Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver

Welcome to my weekly blog about life as an artist. I like to share little do-able tips for making things easier in this very full and busy life we lead as the people who wear all the hats.

I missed posting last week. I don't remember exactly what stage of moving I was in, but I know I was exhausted and brain dead! Today things are much better! Here's an update and probably the last of pics of our "new" home downstairs.

Much brighter than before! The armoire is my pantry and the table with the stools will soon be on wheels to raise it up for a more comfortable kitchen island.

I'm crazy about this space!

I didn't have enough time or energy to make real slipcovers, so settled for the draped look for now!

And my studio! As seen from the kitchen! 

See, I really am spoiled! And as I said last time, I'll tell you about the upstairs. We're transforming it into a vacation/retreat rental! It will sleep up to 8 people, or more if they're ok with air mattresses. The studio will be available for any artists wishing to work while here. Two decks, complete with beautiful views. Lots and lots of nice space! Pictures to come after the September 30/30.

And speaking of the 30/30, I wanted to get completely moved downstairs before it began, and we've managed to do it! I'm ready for the next 30/30 which starts next Thursday, September 1. Thirty paintings in 30 days. I'll be posting each painting here, each day. If you haven't participated in this challenge before, I'd highly recommend it! It's fun and a brilliant way to learn a lot about yourself and your painting!

Until next week, happy painting!

Welcome to my weekly blog about life as an artist. I like to share little do-able tips for making things easier in this very full and busy life we lead as the people who wear all the hats.

I'm departing from tips for a moment to say I think I'm spoiled! I have the best husband in the world! For a few years I've been wanting to downsize, but he didn't want to move. When it comes right down to it, I didn't really want to move either. We've been here 15 years and have made a nice home, although it's big! Too big in my opinion. We have a house with a walk-out basement. The basement has always bugged me because once the kids moved out, we use it for nothing except feeding a wood burning stove in the winter.

Recently I got it into my head that we should move downstairs. Downsizing, so to speak. You know, make it a separate dwelling so to speak. Sort of a cabin/cottage type of place. Not too much work, just take out a door, put in a kitchen, do some painting . . . it'll be awesome! Well, that's exactly what we are doing!

This was earlier this week. I hadn't realized how dark that old paint was!

My new PERFECT studio!

The spoiled part came in as I was silently lamenting to myself that I don't have the PERFECT studio set-up! But, wait! Have I ever had the perfect studio set-up? Well, no. I've used all sorts of arrangements, as most of us have and do. What was I thinking?! I have an awesome studio down here in our cabin! It's sort of what I've always wanted. A large room that is the studio and a place to eat, sleep, and do the other necessities of living.

I get to have coffee in the morning out here - or take a break from painting. Or paint from here!

I am so surprised to realize I actually have what I've always envisioned as the perfect type of living space for me! And my husband is kind enough to go along with my slightly hair-brained ideas. You see, now we have to go outside and up a set of steps to get to the garage instead of house to garage. And the floor is painted concrete, not soft carpet. And the kitchen is going to be cabin-ish to say the least.

I love this sink! I'll be using a dish pan to wash dishes, but who cares? Look at that sink!

But then, before we were married, I told him I wanted to live in a cabin when my kids were gone and he agreed. Long way around, but here we are, making a cabin in the downstairs.

Not my gas stove from upstairs, but I think I'll be able to cook some good stuff anyway on this little apartment sized stove!

So, yes, I think I'm spoiled. But I'm glad I realized and can be very thankful for it!

And the upstairs? I'll tell you about that next week! Happy painting!

Welcome to my weekly blog about life as an artist. I like to share little do-able tips for making things easier in this very full and busy life we lead as the people who wear all the hats.

This week I'm writing about what I call "color strings". I got the term from an artist friend of mine and I'm not sure if she heard it somewhere or coined it herself. Either way, it seems like an appropriate term for this.

What are color strings? And why should you make them? Color strings are mixes of paint on your palette that you mix before you begin painting. They are so helpful in maintaining clean color and variety in your paintings!  I'm not sure if there's any particular way to go about it. I will show you how I go about it.

I begin with mixing a few basics of what the main colors are in the scene. If it's a landscape with a lot of green, and maybe a dirt road, I'll mix up a basic green using ultra marine blue and cad yellow light or cad yellow. From there I might add some more yellow to part of the pile and make a new mix. Then maybe add a little cad red light to part of that second pile. Maybe white to that and so on. Then I might take the other end of the original pile and add a little white to a part of it. (I always leave some of the original on my palette too). Here's a shot of what I mean:

My first mix of ultramarine and cad yellow light

Some warm mixes from the first pile

Next, I make a cooler mix of green and then make a color string from it. You can see the variety I now have to work with.

I do the same for the possible colors of the dirt road:

I began with cad red light and white. Then added yellow or white and even a touch of blue. Again, the variety is there on your palette. It makes it much easier to compare color to color when you do this. Color temperature becomes much easier to judge, because it's always relative. And when you make color strings on your palette, you see the relationship of color to color.

So, that's my tip for color mixing. Make color strings for every area. It takes a little while, but it saves so much time and makes painting so much easier!