Art, painting

[natures-gal]

Hi,
Looking for others who paint with Acrylics, oil or watercolors to chat with and learn from. My media is Acrylics. I paint Horses, Wildlife, exotic cats, landscapes and some fantasy. Am really interested in most any subject.
Will share more when I find some other Artistic minded folks who love to paint.
Hope to hear from some of you. :) Thanks, Patsy

[CarolAnn]

Hi, Nature-gal! I love to paint! I started painting in oils when i was about 14, and got my first set of acrylics at 17 when a contractor hired me to paint mural on a wall in his basement! He not only paid me to do something I loved doing anyway - he bought me a full set, something I never could have managed on my own. What's nice about acrylics is that you can thin them down so they're almost like water color or trowel it on as a thick impasto, air brush it, and everything in between!

Now . . . share more! ;D

[Outlawswife]

Hi! I'm new here (DH just found this forum tonight)....I, too, paint with acrylics. I've also painted with oils, watercolors, pencils and pastels. I love to learn new things. Right now I'm painting ornaments for a holiday sale. I'm also making quilted purses and ornaments in material......nothing like diversifying!!!! ;D
Love the idea of finding others that share my passion!

[natures-gal]

Hello Carolann & outlawswife,
So nice to meet you.
I too showed an early interest in art. Very early. I was so young I just made clouds with a pencil. Than someone got me crayons and it just progressed thru-out my life.
At the present time I have some paintings in a local Gallery. I just started that. It is fun and nerve wrecking at the same time. Sooo many beautiful paintings to compare to. I know we shouldn't feel that way because we are all different and have our own styles of painting.
Carolann is that one of your paintings on your post under your name? It is a lovely picture. Are you working on a painting at present? I wonder if we can share pics of our paintings on the board. I am new here and still learning the "whys, wherefores and no-nos. :) Do either of you know?
Hey O.wife, you sure are diversified! I wouldn't have the energy to do so much at once. not a dull moment, right?
:D Follow your passions, it keeps you happy. It's wonderful to work at something you love.
8) Patsy

[natures-gal]

ps: I wonder if we should be on another forum? I didn't know where to go for my initial question. Should we start a new thread? Carolann you are a moderator so maybe you could tell me what to do concerning this? I don't want to upset the candle and soapmaking folks.
:) thanks,

[CarolAnn]

Good point - I'll move us to Kids and other Crafts - although I don't consider painting necessarily to be a "craft" - it can be that too and that's the place that fits best.
~ ~ ~

I hope you all found the new location!

The picture under my name is an old (VERY old) picture of me that I hand colored with a Photo Shop type program. I love restoring old pictures and manipulating new ones with color changes and effects. I also use it on a photo that I want to paint - using water color effects to give me ideas about what I want to do with paint.

Another thing I've tried just recently is - there was a just magnificent shot at the start of a movie - "Under a Tuscan Sun" with the bus coming down a winding road, surrounded by a patchwork of fields. I took a picture with my digital camera and manipulated it until I could get an idea of what I wanted to paint. Taking a picture from a DVD isn't all that great - but it gave me something that I could work from and with. The end result will be a painting 4' x 5'! My plan is to use acrylics, but to lay down thin washes of color to stain the layer below it to get the colors and textures I want.

I'm shameless when it comes to source material - as long as I use it as the starting point of a creative process, I don't think I'll get in trouble with it. (I HOPE!)

This is the image, with watercolor effect applied. Tomorrow, I'll see if I can translate that to canvas.

;D

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/carolwyborny/Painting2post.jpg

[natures-gal]

Hi Carolann,
Sorry I have been away so long. I saw your photo and the watercolor/photo technique is a good one. looks like you are venturing into new ideas with paintings. I never thought of taking a picture off a DVD. Great idea! Hope it all works well for you.
Right now I am working on a painting that has been quite a challenge. Horses standing on opposite high cliffs across a deep canyon, watching and neighing at each other. I love the idea and it is slowly coming together. I have been working on horse scenarios for some time now. I get away from horses once in awhile. I love landscape and mountains too, and that fits right in with my horse subjects.
i need to learn how to put a painting onto our post.
Is there a post somewhere that can help me? Or if you have time to explain it I would appreciate it.
Take care and keep safe. Thanks, Patsy :)

[natures-gal]

Oh yes, thanks for transferring our thread to a more suitable topic thread. I think it will work out fine. :)

[CarolAnn]

Nature'sGal - to post a picture of your painting - first you need to upload it to one of the free picture sites such as photobucket.com or tinypic.com. That site will give you a URL link that you use in your post here.

To use the link, click on the second icon from the left in the second row above the box where you type - it looks like a tiny picture in a frame.

Delete out all the text (I've made it red here) and paste in your link inside of the brackets where the red text was. [ img ] Forum will resize your picture to 360 pixels (5 inches) wide. Please limit file size to 30K to speed loading of pages. Delete all text and spaces between tags before inserting picture URL. [ /img ]
Then click "preview" to make sure it worked before you click on the post button! Can't wait to see your horses!

[natures-gal]

Hi CarolAnn, thank you for the information on how to transfer pics to the forum. I will look into trying it out. The program that keeps my pictures on PC is a Kodak album that came with my camera. So far I haven't had success transferring my pics. only in email and my daughter said they came to her only thumbnail size. I have tried browser and my Documents, but no success. I wonder if there is a way to get them off this Kodak album. ???
Thanks again. I sure enjoyed your picture. looks unique.
My latest 2 are,,,A snowy winter scene with deer jumping fence and a cute pony in a summer meadow. I hope to be able to share them with you as soon as I can figure this thing out. What is your latest photo painting?
.Patsy

[natures-gal]

Hi again CarolAnn,
I noticed that the words, "general politics" is under my kitten picture. I wonder if I could get that changed? as I am not into politics of any sort.
Could I have "Peace On Earth" instead? Is there something I have to personally do to change that or is that something a moderator does?
Thanks so much, Patsy
thank

[flatwater]

I envy all of you. although I can build a house from drawings in my head my painting skills suck. I have always believed that to take whats in your mind and to put it on a canvas is a gift from God. Keep up the good work. By the way are any of you left handed ?

[CarolAnn]

Flatwater - I'm right handed, but I don't think left or right-handedness makes a difference. When I was a kid, I wrote with either hand (somewhat badly with both!) - and it drove my teachers up the wall! ;D

If you would like to draw or paint, I would suggest that you find the book called "Drawing on the right side of the brain." I got my last copy cheap (used) at Amazon.com. I've had several over the years, and always end up giving them away! Briefly, it explains how one side of our brain specializes in talking, symbols and logic (usually the left side) and the other side specializes in creativity, intuition and imagination.

As we are taught to write as children, the side that handles logic and symbols gets "louder" and possibly stronger than the other. That's OK, but the book gives some simple ways to get that loud side to sit down and shut up so the creative side can blossom.

This might sound a bit weird, but really - it works! There are some simple exercises that they give you and some new ways to think about drawing that will absolutely amaze you when you see the results. It doesn't take long. After just a few practice sessions, drawing becomes relaxing and fun.

Following drawing, comes painting - another set of skills, but once you've drawing something that really looks the way you wanted it to, this gets easier and easier!

If anyone is interested, I can post some examples from the book. (Not copied from it, but similar to it to illustrate the point.)

[CarolAnn]

natures-gal - I've written to Oliver to ask how to change that text under your user name. I've never even noticed that was there before!

I checked User Profiles - and didn't find a place to change that, but he'll know - he's our site administrator!

[natures-gal]

Thanks carolann *:) I had checked User Profiles before I ask you. No success either there either.
I would be interested in reading the information you offered on the brain and creativity. Thanks again

[CarolAnn]

natures-gal,
I have an answer about the note under your name. Unless they're a moderator like me, everyone has that under their name now. It's part of the system our administrator is using to manage the site, so it really dosn't have any meaning as far as your posting preferences. What it is used for, is if someone uses cuss words or gets mean to another member in the General board or the Politics board (where most of the bad behavior happens) they get barred from using those boards for a while. "General-Politics" is the name of the "all users" group. If someone acts badly on OTHER parts of the forum where kids are more likely to hang out, they can actually lose their membership!

There isn't too much bad behavior on the other boards, so I hope that won't become an issue! It's too bad we had to do this, but we do want to keep all parts of the forum family friendly and have people be able to post without someone else yelling at them for their ideas or cussing them out. Unfortunately, some folks can't communicate clearly without using foul words and they'll push the rules to the limit until they discover where the limits are.

I'll find some examples that are like the book and post them tonight!

One is - when you draw something, try to draw the space around it rather than the object itself. A good thing to try this with is a wooden chair turned at an angle. Also, try to draw the shape ("curved here, straight there, ending over here") rather than saying "I'm drawing a slat" or "I'm drawing the seat" - putting a word name to what you are drawing tells your brain to draw the symbol for the item rather than the actual "how it looks."

[CarolAnn]

OK, I've made a couple of samples and found others on the web.

When kids learn to draw, they're usually also learning to write - and letters are symbols for sounds. Early drawing usually consists fo symbols also, rather than how things really look:
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/carolwyborny/kidart1.jpg
Here's an adorable kid-picture of a house, the sun and clouds -a great example of symbolic images! This child has not yet learned to really LOOK at what she sees; it's amazing how many adults never get past this stage of drawing, or learn to get a peaceful place inside and really look at the world around them! Learning to do this is the first and most important step of drawing well.

A good exercise in drawing is to take a picture or drawing by someone else and turn it upside down!
When you copy it, just relax and put down the shapes. Try not to vocalize names, but let yourself see negative and positive space, texture, shadow and light.
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/carolwyborny/kids1.jpg

If you have difficulty, try dividing the picture in quarters to copy it. Keep the sections on your drawing paper in the same proportions or you'll distort the finished image!
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/carolwyborny/kids2.jpg

Finally, I want to add that there's absolutely nothing wrong with the exuberance and freedom of children's art! I've used it as examples here, but I don't want you to think for a second that I ridicule it. I have a friend who can draw realism like a camera - but I find as just much pleasure in the creativity of almost any child's art as that of a well-trained professional artist. (see below - isn't that terific?!)
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/carolwyborny/kidart3.jpg


It's ironic. We practice and study so that we can learn to draw well - and then we work hard again to get back the freedom of expression that we had before we learned to draw! (I guess it's just like life - an on-going process of finding the balance!)

;)

[natures-gal]

Hi Carolann
I haven't been on board for awhile. But thanks so much for your time and efforts. I really appreciate the information using negative and positive space. I do use that method mostly when I am having difficulty and it works wonders.
:)
The kids pictures are adorable! I have cherished pictures of my kids drawings that I keep in my treasure box. And some I still keep posted up on wall and frig after all these years. Good memories. My youngest is 26 now. :D
***When I figure out the picture transfer from my stubborn Kodak picture album. I will post a couple paintings. This album dose not have any features to let me transfer to attachments or anywhere except using the email feature right in the Album. As far as I can figure out. But I am still trying. I know there MUST be a way.
Oh, and thanks for explaining about the General politics" thing. I understand, and no problem :)
I am working on a new technique painting. It is using washes and spatterings. First time I ever tried so I am going to practice a few than try a canvas painting. I used to not like them but I saw a new Artist version on her gallery web site and they are beautiful. so am aiming to try her style and my own ideas. I love trying new things. It may or may not work for me but it's fun trying.
Take care til later. Patsy (natures-gal)

[natures-gal]

Hi, is anyone trying something new in ART? If so please let us know. I am always interested in hearing about new ideas and versions of painting. and how it is going.
I was just down to our local gallery to see the new exhibit and it is always so inspiring for me.
I put what I am trying new in a current post. Washes, with spatterings, etc. than paint a subject into it and recover it with more spatterings.. It's fun and messy. :D I am practicing now..will be interesting. There are books with directions on "how to". Thank goodness! :)
Patsy

[CarolAnn]

Nature's Gal - I don't know how new this is, but it's something I've been doing this winter and spring. First, I find pictures on the internet of FISH and shells - sea life that is colorful. I copy them to an album folder on my desk top. Then I use the patterns and colors to design fabric! I haven't transferred any TO fabric yet, but I'm still putzing around with the designs.

How do I do it? I open the photo in MS Paint, the little free program that comes with windows. Then I click on the far right corner dot to stretch some white space by the picture - that's where I play with design.

Then I copy just a bit of the animal or shell and paste it over and over in patterns & rows. When I save the file I have the source photo in one corner and the rest of the page is my design.

This comes from when I was a kid and got to go to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. As a farm kid, I was stunned at the brilliant colors and designs on the salt water fish - I thought they were more beautiful than any ball gown could ever be.

So now I'm playing with those color combinations and patterns to see what I can come up with. It's fun and it's free. And maybe someday I'll actually get to do some sublimation printing on fabric with my designs!
Here's one:
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/carolwyborny/IMG_7824.jpg

[Funmommy]

Hello Everyone ;D I've been doing art (for years it seems).

I like to work in oil paints, acrylic paints, enamel paints, oil pastels, soft pastels and love doing crafts too. ::)
Mostly oil paints and soft pastels, although I may pull out my acrylics soon.

I haven't done much since I was pregnant with my daughter because of toxic issues (then) and time issues (now). My paints and pastels are calling me lately though. ;)

Sorry I don't have anything to show right now as I don't have any photos of my work saved on this computer. :-/

I'm looking forward to talking to all of you and learning new ways to do things.

I hope everyone's having a happy / healthy spring ;D