Have you wondered how to paint lifelike rocks? Check out this progression of photos from my recent watercolour class, 'Newfoundland Beach Rocks'.

Here are my four students working hard on their paintings.

First, I sketched a contour drawing in pencil on 300 lb watercolour paper, and masked out the white caps on the waves with masking fluid. Then, using New Gamboge, Antwerp Blue, and Permanent Alizarin Crimson, I mixed up some dull washes of paint and applied them to the boulders, using a darker mixture towards the bottom of each rock, and a lighter mixture on the tops. (The entire painting was created using only these three colours of paint.)

I wet the sky area with clear water and dropped in some blue and grey mixtures, leaving some white areas to represent clouds.

While the sky dried, I painted the ocean area using a slightly darker mix of blue. I pre-wet only the calm section directly under the headland, and then added horizontal strokes of blue, interspersed with strokes of clear water, starting at the top and working my way down toward the near shore. This produced the effect of waves. I added darker blue under the white caps.

When the sky and ocean areas were dry, I painted in the distant headland using a charcoal grey mixture. Then I dropped in spots of clear water to create intentional 'blooms' or pale shapes, simulating the look of distant shadowed cliffs.

Applying paint to dry paper, I started adding some stripes to the boulders, using various mixtures of grey and tan.

I completed adding stripes to most of the large boulders, and darkened the rock shadow areas using a dark grey mixture. I also darkened the ocean with a more vivid Antwerp Blue layer, and removed the masking fluid, to complete 'Newfoundland Beach Rocks', 10 x 8".

Subscribe to Karen's Newsletter if you wish to receive timely email notices about future watercolour classes.

I had some great news today - I am thrilled to be the feature artist on ArtsyShark.com, which is an American web-based company that teaches professional artists how to promote their work.

I started following Artsy Shark's blog about a year ago, when I was investigating ways to market my art instruction book Watercolour Toolbox, and found their blog posts to be full of great advice on all aspects of art marketing.

I applied last fall to be featured, but did not know until today when my work would be showcased.

The article captures my story in a nutshell - how traveling with my camera inspires my artwork and my art classes - and is illustrated with ten of my paintings of rocks and flowers.

Here is the link to the photo article.

I read this excellent post on Artsy Shark today and wanted to share it with you. It's about why artists should continue to share their creations with the world by finding buyers for their art. I especially like the closing statement:

"As you have already experienced and know in your heart, your collectors are forever thankful each time they lay eyes on your art and the life-enriching spirit that is seamlessly wound into your art and bonded with their hearts.

My best advice after 50 years of sales: Love yourself, your talent, your art and your client’s long-term needs. Help them, guide them, and encourage them to become owners, today; not for the money – but because it is the right thing to do."

Click here to read the full article.

Courtesy of Artsyshark.com, here is some fabulous, practical advice for artists wanting to sell products on line.

I already use several of the recommended solutions: I sell my reproductions on Fine Art America, design and update this responsive web site on Shopify, and use Square to accept credit cards at shows or in my studio. Definitely worth the read:

http://www.artsyshark.com/2013/12/17/ecommerce-solutions/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+artsyshark%2FNCiC+%28ArtsySharkFeed%29

When I create a custom painting for a client, the package includes a coffee table style storybook, telling how the painting came to be. Having this permanent art journal allows the client to revisit the creative journey at any time. I am pleased to share with you the story of my latest commission.

Last spring, a new client asked me to create a portrait of their home, as a surprise for her husband's 50th birthday. She came to my studio to discuss size, season, time frame and budget. Then she and I visited her home and decided on this view for the painting. 

She asked me to do a summer scene, when her garden would be in bloom, and to include certain elements in the painting, such as their three pets, and her husband's favourite truck. I took photos then and agreed to return for more photos in August.

In September, I drew a small concept sketch on graph paper to make sure the verticals were straight.

Once the client approved this concept, I made a full size layout drawing showing more details, such as the cats in the window and the dog on the front porch.

After approval, I traced the sketch onto watercolour paper, using a sheet of graphite paper to make the transfer. I used a ruler to make all the straight lines.

Masking fluid was applied temporarily to all areas that needed to stay white during the painting process.

I painted practice skies on scraps of watercolour paper, so I could choose the right combination of blues for the painting. Then I chose the other paints I thought would work and made colour tests to ensure I could mix all the colours I needed for the painting.

The sky wash was applied and allowed to dry overnight, and then I added the first layer of greenery.

I added window interiors, roof colours and a warm yellow wash on the front face of the home.

Using two mixtures, I painted the brick surfaces to look mottled. When dry, I added shadows under the eaves and porch.

After that layer dried overnight, I removed the masking fluid with a crepe eraser.

Below is the completed painting '180 Roseborough', watercolour 13 x 16.5".

With the storybook designed and ordered, I met the client at the framing gallery to select mats and molding. The framed painting and accompanying storybook were delivered to the client in time for the big birthday in November.  I do love a happy ending...

Subscribe to Karen's Newsletter if you wish to receive studio news updates or notice of upcoming painting classes.

While we were traveling around the Great Lakes in our RV last month, I created this painting based on a photo I took while visiting my Mom in B.C. on an earlier trip.

In the photo below, I have started with a pencil sketch on 300 lb watercolour paper and masked out the flower and leaves with Pebeo Masking Gum. I like the fact that it is dark enough to show up against the paper, allowing for better application accuracy.

Once the mask was fully dry, I used Indigo paint on the shadowed crevices between the stones. When dry, I spattered a fine spray of masking gum over the whole painting (using a tooth brush and a pot scraper), to preserve fine white dots in the stones. Then I spattered on a fine spray of Indigo paint and let everything dry overnight.

The next day, I gently wet the entire painting with clear water using a soft, natural hair brush, to disturb the Indigo spatter as little as possible. I gently dropped in muted mixtures of Indigo, Burnt Sienna, Primary Red and Aureolin (yellow). I waited about a minute for absorption and evaporation to reduce the wetness of the wash, then sprinkled table salt sparingly over the entire painting. I let the painting dry overnight.

After brushing off the dry, dirty salt, with my pot scraper and fingers, I erased the masking fluid with a crepe eraser, revealing white paper underneath. Some of my pencil lines disappeared in the erasure process, so I redrew them where necessary.

On dry paper, I painted each leaf and the stem, using mixtures of Indigo, Sap Green and Aureolin.

I completed painting the leaves, then defined the petals using Primary Red, Burnt Sienna and a touch of Indigo. A few shadowed areas and white dots were darkened where needed, to complete 'Hyacinth and Drystone', watercolour, 12 x 9". Let me know what you think, or if you have any questions about this demo. I would love to hear from you.

Subscribe to Karen's Newsletter if you wish to receive studio news updates or notice of upcoming painting classes.

I subscribe to Artsy Shark, an art marketing blog that often has excellent posts. Here is one for artists who show their art at summer festivals.

When I'm at the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival this August I will be sure to put this advice to good use. I hope you find it helpful as well.

Selling Art With Confidence

When I heard California artist Birgit O'Connor was teaching a watercolour class at Studio Six in Markham recently, I jumped at the chance to attend the three day flower painting workshop. Last year I learned how to varnish my watercolours from her excellent DVD Framing Without Glass, and have admired her style of painting enormous dramatic florals.

There were about twenty students in the workshop and the first day we learned her technique of making large, glowing washes by painting these half sheet warm ups. We used large brushes (size 20 and 30 rounds) and wet each area with lots of water so the washes would run together when the paper was tilted. Learning that technique alone was worth the price of admission! In the photo below, Birgit is pointing to my painting in the top row.

On the next two days of the class we had the option of painting along with Birgit on a second sample piece, or using our own reference photo to make a painting using her techniques. I opted for the latter and started a full sheet painting of blue Rose of Sharon from a photo I took in my friend Patti's garden. Below are the layers I finished during two days of painting.

I used MaimeriBlu pigments Cobalt Blue Deep, Sap Green and Indigo, and Winsor & Newton pigments Quinacridone Magenta and Crimson Lake for this painting. These combinations were new to me but I definitely will use them again as the mixtures were rich, somewhat liftable (so details could be softened) and non-granulating.

At the end of class Birgit posed with me beside my half finished painting (below). She was a very good teacher and the whole experience makes me want to paint more large florals.

The class was about a month ago and today I finished Blue Rose of Sharon (30 x 22"), pictured below. Let me know what you think.

Subscribe to Karen's Newsletter if you wish to receive studio news updates or notice of upcoming painting classes.