm looking at.

Paint You'll Need

1. Titanium White
2. Ultramarine Blue
3. Hookers Green
4. Burnt Umber
5. Burnt Sienna
6. Cad Orange Light
7. Cad Yellow Light
8. Dioxazine Purple, (but you need such a small amount you could do without it.)

Brushes I used

1. #12 Bristle for background
2. #6, 4, 2, Bristle brushes (you could get by with the 6 & 2)
3. #4 & #2 flat synthetic 
4. #0 Script liner 

Canvas is an 11" x 14" stretched canvas.

 Click Here to Win a FREE Painting

Click HERE to Learn about my online beginning painting course.

This course was created for beginning painter and homeschool families who would like to incorporate art in their curriculum, but aren't really artists.

This course will show you what paints and brushes to purchase, how to figure out perspective, how to practice, brush strokes, composition, and then take all that knowledge and show you step by step how to create two paintings.  

There are 11 modules with over 50 videos in it to make sure you are successful in your art journey.

I also through in a few bonuses just for good measure.

This course is packed with information you could garner from many other sources all neatly packaged in one place.

Sounds like a great gift to me.  

 

Life Changing Events

Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?

It's not often easy,

and it's not often kind,

Did you ever have to finally decide?

Yeah!  I'm a child of the 60's

and I had to finally decide.

 This fun, cute, even spunky little art gallery,

will be closing it's doors for good,

Saturday, December 19.

I know, it's sad, but it is what it is

and I can't make it otherwise.

I've had a really great time though,

teaching many children and adults

all about painting.

I want to thank all  my loyal customers 
for coming into River Run Gallery
and painting, drawing, and shopping
from the bottom of my heart.
I have so appreciated your support and friendship!

The artists in River Run Gallery

will begin to move their art out of the gallery 

on the 18th and 19th,

so,

if there's something you've had your eye on,

NOW would be a really good time to come on it

and get that wrap, purse, photograph, jewelry

or painting.  

All garden stones are 50% off

and all paintings are30% off.

I have a great selection of earrings that are 20% off.

And for those of you who want to learn 

how to paint from the ground up,

I've created an online beginning painting course, with the absolute beginner in mind.

Click HERE to give it a look,

(no obligation, you're just browsing).  

Our website at www.riverrungallery.com

will come down, December 15

and our blog will come down sometime 

before the first of the year.  

But on a happier note, this blog will continue

as I continue painting and creating

and teaching beginning art classes.

I plan on putting together art camps in the summer,

although I'm not sure where,

it might be out at our farm.

And I will continue giving away a painting every single month,

so get your name in the hat by clicking on the link below.

November Painting Giveaway

 

Click Here to Enter for a FREE Painting

Let's not be strangers.

Stop in to see me before we close December 19,

and then,

open up my blog posts or newsletters to see what's going on

in my little corner of the art world.

Finally,

I have some fixtures and signage I'm selling if you're local and 

would like a pretty good deal on it.

Just let me know.

An Art Work of Fiction?

Girl With A Pearl Earring

by Tracy Chevalier

Last week I picked up a book at Half Price Books

mainly because of the cover.

The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Vermeer was on the cover.  

Chevalier takes the painting and weaves a tale about the girl in the painting, who she was and how she came to be in the painting.  It is a beautiful painting and a wonderful book.

It is on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Here's a link to the book on Amazon 

This was a quick read, but more than that, it really brought the painting to life and explained what life was like in the 1660's in Copenhagen.  

Another way to enjoy beautiful art. 

I may not be able to teach you to paint like Vermeer, but,
I can teach you to paint from the ground up
with my new online beginning painting course.

Click HERE to preview the course.

 Learn to paint at your own pace in your own home.
3 a.m. - no problem.

 

Enter for a FREE Panting Here

Acrylic Painters Buyer's Guide

Putting Together an Art Kit Gift
(say that three times)

Why put together an art kit, and not just go buy one of those neatly packaged sets in the art store?

Here's your answer.  PRICE!   You can probably buy twice the supplies in any size kit for the price you'll pay for a pre-packaged set.  There's lots of packaging involved in buying a kit and they usually come with small, cheap sizes of paints and brushes.  Buy your own supplies, make it into a gift basket and stand back and prepared to be loved.  

Paint 

If you have a budding artist on your shopping list or you would like to learn to paint and don't have a clue what to buy or where, here's some great info.

Acrylic paint is a most forgiving paint in that you can give it 15-20 minutes to dry and then you can paint over it or put a wash over an area.  It also cleans up with soap and water.  No fumes!!!!!

In the beginning it is really good to limit your palette so you learn how to mix colors, that's why in my beginning painting classes, I usually only use Cadmium yellow light, Alizarin Crimson, and Ultramarine Blue.  Then I add Burnt Sienna and white.  You can make Burnt Sienna by using all 3 primary colors, but getting it consistent is a challenge.  

If I were putting together an artist kit, I'd get student grade tubes of the 5 colors I listed.  Student grade is less expensive than artist or professional grade, and for a beginner, the difference in thickness would not be an issue.

Brushes

For brushes as well as for paint, you should always get the best you can afford, without going into debt.  A good pack of brushes can be purchased for between $15-20.  Or you can create your own pack.  You need several synthetic flats, sizes 3, 7, 12, a few bristle brushes, the same size as the flats, a script liner, and maybe a 0 & 3 round brushes.  (I seldom use a round brush, but they are handy).  

Supports

Supports are just what you paint on.  A beginner could use several small stretched canvases like 8" x 10" and 11" x 14".  You can also purchase packs of canvas covered boards, masonite boards, cradled boards, and then there's paper.  I would go with a few canvases and a package of canvas paper.  It has the took like a canvas, but is actually paper.    If you're going to get paper, you will also need some painters tape to tape the paper down to another board.  It will keep it from warping.

Miscillaneous

Water basin

Paper towels

Soft Vine Charcoal

Table top easel

Boxed palette or large pack of styrofoam paper plates

Palette paper (same size as the box)

Palette box sponge

Color Wheel 

Palette knife (knives)

Use the palette box as the container for the gift.  It's a very thin box, but you could open it up, lay out the other items and then use the top as the back and use a cellophane wrap to encase it.  

Any of the components of this list would make a great gift for someone who want s to learn to paint.  You could make a super gift of some nice brushes and a wrap to store them in, a table top easel and some canvases, and the list could go on and on.   Don't get overwhelmed in the art store.  Pick a budget and do your best to stick with it.  Get good quality basic items to get your artist started and you can branch out in the future.  

 

 Click HERE to see my online beginning painting course.

 

FREE Painting?

If It's FREE

It's for Me!

I have a friend who lives by that motto.

I give away a painting every month

 to someone on my email list. 

So,

You might want to get on my email list.

 Just sayin!

On the top right side of my blog, is a blue button that says, strangely enough

"Enter to Win a FREE Painting" 

Click on the button and enter your name and email.

At the end of every month, I draw out one of those email addresses and I send them an email saying YOU WON!

Then you have 24 hours to email me back with your address so I can ship your new FREE painting to you, unless you can come in and pick it up.  

If I don't hear back from you in 24 hours,

alas, I draw out someone elses name.

This is Miss September

She is a lovely 6" x 6" palette knife and water miscible oil painting.  And she is calling your name.

So hurry on back to the top of the page and for Heaven's Sake

get signed up to win.

I give one away every month.

Spread the love around and forward this email to any of your friends you think might like to win a FREE painting.

Something else a friend may want to know about

is my new online beginning painting course.

  This course has everything in it to get a beginner painter off on the right foot from

color:wheels,charts, mixing -

brushes: what and where to buy and

 how to use -

Supports: which are nothing more than something to paint on -

Creating Form: using color -

Perspective -

Composition -

How to practice -

and then, before you know it, you'll be ready for the two paintings I have step by step instructions for in the course.

I have included:

• PDF's
• Power Points
• Videos 
• Shopping lists 
• Cheat sheets

 It's all in one place and ready for you or a friend or family member to learn how to paint.

So don't be afraid to forward this to anyone you think might be interested. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

 

Click Here for FREE painting lesson.

About Acrylic Paints

This is where my art journey began.

And I paint in acrylic paint,

so I wanted to share with you some info on

acrylic paints.

Here is a handout I made to explain the different types of acrylic paint.

What Is The Difference in Acrylic Paints?

1.   Heavy Body Acrylics are typically found in Artist and Studio Grade paints, and they are the best choice for heavier paint application.  Heavy Body refers to the thickness of the paint.  Heavy body paints will leave brush or palette knife strokes.  They come in tubes or jars.

2.   Student Acrylics are similar to professional artist acrylics, but they have lower pigment concentrations, less expensive formulas, and a smaller range of colors. Colors are designed to be mixed, although color strength is lower.

3.   Fluid Acrylics, or soft body acrylics, are not as thick as heavy body acrylics, but they generally have the same heavy pigmentation of the heavy body acrylics. They are available in either Artist quality or Craft quality.  They are good for watercolor techniques, airbrush application, or when smooth coverage is important.   Fluid acrylics can be made thicker or thinner by mixing them with any type of acrylic mediums.

4.   Open Acrylics remain wet on the palette for longer periods of time.  Color mixes are usable longer, resulting in less waste. Their longer working time makes them an excellent choice for many techniques, including plein air painting and portraiture. They may be used with natural fiber brushes, and also work well with more traditional painting techniques.

5.   Acrylic Paint Markers can be used on hard, non-porous materials such as glass, plastic, and metal. Use them on any surface that is not oily, greasy, or waxy. They are more opaque than ordinary ink and dye based markers. Light colors can cover dark surfaces.

I'm going to pull back the curtain 

and teach beginning painters how to get started,

what supplies they need,

what to buy and where,

how to understand color,

how to hold a brush,

how to create form,

how to create perspective,

why some compositions work and others don't

how to practice

and then finally,

teach you how to paint not 1 but 2 paintings

using step by step instructions.

This online course really will teach a beginning painter

how to get started on the right foot.

All in one place, for one low price.