International Artist - February 2023

149
The magazine for artists by artists from around the world • Le magazine pour les artistes par des artistes du monde entier
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Issue 149 February/March 2023
Adolfo Castillo Publisher: Editorial/Creative
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Wendie Martin
Publisher: Advertising/Art Community Development
Passion is Our Day Job!
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Welcome to our February/March issue and another year around the sun! One of the
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Exciting
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to sharpen your skills!
As soon as you’re finished reading this page, flip to the last page (well, almost
the last—page 126). There, you’ll find a brand new section we’ve just launched
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I also hope you enjoy the eight demonstrations included in this February/March
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Chien
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Warmly,
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Alyssa M. Tidwell NEW!
Editor
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Letter from the Editor 3

149 February /
March 2023 CONTENTS
Bon mots appearing throughout this magazine
are from the varied, exciting and weird life of
artist Harley Brown
Art Prize Challenge

6 International Prize Winners
All the Prize Winners in
International Artist
magazine Challenge
No. 133, Florals & Gardens.
17 Call for Entries

Entry form for International Artist
magazine’s Challenge No. 135,
Cityscapes. Or you can enter using digital
printouts and online!
Page 55 Vicki Norman, Mousehole morning, oil on linen, 11 x 14" (27 x 35 cm)
Columns & Features

24 Beyond the Palette with
Scottsdale Artists’ School
40 The
Forever Wild
Southeastern Wildlife Exposition
The Art of the Portrait
has an enduring legacy in the world of
Mark Boedges talks about his roots as
a landscape painter and lends some wildlife art and conservation 30 Chair’s Letter
words of wisdom to students By Alyssa M. Tidwell
32 Words of Wisdom from the
26 Tips
Station Points
& Insights from James Gurney
48 AThe Voyage
journey of exploration and self-
2023 The Art of the Portrait
Faculty Artists
In Search of the Non-Motif discovery has led colored pencil artist By Kimberly Azzarito
Jesse Lane into the depths of imagina-
tive realism
36 Master Showcase
38 ByStarting Anew
Departments Scott Burdick
22 Art Industry Insider with

Vanessa Rothe
122 Important
of Art
Principles SUBSCRIPTION REQUESTS
INTERNATIONAL ARTIST
The Benefits of a Gallery Harley Brown’s fascinating things no
PO Box 2320, Scottsdale, AZ 85252, USA
one else will tell you
117 AOnglimpse
Location
into the studio of Traci 126 Creative Spark
Tel 1 (877) 947-0792
Email: Service@InternationalArtist.com
www.InternationalArtist.com
Wright Martin
EDITORIAL INQUIRIES
118 In every issue of International Art-
Painting Workshop ALYSSA M. TIDWELL, EDITOR
atidwell@InternationalArtist.com
ist we feature a Painting Workshop Tel (480) 425-0841 Fax (480) 425-0724
from Richard Robinson, one of New INTERNATIONAL ARTIST
Zealand’s best artists PO Box 2320, Scottsdale, AZ, 85252, USA
4 www.InternationalArtist.com
Artists from Around the World in this Issue
Demonstrations, Workshops & Master Painters of the World

OIL ACRYLIC PASTEL
54 UK 76 Australia 96 Australia
True Colors Endless Possibilities Texture and Form
Painting in plein air, Vicki Norman carefully Often taking hundreds of photos, Sarah Abbott Using a combination of soft and hard pastels,
assesses the light conditions to determine proper experiments with numerous ideas when planning Ellouise Theron creates accurate renderings of
colors her compositions her wildlife subjects
62 France 82 Canada WATERCOLOR

A Refined View Expressive Patterns
Condensing and simplifying values allows Aldo Tatjana Mirkov-Popovicki emphasizes bold 104 USA
Balding to achieve realistic, painterly effects brushwork and rich texture and in her vibrant Light as a Feather
coastal scenes Painting with transparent watercolors, Lorraine
68 USA MIXED MEDIA
Watry captures the weightless characteristics of
Depth and Radiance her avian subjects
Using thin transparent layers, David Barclay
demonstrates the use of glazing to create depth 88 USA 110 Australia
and vivid reflections Transient Stories Tricks with Masking Tape
Collecting imagery from books and magazines as John Lovett tackles how a simple household
resources, Aneka Ingold expresses the unique item like masking tape can enhance your art
female perspective
Contents 5
All the Prize Winners in our International
nge
Artist Magazine Challenge No. 133
Challe
FLORALS &
GARDENS
Ginny Page Copenhagen, Denmark, Broken Tulips, oil, 11 x 14" (28 x 36 cm)
Grand Prize is a four-page editorial feature in
American Art Collector magazine
Fleeting Moments In terms of style, Page is continuously fragile, so I needed

“I have an ongoing obsession to record inspired by the Old Masters—particularly to act fast if I was
precious moments in paint while they still the Dutch and Flemish painters—and their to capture their
exist in the now. Soon it will be gone. Life ability to create textures in the paint. She beauty in paint
is short and fragile,” says artist Ginny Page. also emphasizes in her work the elements of in time. Painting
“Be kind and pay attention. Slow down, lighting, composition, and above all, a well these tulips while
look around and be grateful for [the] small thought-out plan. my friend was
things that matter.” “I consider myself to be as honest as sleeping gave me
Like most artists, Page finds inspiration possible concerning my art. I like to stick a feeling of peace
everywhere, from the moment she wakes to what I love to do only,” says Page. “Art and calm during a
up. “The play of the first morning light has always been my coping mechanism and very turbulent and
shining through my water glass, the way our my way to relax and feel happy. I refuse to traumatic time.
unfinished plastered wall resembles a silhouette follow trends or worry about what will sell
of Queen Victoria, my upside down reflection or what people may advise me [on]...I have My Design
in a spoon, frost patterns on the greenhouse never been ‘in’ with anything, and I prefer it Strategy
windows, autumn leaves, spider webs with that way.” I bought an
morning dew, wizened flower heads and seed Ampersand panel
pods,” she says. The list goes on and on. My Inspiration and planned my
Recently, Page has begun a series of works I was spending a week in Aarhus taking composition.
with the theme of tiny fruits and other organic care of my dear friend who had just been Being away from my studio I had little
materials in vintage bowls with insects. “I diagnosed with a serious form of cancer. On equipment. Five tubes of paint, thinners
love the history and craftsmanship of antique the way to the hospital for my friend’s first and two brushes. I set up my composition
porcelain and the nostalgia connected with treatment I suddenly noticed some beautiful up on a small windowsill in my friend’s
the places in which it was produced. My idea striped Rembrandt tulips (broken tulips) kitchen, but the natural light from the
started during the pandemic, as I found it growing in the car park, which sparked my window worked well. I spent hours
soothing just to mess about with small bits inspiration for a painting idea. I persuaded arranging the flowers from different angles
and bobs that I love to paint.” So far, she’s at my friend to turn the car around so I could before starting. By now, the tulips were
16 paintings and counting. “steal” a couple. The tulips had almost fading fast and the petals on the left tulip
finished flowering and the petals were very were about to fall (my friend). The tulip to
the right was more robust (me). I imagined accordingly and sprayed with fixative to left the bare white panel as it was, which I
Remember: through the centuries, design’s
a narrative that the two tulips were my avoid smudging. Using an oil palette of would normally never do, but I felt it gave
friend and me. The painting suddenly ivory black, titanium white, alizarin and a feeling of freshness to the finished result
been so important. – Harley Brown
became about being present. Two friends cadmium yellow, which I find works for and made it resemble more a watercolor
alone showing compassion and attentiveness every painting no matter what. Using the study than an oil painting.
but still allowing for quiet contemplation thinned paint like a watercolor technique, I
and some tears. built up the forms of the flowers using lots Contact Details
of tiny delicate lines following the forms
My Working Process » Email: art@ginnypage.com
of the petals, working from light to dark. I
After measuring the “Golden Section” added the tiny water drops last. I purposely » Website: www.ginnypage.com
onto my panel, I drew out my motif
Art Challenge 7
ART CHALLENGE #133
Teri Starkweather
California, USA, Springtime Orchids,
watercolor, 29 x 21" (73 x 53 cm)
Second Prize
is a two-page
editorial feature
in American Art
Collector magazine
My Inspiration
One of my favorite things to do on any
vacation is to visit a botanical garden. I often
take many photographs for use in future
paintings. One garden, which was a great
inspiration for me, was Longwood Botanical
garden in Pennsylvania. There were quite a
few beautiful orchids growing there, which
greatly impressed me. For this painting, I
purchased some orchids growing in pots from
my local market and set the two pots next to
each other. I really liked the yellow blooms
next to the bright purple-pink orchids.
didn’t want the background to compete with and 12. I also use an Escoda Barroco size
My Design Strategy the main subject. 16 for the background. I painted from my
I set these orchids in front of a window, photo reference and viewed my orchids
for natural light. Then I played around My Working Process from life. I painted the flowers first, then
with the best arrangement for a pleasing I took several photos of my composition the background. The background was done
composition. I really liked the curvature of to save for reference. Then I did a careful using a wet into wet technique where I
the pink orchids next to the upright yellow pencil drawing full size on tissue paper and drop wet paint onto the wet paper. When
blossoms. The sun shone brightest on the transferred the drawing to a piece of Arches completed, I framed the painting in a simple
lower left pink petals, and I decided that 300-lb watercolor paper. I carefully erased black wood frame for watercolor exhibitions.
this would be my center of interest, below any smudges or dark places in the drawing
center point and to the left of middle of before I painted so that pencil lines were Contact Details
the composition. This is in keeping with not prominent. I used Winsor & Newton
the rules of the golden ratio. I decided that and Daniel Smith watercolors. My brushes » Email: teri@teristarkweather.com
I would invent the background because I are Loew-Cornell ultra round, sizes 10 » Website: www.teristarkweather.com
Georg Douglas Kjós, Iceland, At the roadside, oil on canvas, 39 x 55" (100 x 140 cm)
Third Prize is a one-page editorial feature in American Art Collector magazine
My Inspiration are given equal value, which I feel adds to painted in a light gray-blue acrylic. I
The flowers that I like to paint most are the feeling of complexity. often continue in acrylic to start the main
Hoping for a compliment can clutter the mind while creating. – Harley Brown
wildflowers in the fields or along the roads features and colors, as the fast drying time
and paths of Iceland. I spent my working My Design Strategy enables me quickly to see how the work is
life as an earth scientist, and my training has In some ways the basic design may seem to developing and to make early changes of
imprinted itself on how I view the world of be easy: I want to convey a feeling of disorder, direction. I frequently return to drawing,
flowers and how I paint them. Apart from entanglement and complexity and to some and a process of alternately painting and
color and light, I am inspired by two other extent a realistic portrayal of the grasses, and drawing can continue for some time
things which I include in my work. One tall vetch does just that. Nevertheless, I find before I start to lay in the colors in oils. I
is the beauty of life at the microscopic and that including microscopic and molecular always work over the entire painting. I use
molecular level. We normally don’t see this features greatly enhance the feeling of photographs first and foremost to help me
directly, but it is there and my scientific confusion. Also contributing to this are the obtain plausible morphology of features
background enables me to include it and placement of light and shade areas, and I like blooms, petals and leaves, which I have
thus greatly extend our view. The other is do this intuitively, or for instance, by the always found important even in a work
the great complexity of nature at all levels. memory of an illuminated leaf. which tends towards the abstract.
In the environment of At the roadside, we
see the entanglement of tall clinging vetch
My Working Process Contact Details
I like to produce a reasonably exact
flowers and other weeds and grasses. Here
underpainting, which is a combination of » Email: georg2103@gmail.com
and there we also see protein spirals and
drawing in fine charcoal and tonal values » Website: www.artgeorg.com
collagen chains. Thus widely differing scales
Art Challenge 9
ART CHALLENGE #133
FINALISTS
Each receives an Award Certificate and
a one-year subscription to International
Artist magazine PLUS having their work
seen worldwide by international galleries
looking for new talent.
Rukiye Garip
Balıkesir, Turkey, Yellow flowers,
watercolor, 30 x 22" (76 x 55 cm)
Finalist
My Inspiration
Yellow flowers (jasmine), became the
flower that gave me hope during the
heaviest days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
They were in the garden near of my falling shadow under the summer sun. I areas, which are a difficult color and easily
workshop, which I had been locked in made the drawing using reference photos. soiled. I created the floor by splashing
by myself because of the curfew. They Since the delicate flowers that fall easily paint and salting on the grays that I
had formed a cheerful heap, with flowers were not as dense as I wanted, I increased applied by wetting the paper. I painted the
lined up like yellow popcorn on the tall the number and size of the flowers a little. I basket, the leaves and finally, the flowers,
branches. During the four days I worked created the light-dark balance by increasing in that order. The colors I used are burnt
on the yellow flowers painting, I felt the degrees of darkness in the background sienna, Van Dyke brown, brown ochre,
that my intense stress under pandemic and shadows. I then added purple to the bismuth yellow, Winsor green, magenta,
conditions was lost in the power and blue and brown tones I had already applied French ultramarine, indigo, orange,
beauty of nature. to the dark areas to ensure the visibility of quinacridone gold, cobalt turquoise and
the yellow flowers. Winsor yellow deep.
My Design Strategy
I created a composition in a basket from My Working Process Contact Details
the parts I cut from among the scattered I wetted a 56-by-76-cm piece of watercolor
paper and stretched it. I applied masking » Email: rukiyegarip@hotmail.com
branches. I took pictures of it, waiting
for the right time to take advantage of its liquid to the flowers to protect the yellow » Website: www.instagram.com/rukiyegarip
Adriana Rinaldi
Ontario, Canada, An Artists’ Prerogative,
oil, 40 x 30" (101 x 76 cm)
Finalist
My Inspiration
I went to Ecuador on a work exchange
program. Our host had the most
gorgeous florals: hydrangeas and passion
flowers that would attract light bugs.
The air glowed with them at night. The
hydrangeas were red in real life, but I
decided to make them white because of
the purity. As artists we can bend reality
and create illusions if we so choose, hence
the name An Artist’s Prerogative.
My Design Strategy
be enhanced by really white whites and on white canvas. I am basically drawing in
My challenge was to make sure I conveyed
Colors we see are not straight from the
shadows. my painting to start. I build up the detail,

the sun drenched atmosphere by using my
tube. Look…mix. – Harley Brown
color and luminosity using white and a

computer to bring out the lights and darks
in the photo reference. The sun creates all
My Working Process limited palette of four to six colors.
I use a modernized version of Renaissance
those wonderful contrasting shadows that
traditional oil glaze painting. I transferred Contact Details
play out on the leaves. Also, the leaves are
my photo to a white 30-by-40-inch canvas
all different colors, otherwise you’ll end » Email: arty.adri@live.com
using the grid method. I normally start with
up with a boring background. The three
a brown and white Grisaille, but this time » Website: www.adrianarinaldi.com
flowers are the focal point and needed to
I decided to use a green and white Grisaille
Art Challenge 11
ART CHALLENGE #133
Jeannine Zambrano Monterrey, Mexico, Queen Magnolia, oil on canvas, 102 x 45" (216 x 160 cm)
Finalist
My Inspiration My Design Strategy My Working Process

I have a deep love of nature, and how I had this crystal vase shaped like a My process starts with a custom primed
every creation exhibits its own uniqueness. crown stored in a box for years, and cotton canvas. I used tempera with rose
A single magnolia flower is all at once when I wanted to paint the beauty of the pigment for the underpainting to counter the
beautiful, flawless, strong and resilient, magnolia, this vase was the perfect fit. blue tones. After that, I draw a detailed sketch,
able to endure the challenges of life. This I filled the base with water and set the showing every detail possible, before moving
was the perfect subject to represent living magnolia on top. I covered a table with on to my oils. First I painted the magnolia,
in tough times during the pandemic. a white cloth and placed it in front of a then the crystal vase, the background and
I needed inspiration to stay positive, window with the morning light going finally the cloth with shadows. Time and
continue moving forward and challenge through the crystal base, showing the patience were the key to my success.
myself to get the best out of an uncertain reflections and small pieces of rainbows,
period in life. light and shadows. This made for a Contact Details
challenging design.
» Email: jeanninezambranoart@gmail.com
» Website: www.instagram.com/
jeanninezambranoart
ART CHALLENGE #133
Rosemarie Meis California, USA, Danica, oil, 30 x 24" (76 x 60 cm)

Finalist
My Inspiration different angles, looking for the most gesso. Next, I painted the flower thinly,
Danica was inspired by a potted plant I had striking interplay of lights and shadows. establishing the basic colors and design.
bought for my garden. I’m always looking After loading it on my computer, I cropped The background was then blocked in, using
for something new to add to my flower it and changed a few of the petals for a more transparent colors. Each petal shape was
beds, and I’m captivated by striking and pleasing composition. My designs are by painted several times, paying attention to
unusual blooms. When the first blossom intuition, and I rarely do value studies. The subtle value and color changes and aiming
appeared, I was thrilled and felt that I had to painting style I have developed is realism, for smooth transitions. I worked in oil with
paint it. I loved the wonderful color values and I pay close attention to the shadow a limited palette and a small amount of
and the delicate shadows on the petals that shapes and the lightest parts of the petals. medium.
were created when the sun was shining on it.
My Working Process Contact Details
My Design Strategy I first sketched my subject on paper and
then transferred it to a gallery wrapped » Email: diroseme@yahoo.com
Next, I photographed the flower from
canvas covered with three coats of » Website: rosemariemeisart.weebly.com
Ciel Ellis British Columbia, Canada, THE DELIGHTFUL SIX, oil, 18 x 24" (45 x 60 cm)
Finalist
My Inspiration lighting conditions. Once the images are commercially available sizes. I prep my
Intuition is my guide. Whether I’m walking on my computer, I consider which images canvas, transfer a rough line drawing, then
the neighborhood looking for flowers to would make a good painting and start start meticulously defining the structures
photograph, stalking my own garden of doing some preliminary compositional within the image. Often after the first
designer roses and peonies or purchasing studies. I look for leading lines, interesting pass of color I need to return to earlier
arrangements, I’m paying attention to how I lighting patterns and focal points. From areas, adjusting the shapes to be sure they
feel. If I hear myself gasp, or say, “Wow, that’s there I select the best image(s) for the truly reflect the beauty I’m attempting to
beautiful!” then I move in to capture what painting. These six blooms looked amazing. capture.
caused that reaction. It’s my goal to recreate I hope I’ve done them justice.
what I saw and elicit something similar from Contact Details
viewers and collectors of my work. My Working Process
From my selected photos, which are » Email: studio@cielellis.com
My Design Strategy cropped and composed for interest, » Website: www.cielellis.com

When it comes to design, I take multiple I decide on the canvas size, making
digital images from different angles and my own if the dimensions stray from
Art Challenge 15
Colored Pencil—Call for Entries
T he 31st Annual Colored Pencil

Society of America International
Exhibition is a juried exhibition
of 100% colored pencil artwork. Selected
artists will vie for estimated cash awards of
$20,000 including a top prize of $5,000.
The exhibition will be held July 2–30, 2023, in
the 5,800 sq. ft. gallery that is part of The Summit Hotel in
Cincinnati, Ohio. The CPSA annual convention will be held
at The Summit from July 26–29, 2023.
Entries: December 15, 2022, to April 3, 2023
For the prospectus visit: www.cpsa.org/IE
Since 1990
Join CPSA
Become a positive voice
for colored pencil fine art
Jade, 28" x 16" (detail)
Tanja Gant, CPSA, CPX (Texas) www.cpsa.org
Entry to the 30th Annual CPSA International Exhibition
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# Theme Issue Closing
ONLINE NEW 135 CITYSCAPES IA149 Mar. 8, 2023

Visit our website to upload digital files you are in the Official Online Entry 136 Seascapes, IA150 May 10, 2023
Rivers & Lakes
of the images you want to enter and page simply select which challenge
pay for them using our secure server. 137 Favorite Subjects IA151 July 12, 2023
you wish to enter then follow the
www.internationalartist.com 138 Still Life IA152 Sep. 13, 2023
prompts and finally pay the entry fee
139 People & Figures IA153 Nov. 8, 2023
To upload your entries you need to via our secure server. There you can
140 Wildlife IA154 Jan. 10, 2024
prepare your image files to be at least also see other entries received along
141 Landscapes IA155 Mar. 13, 2024
400 pixels at the shortest edge. Once with past winners of our competitions.
HINTS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR ARTWORK

• Set your camera to the highest quality available. • Turn the date off!! • Then print out your entries on photographic
quality paper no smaller than 8 x 5" (20 x 13 cm)
• Shoot your paintings dead square on and fill the • Rather than look through the display screen
size. (Some papers have a yellow tint, which
frame as much as possible. We can crop out when shooting your digital pictures, use the
impacts on the finished result. If you are unsure,
everything else. viewfinder because there is less likelihood of
it might be best to take your photo files to your
the camera moving and creating a fuzzy picture.
• Take your paintings outside and photograph local digital photolab.)
them in the shade. Indoor lighting can create • Make sure no clips or easel clamps intrude
• The full-color prints must be crisp and sharp,
unpleasant orange or blue color casts. into the painting, and that frames don’t cast
not jagged or bitmapped, and you must be
shadows that fall onto the painting.
• To ensure crisp pictures, use a tripod. happy with the color.
7SLHZLUV[L[OH[\UKLYUVJPYJ\TZ[HUJLZ^PSSHU`PTHNLZ\WWSPLKHZHKPNP[HSÄSLVU*+ILHJJLW[LK+PNP[HSÄSLZPTHNLZT\Z[ILLU[LYLKVUSPUL
CALL FOR ENTRIES
ART PRIZE CHALLENGE SERIES
A continuing series of art competitions designed to encourage the best talent
working in the world today open to any painting or drawing medium.
ENTER OUR NEW ART COMPETITION
CHALLENGE No. 135
Cityscapes
See your work published in International Artist magazine and also receive
a 4-page Editorial Feature in American Art Collector, the prestigious
magazine read by collectors and galleries looking for new art work in the
world’s biggest art market.
Winners and Finalists in our competitions don’t just win awards to hang on their
walls. The real value of entering and being one of the winners is that your work
will not only be seen by hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide but also by
leading galleries and collectors in America, the biggest art market of all. Our
Grand Prize Winners receive a 2-page spread in International Artist magazine
DQGDSDJH(GLWRULDO)HDWXUHLQAmerican Art Collector. Publicity at this level is
priceless and could be a career changing opportunity for any artist, working in any
two-dimensional medium.
CHALLENGE No. 135 the magazine for artists by artists is proud to award the magazine for artists by artists is proud to award
ADRIENNE STEIN CEJAY HELT
Cityscapes GRAND
PRIZE
WINNER
SECOND
PRIZE
WINNER
in International Artist magazine’s in International Artist magazine’s
Medium Any painting or drawing media Art Prize Challenge No. 88

FAVORITE SUBJECTS
for a work entitled
Art Prize Challenge No. 88
FAVORITE SUBJECTS
for a work entitled
Pink Bride Ambrosia
Entries Close Last mail received on March 8, 2023 as published in

Issue 104 • August/September 2015
as published in
Entry Fee US $9 / £5 / €8 / AUS $10 (See overleaf)

6HQG(QWULHV7R 6HHSDJHRI2IåFLDO(QWU\)RUP
Winners Featured Issue No. 151 June/July 2023
The winners and a selection of highly commended
the magazine for artists by artists is proud to award the magazine for artists by artists is proud to award
DAGGI WALLACE ANN KRAFT WALKER
works will be published in our International Artist THIRD FINALIST

PRIZE in International Artist magazine’s
magazine Art Prize report. WINNER

FAVORITE SUBJECTS
for a work entitled
in International Artist magazine’s
Jesse’s Pears
FAVORITE SUBJECTS as published in
for a work entitled
NOTE:7KHZLQQHUVDQGåQDOLVWVLQ&KDOOHQJH1RÓ$EVWUDFW([SHULPHQWDO$UWZLOOEH Trust
as published in
featured in International Artist issue No. 150, which comes out in April/May 2023
Every winner and finalist will receive an Award Certificate authenticating their prize.
“I was contacted by a large gallery in Massachusetts after they saw my
work in American Art Collector magazine. We have enjoyed a great INTERNATIONAL
relationship for several years now.” — Jim Seitz, Artist
ARTIST CHIEF JUDGE
Portrait of Vincent
GRAND PRIZE WINNER 2ND PRIZE WINNER by Everett Raymond Kinstler
Our Grand Prize Winner receives; 2XU6HFRQG3UL]H:LQQHUUHFHLYHV
Ý$Q$ZDUG&HUWLåFDWHWRDXWKHQWLFDWHWKHSUL]H ÝSDJHVSUHDGLQInternational ArtistPDJD]LQH Vincent Miller, founder of
International Artist magazine, is
ÝSDJHVSUHDGLQInternational Artist PDJD]LQH ÝSDJH(GLWRULDO)HDWXUHLQAmerican Art our Chief Judge for our challenges.
UHDGZRUOGZLGHE\PRUHWKDQUHDGHUV CollectorPDJD]LQH He has judged art for more than
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JVHZ[HSSVU[OLSVVRV\[MVYUL^HY[^VYRHUKUL^ 3RD PRIZE WINNER the greatest living artists and art
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“In large measure due to my Miller. We welcome you to
exposure in International Artist HONORABLE MENTIONS submit your entries for the
magazine, I have now had almost 2XU)LQDOLVWVHDFKUHFHLYH next challenge judging.
6,000 visits to my website from Ý$QHQWU\LQInternational Artist PDJD]LQHZLWK
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Call for Entries 19

OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM
THREE INTERNATIONAL ENTRY POINTS
For your convenience there are three International Entry Points. You can pay your Entry Fee by Visa or MasterCard.
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1 THE AMERICAS
Send your entry and payment of
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International Artist magazine International Artist magazine International Artist magazine
Challenge No. 135: Challenge No. 135: Challenge No. 135:
Cityscapes Cityscapes Cityscapes
3260 N. Hayden Rd. Suites 201-203 3260 N. Hayden Rd. Suites 201-203 3260 N. Hayden Rd. Suites 201-203
Scottsdale, AZ 85251, USA Scottsdale, AZ 85251, USA Scottsdale, AZ 85251, USA
Enter your Credit Card details on the Enter your Credit Card details on the Enter your Credit Card details on the
Entry Form below or include a Check/Money Entry Form or include a Cheque/Money Entry Form or include a Cheque/Money
Order made payable to International Artist. Order made payable to International Artist. Order made payable to International Artist.
(Checks must be in US Dollars and drawn (Cheques must be in Pounds Sterling, (Cheques must be in Australian Dollars
on a US bank) and drawn on a United Kingdom bank) and drawn on an Australian bank)
DEADLINE LAST MAIL RECEIVED ON MARCH 8, 2023

Please send your entry to the Art Prize coordinator responsible for your zone to the address shown above.
I understand these pictures will not be returned and that they may be
CITYSCAPES published, properly credited, in a future issue of International Artist
I am submitting images listed below for this Art Prize Challenge and magazine. I warrant that the entries submitted are entirely my own work
enclose my Entry Fee for each entry as described. and that I own the copyright on each, as well as copyright on all source
material from which these works were created. I hereby grant permission
When posting your entries, please don’t use to the publishers for reproduction of this work for the purposes of this
staples or paperclips on your printouts! competition and agree to the terms and conditions as set out overleaf.
YOUR DETAILS Please print clearly

Your name____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City/State _________________________________________________________ Zip/Postcode ________________________ Country ____________________________

Telephone __________________________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________________________
(So we can contact you if you win)
YOUR ENTRIES
ENTRY 1: ENTRY 2: ENTRY 3:
Title of work ___________________________________ Title of work ___________________________________ Title of work ___________________________________
Medium ________________________________________ Medium ________________________________________ Medium ________________________________________
Dimensions (H x W) ____________________________ Dimensions (H x W) ____________________________ Dimensions (H x W) ____________________________

Signature _______________________________________ Signature _______________________________________ Signature _______________________________________
Don’t write on the back of your digital prints, instead, write on a label and stick that on the back. Please do not use bubble wrap, tissue, excessive tape or
other elaborate forms of wrapping. Simply fold cardboard around the entry form as protection.
YOUR PAYMENT
Please find attached my check/money order for the amount of ______________________ made payable to International Artist
OR
Charge the total amount to my Visa MasterCard
Signature ______________________________________________________________ Expiry Date ______________________ CVV __________
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ART
INDUSTRY Bonjour and welcome to Art Industry Insider. I’m Vanessa Rothe and in this column, I’ll be
INSIDER sharing my knowledge acquired by working in the art world as a curator, art dealer, editor
and fine artist. From the creation of the work to the business of selling your art, my hope is
with Vanessa Rothe to give you some useful behind the scenes information.
A view of several
seascapes on display at
Vanessa Rothe Fine Art.
THE BENEFITS
as well as a brick and mortar storefront,
increasing the number of potential clients
OF A GALLERY
who will discover and stand in front of
your work. Your work should, at the very
least, be shown consistently in group
How gallery representation can elevate shows, with the goal of having a solo show.
Your work needs to have a semi prominent
your art sales and more space on their walls, not in the bathroom
or back corner room. Where the gallery
I n my last Art Industry Insider, titled “To Gallery or Not to Gallery?”, I discussed the
different options open to artists today to show and sell their work. We discussed lightly the
dream of having a gallery show your work, as well as the opportunities out there for artists
places your work is a clue as to how much
they believe in your art. If the gallery does
have an opening night and provides wine,
to go solo and sell their own work. I also mentioned to “stay tuned,” and that I would break cheese and perhaps a musician, don’t forget
down each of these options in more detail, and that is precisely what this article will cover that they are taking the financial risk up
first—the benefits of having a gallery represent and sell your work. Next issue, I will discuss front to help promote and sell your work
selling on your own. and are, again, earning their share.
Your gallery should be promoting your
A gallery can create demand for your Important Aspects artwork and building your name with
work, and even prestige, by representing of a Gallery advertising and marketing. You will need
and supporting you. Often, if a well Here are a few things that galleries should be to ask your gallery an array of questions,
respected gallery owner or art dealer gives providing for their 40 to 50 percent share of like which magazines they advertise in, how
their approval of your work and decides the sales profits, and for you to consider: many followers they have on Instagram and
to show it, that dictates to collectors and They should be including your work in how big their mailing list is. Are they on
the public that you are worth their time most of their exhibitions. One of the main any additional art selling platforms? There
and money to invest in promoting and reasons to work with a gallery is that it are dozens of additional ways they should
representing you. already has regular collectors and clients, be selling your art digitally such as www.
A gallery opening at the Salmagundi
Club in New York City.
million dollar liability coverage for all of this.

However, smaller galleries and especially ones
that may travel different places with your
work besides just their main gallery space
will not be able to insure them, and it will
come to signing a non-liability agreement.
Independent art dealers normally need the
artist to sign a waiver of non-liability or ask
the artist to take out their own insurance
on the work. Shipping is another thing to
discuss, as you will always need to tell the
art.net and www.artsy.com. Do they have a Lastly, ask if they would like another piece gallery owner to insure your work at UPS,
website that they keep up to date and can to replace it. for example, to avoid issues if your artwork
clients buy directly from it? Do they show is stolen. Galleries should always insure the
at art fairs internationally and will your Honor Your Gallery painting when sold and shipping artwork
work be included? Do they do podcasts Nowadays, clients can learn of an artist’s on to a client, at least for your percent share.
or videos? Do they have live opening name at a gallery, look up their work and You need to also discuss if they expect you to
nights and advertise this both locally and buy one off the artist’s website. This is a be exclusive, showing only at their galleries—
nationally? If they advertise in magazines, nightmare for a gallery owner who has just and if they ask for this, you will need to be
ask them how many a year and if your work spent thousands of dollars and years of time assured of their promotion and marketing
will be included. In today’s world, galleries promoting your work and building your of your work. Set the terms for a year to
need to do all these things to keep up with name. Remember that this gallery/artist begin with, if possible. Also remember that
competition. If they have accepted you as an partnership needs to be respected. If you the gallery will be reproducing your art in
artist or you are fairly certain they want your are at a gallery that is paying to promote print catalogs, and you will need to have
work, it’s O.K. to ask about these things, you, spending time and money on ads and an agreement of how often, and where the
and you should! A gallery/artist relationship marketing, and you get a call from a client images will be stored and protected with
is a partnership; it’s what you can do for who saw your name in their ad, be sure to original copyright of your image to you.
each other. You are also interviewing them. honor the gallery who took out the ad. It Determine if they are allowed to make prints
takes a single question you ask the client on and sell copies of your art and have them
Tip the phone, or email: “please let me know sign a contract.
Often, you can also suggest that your gallery where you found or discovered my work.” The main things to keep in mind is that
split an ad or promotional materials cost If they contact you through your Instagram a gallery will be handling all the business
with you in order to have a full page of your page, you need to delve further and ask how aspects for you, and you can be free to
work in a magazine or a digital post. You’re they found you. create. They can create prestige for you, and
encouraging them to promote you while also help you get commissions and sales with
sharing the risk. Contracts their extensive client lists. There is a lot
You will need to have “on consignment” of good that can still come out of gallery
SOLD! contract agreements and paperwork set in representation these days, and the ones that
You will need to ask them how soon place. Don’t forget the question of liability are still in business, through these last few
they’ll pay you after the sale. Most galleries of your work if it’s lost, stolen or damaged. difficult years, are usually the ones doing all
have a week return policy and should be Big galleries should have a minimum one of this right!
paying you on the eighth day after the sale.
However, they may have an accountant that
creates direct deposits or writes checks only
ABOUT VANESSA ROTHE
on the first of every month. Be clear about
In addition to her curatorial, editorial and lecturing, Vanessa Rothe is a fine artist exhibiting the
last 20 years alongside the nation’s top artists in galleries, art clubs, as well as museums. After
this and your expectations about getting
majoring in business at the University of San Diego and French literature at University of California
paid for your work. Communicate with the Irvine, Rothe received classical fine art training at Laguna College of Art + Design and received
gallery when they have made a sale for you honors throughout. Rothe has been working as an editor, graphic designer and artist in the
and show your gratitude, ask how much it publishing industry for 35 years.
sold for and any discounts that were given.
Art Industry Insider 23

Beyond the Palette with
Scottsdale Artists’ School
Panoramic Views
Mark Boedges talks about his roots as a landscape painter
and lends some words of wisdom to students
SCOTTSDALE ARTISTS’ SCHOOL: Is it

true that your passion for painting
landscapes runs in the family?
MARK BOEDGES: Yes! The artistic
inspiration came from my grandfather
(on my dad’s side) and has been passed
down. Some of earliest memories are of
the times my dad and I would watch
Bob Ross together.
SAS: What inspired you to be a
landscape artist?
MB: Landscapes have always been my
passion. I grew up in Saint Louis,
Missouri, where I was known as the kid
who could draw and paint.
I stumbled into what most people
would call a “real job” in IT web
application during the Y2K era. I
relocated to Dallas, Texas, for work,
and in my free time I would go outside
and paint my surroundings. Two years
later, I moved to Denver where I got
involved with the Art Students League.
The beauty and painting possibilities in
the Colorado area were unlimited. As
an artist you want your subject right in
front of you…I was surrounded by the
splendor of unlimited subject potential.
Landscape artist Mark Boedges painting in plein air.
SAS: Tell us about when you sold your to take a leap of faith. It paid off!
first painting. you transitioned into a full-time career
as a painter? SAS: Tell us how your teaching career
MB: My first painting that was sold
MB: After I sold out my first show, I began at SAS.
was at the Art Students League in
gave myself a five-year grace period to MB: I started showing at Legacy Gallery,
Denver in 2003. My wife signed me
transition to painting full time. The and I was approached about teaching at
up for the show without me even
evolution actually took more like 11 SAS. I taught a workshop that February,
knowing it and my art sold out. That
years. In 2014 I knew that I needed and I loved it. I’ve been teaching for the
was a very cool moment.
to take the plunge. My wife was my school ever since.
SAS: Was there a pivotal moment when biggest cheerleader and encouraged me SAS: What is it like teaching at SAS?
Mark Boedges, Hidden Lake, oil on canvas, 40 x 54" (101 x 137 cm)
MB: Being an instructor at SAS is a I pay special attention to ambient light Become really good at it. Most mistakes
valuable and sought-after position. which gives objects their presence— are made in the drawing. 2. Have a real
The students are great and they want it’s the feeling of reaching out and cheerleader! I’m very lucky to have my
to learn. I teach two workshops each touching a subject. wife by my side. She is and always has
year, one takes place at the school in been my advocate and the drive behind
Scottsdale (February 20 to 24) and one SAS: If there’s one element of wisdom my decision to be an artist.
is a destination workshop in Boulder, you wish to pass down to your students
Colorado (June 12 to 16). during your upcoming workshops, what
would that be? Visit www.scottsdaleartschool.org for
My curriculum is based on mastering
more information on the school and its
value and color temperature as a means MB: There are actually two takeaways for
upcoming workshops.
to creating an authentic sense of light. my students: 1. Take drawing seriously.
Mark Boedges, Swiftcurrent Inlet, oil on canvas, 30 x 40" (76 x 101 cm) Mark Boedges, End of a Good Day, oil on canvas, 36 x 48" (91 x 121 cm)
Beyond the Palette with Scottsdale Artists’ School 25

Blockbuster, oil, 10 x 18" (25 x 45 cm)
IN SEARCH OF
About 20 years ago I sat on a sidewalk and
painted a commercial streetscape that included
signs for a video store and a chain restaurant.
THE NON-MOTIF
Back then, when I showed the painting to art
students, I would tell them, “One day this world
will pass away like the dinosaurs.” They just
laughed because they didn’t believe me. Sure
enough, it has come to pass. The video rental
store and the restaurant are both long gone, and
James Gurney explores subjects that are what first seemed jarringly unartistic now looks
all around us but rarely painted warmly nostalgic.
W hen I go looking for a subject to

paint, sometimes a scene jumps
right out at me, but most of the time I
given region, based on picture ideas that
have proven successful for other artists.
Classic artistic motifs include such
share of them. The problem is that when
we see paintings of those subjects, we
sort of tune them out and keep walking,
have to hunt for it. things as fishing boats, Venetian canals, unless the artist can come up with
I often start with a preconception of red barns, floral bouquets, majestic peaks something really original.
what I’m looking for, especially when or crashing waves on rocky coastlines. I’m I have to traverse all that territory
I’m away from home. Typically my mind not criticizing these subjects or anyone in my mind before I can find a
conjures the familiar “postcard view” of a who paints them; in fact I’ve painted my “non-motif.”
Supermarket Portrait, casein, 10 x 10" (25 x 25 cm)
At the height of the pandemic, I painted my wife shopping at the market, using photos as reference. The painting process was looser and more
improvisational than usual.
WHAT IS A NONMOTIF?
This is what I call a scene from our air painting” you probably won’t find a the mystery of the world we actually
everyday world that is familiar but single car or fast-food restaurant or utility inhabit, such as parking lots, supermarket
rarely interpreted by artists. Unlike pole, despite the fact that those things interiors, gas stations or back alleys.
a picturesque motif, a non-motif is are all around us. Why not? Is it because They have a weird luminous power over
unconventional, unexpected, but also they are intrinsically ugly or because we my imagination. When I begin to paint
commonplace and recognizable. haven’t yet found the beauty in them? them, I feel as though I have set foot on
If you try googling the term “plein- Paintings can serve to awaken us to an unexplored continent.
Station Points 27
Sunset at the Super 8, gouache, 5 x 8" (12 x 20 cm)
As I painted the sunset across Texas Avenue in College Station, a
raucous flock of great-tailed grackles filled the sky beyond the net
of power lines.
ABOUT THE ARTIST Find me on

James Gurney is the author of Color and Light: A Guide for the
Realist Painter and the Dinotopia series, which you can get @jamesgurneyart
signed at his website, www.jamesgurney.com.
@gurneyjourney
Contact at
www.jamesgurney.com James Gurney
Facebook groups: “Sketch Easel
Builders” and “Color in Practice”
Station Points 29
THE ART OF THE PORTRAIT
The Portrait Society of America

Chairman’s Letter
Sargent Circle
I have been studying painting for more
than 35 years. In that time, I have spoken
again and again about how passionate I am
in capturing two likenesses of my subjects:
the outer likeness and the inner likeness or
character. Looking at The Portrait Society, I see
the same is true. How do we measure its outer
likeness?
Since 1998, we have grown from an
idea to a thriving educational non-profit
arts organization with a mission to teach,
inspire and connect figurative artists from
Portraiture tells our stories through time. The earliest portraits were red hand stencils discovered in a cave
around the world. With the dedication of in Caceres, Spain, dated to more than 64,000 years ago. We are still recording our footprint through paint
our founders, board of directors and our as in this portrait of President George Bush painted by Everett Raymond Kinstler.
thousands of members, we have, for more
than two decades, made a lasting impact on and talents freely without compensation, well as a variety of special projects. We also
artists—from those just beginning their work and we have been supported by corporate produce a full-color quarterly journal, 10 pages
to seasoned professionals. Through annual sponsorships and annual giving. With this here in International Artist, one full page titled
membership dues, conferences, webinars, generous support, we host a variety of “Unveiling” in sister publication American Art
regional seminars, and supporters purchasing programs including four competitions, an Collector and a monthly e-news.
donated art from our 6x9” Mystery Art Sale, in-person conference and virtual Wednesday Because of those contributions, it’s not too
we have succeeded with a grassroots effort Webinars, a State Ambassador Program, great a boast to say that thousands of artists’
from the start. Artists have shared their time Signature Status and Cecilia Beaux Forum as lives have been changed forever, and our inner
likeness is also revealed! Through a heart for
giving and seeing others lifted up, information
has been shared that changed the direction
of artists’ works in positive ways; awards
have injected perfectly-timed inspiration
to artists who soared to new heights after
the recognition of their skills and talents;
relationships have been created that have
brought an encouraging community of artists
together, anxious to bolster others as they
The International features the best portrait and

figurative work being created today. Our first
Draper Grand Prize featured a $5,000 cash prize,
award to William Chambers. Our 2022 winner,
Luis Alvarez-Roure, received $25,000, and now
in 2023, our 25th anniversary winner will be
presented with a $50,000 cash prize!
The Portrait Society’s first
Journal (four pages in two-
color) was the February/March
1999 issue. Fast forward 25
years, and our current journal
is 24 pages full color, sent to
members worldwide.
which we believe will give us the necessary

partnerships to impact thousands more artists
in the next quarter century.
We have seen time and time again over
the years that the spirit of generosity of our
members and supporters has never dimmed.
The more the society makes every effort to
provide even greater than expected programs
and services, it never out-gives the many
contributions of those who truly make the
biggest difference—you! Please consider
joining The Sargent Circle and sharing this new
initiative with others you feel are willing to
partner with us as we build on the success of
this remarkable non-profit arts organization.
With your help, we will continue to make a
lasting impact on traditional portrait and
figurative art practices, and the greatest and
most important forms of art ever conceived by
man—that of recording human history—will
carry on for generations to come. For more
One of America’s greatest portrait and figure painters was John Singer Sargent, pictured here in his Paris information, contact Christine Egnoski at (877)
studio, ca. 1883-4. His commitment to exceptional quality and education was undimmed in his lifetime 772-4321 or info@portraitsociety.org.
and inspired the name of our new funding arm, The Sargent Circle.
Sincerely,
th
pushed their work to the next level, and this launched a new initiative to celebrate our 25
collective of artists has changed the lives of anniversary which will increase funding for
those around them by leaving a lasting legacy our many educational programs and initiate
of beauty through their art. new ways of assisting artists now and into the
With that foundation of loyal support, we future. The Sargent Circle, named for famed Chairman
have achieved a handsome portrait indeed. artist John Singer Sargent who also had this
And we are driven to do even more! same dedication to his fellow artists, has been
Recently, the board of The Portrait Society established to reach an even larger audience,
The Portrait Society of America 31

Words of Wisdom
from the 2023 The Art of the Portrait Faculty Artists
By Kimberly Azzarito
T his year, the Portrait Society is thrilled to

celebrate a quarter century of passion for
portraiture during our 25th annual The Art of the
a program format with new speakers, sharing
their wisdom on a variety of topics relevant to
today’s figurative artists. Over the weekend, the
Prize and a cash award of $50,000. In preparation
for our grand event, I had a chance to sit down
and talk with a few of our new and returning
Portrait conference to be held in Washington, top 20 finalists of The International, the world’s faculty artists to discuss a range of subjects from
D.C., from May 11 to 14. To celebrate this premier portrait competition, will exhibit their mentoring and education to overcoming the
remarkable occasion, we will be introducing works in hopes of winning the Draper Grand most challenging obstacles. In this issue, we will
hear from renowned artists Michael Shane Neal,
Mary Whyte and Max Ginsburg, as well as rising
artists in the field of figurative art, including
Stephanie Paige Thomson, Thomas Caleb
Goggans and Dominique Medici.
Mentoring can be a critical step in any artist’s
journey. “My first mentor was my college
painting professor, Dawn Whitelaw,” says
Neal, Portrait Society chairman. “She was an
encouraging and affirming influence on me in
my early career and has remained a lifelong
friend and source of inspiration. My relationship
with Everett Raymond Kinstler has had the
largest impact on my life, both as an artist and
as a human being. He was both motivating and
kept me accountable as I developed as an artist.”
Neal has written extensively about the impact
of Kinstler on his work and is about to release a
book called The Art of Seeing: Everett Raymond
Kinstler on Painting. “One powerful summary
that he often shared was that imagination,
feeling and the ability to communicate were
prerequisite traits/skills that every artist must
have,” says Neal. “He was also a proponent of
hard work, expressing often that that singular
discipline made more difference than any other
to his growth and success as an artist.”
For Thomson, it was a childhood art teacher
who steered her to her first mentor. “When
I first set out with the ambition to create
Michael Shane Neal, Dr. Nancy Brown, oil on

canvas, 40 x 30" (101 x 76 cm)
Mary Whyte, Window, watercolor on paper, 38½ x 28¼" (97 x 71 cm). From WE THE PEOPLE: Portraits of Veterans in America Exhibition.

a career as an artist, I didn’t know of the existence of

workshops or that it was possible to craft your education
through the careful choosing of instructors. My childhood
art teacher, a gentleman named Barry Stebbing, was the
first to introduce us to workshops and suggested I seek out
CW Mundy. As soon as I met CW and his wife, Rebecca, they
graciously provided critiques of my work and advice for
workshop instructors. The importance of these three people
is immeasurable: I don’t know where I would’ve landed if
not for their timely advice to avoid a university education,
immediately followed by the provision of workshops. They
shaped my career and set me on the path most suited
for my goals.” Traveling across the country from Vermont
to Arizona, Thomson has studied under many influential
artists including Sherrie McGraw, Michelle Dunaway, Robert
Liberace and Johanna Harmon.
An artist’s path to an education often has many twists
and turns, especially in pursuit of training in figurative
realism. “When I was 18, I enrolled at the Tyler School
of Art in Philadelphia,” says Whyte, speaking about her
educational journey. “It was against my father’s wishes,
so I made a compromise with him by agreeing to also get
a teaching degree. The best part of art school was living and
studying in Rome for a year. The worst part was that my work
didn’t fit into the school’s mission. Most of the art schools
at that time were following New York’s trend of abstract
expressionism, and my paintings of the people on the subway,
my grandmother’s teacups and my aunt in her kitchen were
far from that. Regardless of the lack of acceptance of my work
in art school, it was an enormous period of growth for me. An
artist’s best education will always happen in front of the easel,
with his or her time spent earnestly in search of personal
and meaningful expression.” While Whyte cherishes her time
spent teaching, she tries to balance it with stretches of time
in the studio. “I find it satisfying to inspire and instruct young
artists and to see them blossom into the creative person
they were meant to be. Having to articulate the mental and
physical process of painting to others has made me a better
artist as well.”
Like many artists, Goggans knew very young that he
wanted to be an artist. He says, “Painting, drawing and
playing around in clay consumed my grade school and
Top: Dominique Medici, Self Portrait,

toned paper, 12 x 12" (30 x 30 cm)
Left: Stephanie Paige Thomson, Jack Maloney,
oil, 20 x 16” (50 x 40 cm)
high school years until I found myself at the
end of my teens determined to be an artist
but having no clear idea of how to make it
happen. I really wanted to move to Europe
to study in ateliers or go to New York and
enroll in the Art Students League, or to some
other place that had revered art institutions
and traditions. But coming from a smaller
town and from a family that didn’t have the
means to help me financially, all that seemed
impossibly daunting and out of reach.” Around
that time, Goggans was visiting former
Portrait Society Chairman Edward Jonas’
studio for a few days. “He very wisely saw
how hungry I was to learn,” Goggans recalls,
“and how much I wanted to become a skilled
and successful artist. On the second day, he
practically grilled me all morning about what
Max Ginsburg, Subway Trio, oil on canvas, 22 x 26" (55 x 66 cm)
I wanted, what my goals were and how I
planned to achieve them. He also introduced
me to several colleges and art programs I Obstacles are something every artist, from of the biggest challenges in the beginning and
wasn’t aware of, where you could get a solid beginners to masters, must learn to overcome. now is to not get discouraged and try to remain
skill-based art education. That conversation On the challenges of overcoming obstacles, objective. For example, you put your heart into
really challenged me and helped me develop a Ginsburg says, “The biggest obstacle while a painting and then submit it to a show, and
clear practical focus and determination.” I was developing as a realist artist in the in the beginning, there is more rejection than
20th century was the lack of opportunities to acceptance. You pay to play only to have your
develop my realist skills in the schools and hopes squashed in the process. Even when you
colleges I attended. Freedom of expression of do get in, there are shipping fees, and there is
realism in art was discouraged while modern no guarantee your work will sell or win awards.
art was being taught and promoted. Galleries However, over time you realize it isn’t personal
and museums primarily promoted and and that these fees are just part of the year’s
accepted modern art and even realism that marketing budget. It is the price you pay for
was badly drawn and unskillfully executed. networking and building your CV, and in the big
Galleries and museums were not accepting and picture is inconsequential.”
encouraging all forms of art.” Medici reasons that the artistic journey can
Medici, who specializes in both egg tempera be summed up in a quote by David Whyte: “A
and oil painting, says one of her current true vocation calls us out beyond ourselves;
challenges is navigating social media. “I breaks our heart in the process and then
am wary of engaging because of the way it humbles, simplifies and enlightens us about
subtly manipulates us,” Medici explains. “It is the hidden, core nature of the work that
literally designed to be addictive and trigger enticed us in the first place.” Look out for
the dopamine reward system. That said, more words of wisdom from our 2023 The Art
social media is also very useful, fun and, to be of the Portrait faculty in the next issue. For
honest, is probably one of the main reasons I information on registering for the conference
am able to work as a full-time artist. So, to that or submitting your work to The International,
extent, I am grateful. Like all these other skills, visit www.portraitsociety.org.
Thomas Caleb Goggans, The Buffalo Soldier, it is a matter of balance.”
resin and wood, 22 x 11 x 12" (55 x 27 x 30 cm) On facing discouragement, Medici says, “One

Master
Showcase
Alessandra Marrucchi
Self-Portrait with Pearl Earring, oil, 15¾ x 9.8" (40 x 24 cm)
INSPIRATION
My goal with this painting was to portray myself by going beyond my
Yanqi Zhai reflected image, just as I see myself and feel about myself today, with
Old Coachman Azati, watercolor, 22 x 29" (55 x 73 cm) years of a life spent refining and deepening the personal pictorial language
with which I identify. I wanted an image devoid of any indulgence in or
INSPIRATION complacency with my current appearance but full of that tension that rises
When I was sketching in Western China, I rented a carriage. Azati, the from the need to be able to express all of myself in paint—the tension and
coachman of the carriage, talked with me all the way. His favorite thing the fascination of continuous research that is never completely satisfied. I
was to bathe in the sun and tell the children his story of driving when he wanted it to depict the contemporaneity of an artist with a long life behind
was young. His optimistic attitude has always encouraged others. her but still with the desire to express many things.
PROCESS PROCESS
I drew sketches of Azati from different angles and finally chose this one, In this painting I used the traditional techniques of drawing and oil painting,
which I think provides the best interpretation of his mental outlook. The learned in the five years I attended the Simi Studio as a young person. These
green background represents vitality. The color of his face shows his skin were formative and fundamental years for my art. This international school,
after long-term exposure to the sun, and the dark red color shows traces directed by Nerina Simi (1890-1987), and before her by her father Filadelfo
of a life soaked by the years. I think the colors and strokes I used capture (1849-1923), was the only one at that time where you could learn a method of
his spirit well, which is what I am best at. study inspired by the great masters of the past. In fact, Filadelfo combined the
teachings he received at the Academy of Florence, where he then taught, with
the studies done in the four years he spent in Paris attending the atelier of the
famous painter Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904). I hope to be able to always
carry on, promote and make contemporary this art in which I believe.
Dan Bullock Phil Boatwright
Say What You Will, oil, 32 x 24" (81 x 60 cm) Mr. Dale Jenkins, oil on canvas, 40 x 28" (101 x 71 cm)
INSPIRATION INSPIRATION
The reference material for this painting had so many exciting qualities This was a commissioned portrait, and the gentleman’s personality and
that I felt it was crying out to be painted. The striking pose with the eye spirit were the inspiration for the painting. He was a retiring, highly
contact combined with the strong lighting, providing wonderful shapes regarded (by colleagues and employees alike) CEO of a large company.
of light and shadow, gave an immediate impression of strength and The portrait is now hanging at the company headquarters. His wish
power to the portrait. I love finding images that allow me to experiment was for a genuine, innate and open expression. Through natural light,
with abstract techniques, and in this case the hair acts as a perfect discovery of expression, watchful attention to detail and a thoughtful
transition between the realism of the portrait and the looseness of the pose, my inspiration was captured.
background.
PROCESS
PROCESS The initial sitting took place at the subject’s home, which had superb
This painting was created with a limited palette using only alizarin natural light entering through tall windows. Several poses and locations
crimson and Prussian blue. Starting with a wash over the whole panel, were compositionally considered before this final setting and pose
I sculpted the forms out of the dark and utilized the white of the panel were agreed upon. His comfortable chair allowed for a relaxed, natural
to find the highlights. I like to have fun with the start of my paintings, posture, and the collection of precious family photos illustrates his
trying to be as loose as possible and using unorthodox, impressionistic sincere and caring personality. The composition was based upon the
techniques (attacking the painting with a tea towel or a kitchen spatula armature of a rectangle, which divides the picture plane into harmonious
are firm favorites). Then, as the work progresses, I become more refined divisions. I began with an accurate line drawing on a blank 40-by-28-inch
and start building in details. Exclusively working wet-on-wet, I have canvas with some sparse rendering of values. Local color was applied
to move fast, but this stops me from overworking the details and helps with acrylic washes, letting the drawing show through. I then built up
retain some of the initial energy in the finished piece. I also have to the middle to light values with a mixture of flake white, stand oil and
mention the final, scariest part of the process, where I drag a solvent chalk (calcium carbonate) using bristle brushes and a palette knife. This
soaked rag over parts of the painting to create some interesting, completed the underpainting, and it was allowed to dry. Using egg oil
destructive effects. emulsion as a medium, subsequent layers of translucent oil color were
applied over the underpainting, refining the details until it was finished.

Starting
Anew
By Scott Burdick
A fter abandoning my first attempt at painting artist

Rose Devanny from a photo I took of her in the woods
behind my studio, I decided to sand down the dry layers of 1
textured oil paint a year later and started a new painting of
her on top of it.
STAGE 1: In this first stage, I’ve sanded away the dry layers
of paint and have begun adding fresh paint. The original
reference photo is on the right.
STAGE 2: The vertical format felt wrong, so I switched to a

horizontal composition just a few minutes into the painting
and rapidly blocked in the larger shapes of the face and hair
without a drawing underneath.
STAGE 3: I used a clean palette knife to scrape into the thick

paint, exposing some of the rough texture and colors of
the failed painting underneath. Next, I defined the sharp
outline of Rose’s classic profile with a long Rosemary & Co.
rigger brush.
STAGE 4: I slowed down at this point and refined the face

and background, adding more layers of slightly varied warm
and cool colors on top of one another for more depth. For
most of this stage, I added Gamsol mineral spirits to thin
the paint into a slightly transparent glaze so some of the
colors would show from the old painting underneath. This
created that abstract depth I was going for in the painting. I
added the green necklace last but felt quite uncertain about
whether it was too much.
STAGE 5: The next day, I decided I liked the painting better

without the necklace, so I dipped a paper towel in my
brush-cleaning can of Gamsol and wiped away the necklace.
This was easily done since the underpainting that I had
sanded down was thoroughly dry.
I’m sure some will prefer the necklace stage, but I feel
2
better without it competing with the face. As always, I have
3 4
Profile of Rose (detail),

oil, 18 x 24" (45 x 60 cm)
This close-up shows the effect of
the layers of textures and colors
achieved from painting over that
5 failed first painting.
that nagging disappointment that the painting If you would like to see the video and have exhibited in numerous gallery and
is not as good as I had hoped it would be when demonstration of this painting, visit www. museum shows. Together, they travel widely
I started. Oh well, maybe the next painting will patreon.com/susanlyon and try not to laugh too and focus on painting people in traditional
be perfect—or the next, or the next. Despite much at how many mistakes I attempt to correct cultures in many remote regions. Both Lyon and
being disappointed, the only truly failed on every demonstration I’ve posted there! Burdick will be doing demonstrations at this
painting is the one you’re too afraid to start. year’s Portrait Society of America’s conference
Some of my greatest lessons have come from Scott Burdick and his wife, artist Susan Lyon, in Washington, D.C. To see more of his work,
my failures, both in painting and in life. live in North Carolina in the United States www.scottburdick.com.

Ryan Kirby, The Departure, oil on linen, 36 x 48" (91 x 121 cm). 2023 Featured Artwork.
FOREVER
The Southeastern
Wildlife Exposition has
an enduring legacy in
the world of wildlife art
and conservation
By Alyssa M. Tidwell
I t all started back in February of 1983.

Nearly 100 exhibitors and 5,000
attendees gathered together for the first
Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, and since then, the
annual event has grown to astounding heights: 500
artists, exhibitors and wildlife experts and 40,000
attendees, bringing in an estimated $50 million in
economic impact each year.
SEWE takes place in Charleston every February,
the heart and soul of South Carolina’s Lowcountry
region. There’s a sense of charm and culture there, as
vibrant as its natural ecosystems and the wildlife that
inhabit them, from intertidal wetlands, marshes and
coastal habitats to sandy shorelines and deepwater
creeks. So it’s really no wonder the region is a haven
for conservationists and those who share a love of
things that grow. It’s also, of course, a haven for
wildlife artists inspired to capture the diversity of
animals existing in all sorts of ecosystems. And
hundreds of these brilliant artists showcase those
works each year during SEWE.
“There’s this spirit that is absolutely organic—
that we’re going to descend upon Charleston
every February and set up shop, enjoy each other’s
company, swap stories, enjoy art and celebrate the
city,” says John Powell, SEWE president and CEO.
“[It’s about] the outdoors lifestyle, the sporting
lifestyle, conservationists, lovers of canines and all
41
Julie Jeppsen, Spaniel Flush, oil on canvas, 20 x 30" (50 x 76 cm)
Tim Donovan,
Tranquility, egg
tempera and acrylic on
panel, 14½ x 20½" (36
x 52 cm)
John Banovich, The Blue Darter, oil on Belgian linen, 16 x 18" (40 x 45 cm)
things outdoors.” weekend to speak with and learn from. variety of birds of prey; the widely loved
In the event’s early days, Powell says SEWE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, DockDogs® Competitions (a canine
there was a greater focus on carvings supporting numerous conservation water jumping contest) and more.
and decoy art. Now, two-dimensional efforts both locally and beyond. SEWE also features dozens of exhibitors
art commands the stage, including The event has grown into not only a outside the fine art realm, from
works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, phenomenal showcase of wildlife art, conservation groups to knifemakers to
scratchboard, charcoal and graphite, to but also a celebration of the outdoors. woodworkers.
name just a few. Sculpture in bronze, In addition to the Quick Draw/Speed “My very first year I showed up to
wood and metal (as well as decoy art) Sculpt event—in which artists paint check in and the woman at the table
occupy a special place at the event as or sculpt an original piece from start told us we’d be next to Jim and Karen
well. One of the best parts? The artists to finish in just one hour—SEWE also Killen. I was shocked. I’d grown up
are all in attendance during the three-day features flight demonstrations by a attending Ducks Unlimited banquets
Forever Wild 43
Jason Tako, Mountain Monarch, oil on linen,
16 x 20" (40 x 50 cm)
sets the tone for all digital and print

communication to SEWE patrons.
So it’s got to be bright and bold,”
says Kirby. He explains that one of
his challenges was painting on such a
large canvas. “I work fairly quickly, but
covering 12 square-feet of canvas with
brushes that are rarely more than a half
inch wide is a marathon, not a sprint.
I chose a steady, methodical approach
to this piece, showing up each day
prepared to put in my time.”
Kirby grew up on a farm in the
Midwestern United States, surrounded
by livestock and wild game. “Each year,
my interest in wildlife grew, bordering
into an obsession. I remember going
out after turkey season was closed and
calling turkeys in, just to video them and
and had known of Jim Killen forever. significant 36 by 48 inches, captures a experience them in their world on their
He’d been famous for pretty much trio of pheasants flying across a field of terms. I’d do anything just to get close
my entire life,” says Ryan Kirby, the gold. The composition is well-balanced, to an animal and observe it in the wild,”
2023 SEWE Featured Artist. (Wildlife/ with the three birds occupying the he says. “As I grew, I discovered I had
sporting artist Killen has been named scene at varying heights. “The featured a talent for art, and I simply used that
“International Artist of the Year” three [painting] isn’t just a solitary canvas ability to render the things I was already
times by the non-profit organization destined for auction at a black tie passionate about, which was wildlife.
Ducks Unlimited, which is dedicated event among cocktails and crab cakes, From day one, a love of the outdoors is
to the conservation of wetlands and it’s a symbol for SEWE. It’s used on what has driven me and provided the
upland habitats for waterfowl and every piece of marketing material from creative fuel for my life’s work.”
other creatures. Unsurprisingly, Ducks daily passes to billboards on I-26. It Powell says, “From a show
Unlimited also happens to be one of
SEWE’s many exhibitors.)
This is Kirby’s ninth year showing at
the exposition, and he’s finally hit that
milestone as featured artist. “It’s a huge
honor and a great opportunity for me.
I’ve been a part of the show for nine
years now, and in that time I’ve seen
some tremendously talented artists take
the stage as the featured artist. Now that
it’s my turn, I intend to work very hard
and bring my best work to the 2023
show,” he says. “For [these next few]
months, everything I put a brush to is
dedicated to SEWE, and I’m looking
forward to releasing them to the public
on the show floor.”
His oil The Departure is the Featured
Painting, plastered across the official
SEWE 2023 poster. The painting, a Ray Gamradt, Bouquet, charcoal on board, 24 x 36" (60 x 91 cm)
Ryan Kirby, Golden Hour, oil on linen, 24 x 36" (60 x 91 cm)
perspective, we need great artists, we

need emerging artists and everything
in between…We’re always going to
make sure that art is the centerpiece of
the show…It’s been fun to watch Ryan
over the years. What he is and what
he continues to evolve into, I think it’s
going to be amazing.”
Julia Rogers was the SEWE 2022
Featured Artist. “Many years ago I
applied to exhibit in the Southeastern
Wildlife Exposition and was so excited
to be accepted,” Rogers recalls. “I never
thought that one day I would be the
featured artist and have my painting
displayed all over town.” In her featured
painting, Golden Light, the evening sun
dances off the feathers of three tundra
swans wading in a creek. “They are
one of the most elegant birds, and as
Mark Kelvin Horton, Onward, oil on canvas, 36 x 48" (91 x 121 cm). 2021 Featured Artwork. they are completely white, it offers an
opportunity to add so much reflective
color in the shadows,” Rogers says.
Forever Wild 45
Julia Rogers, Evening Glow, oil on linen, 18 x 24” (45 x 60 cm)
“I love to paint light and all its effects.

The sun shining through the large white
wings of a swan—it doesn’t get better
than that!”
“A bit of a tomboy” growing up,
Rogers loved animals from the start
and has been painting them for as long
as she can remember. Nowadays, she
travels near and far to observe wildlife
in their natural habitats. One of the
paintings Rogers will be bringing to this
year’s show is Evening Glow, depicting a
kingly bison grazing in a field, several of
his herd members meandering behind
him. “Evening Glow is another example
of the effect of light,” says Rogers, “from
one of many trips out West. [It’s] that
moment when the sun is setting behind
a hill or a line of trees and everything
seems to catch fire in color—a ribbon
Jen Starwalt, Awaken the Wild Within, soft pastel on paper, 36 x 48” (91 x 121 cm) of yellow and red sunlight hitting
Julia Rogers, Golden Light, oil on linen, 36 x 45” (91 x 114 cm). 2022 Featured Artwork.
treetops. As the sun drops, the ground as graceful egrets to create a sense of Wildlife Exposition is that singular,
and everything on it glows.” scale and movement in my Lowcountry charged moment before the Preview
Waterfowl art made an impact in landscapes. I also sometimes include Afternoon. It’s that moment when
2021 as well, with Featured Artist iconic Lowcountry figures in my the full range of artwork exhibited in
Mark Kelvin Horton’s oil Onward. landscapes, such as oystermen and the show comes together, all at once.
But while an egret takes flight in the castnetters to capture the true flavor, “You walk into the ballroom and get
backdrop of the painting, Horton’s feel and character of our unique and the first view of what people brought
Onward feels more like an ode to the beautiful region of the country.” to Charleston, and you’re kind of just
Lowcountry landscape—lush green Artists participating in the 2023 event blown away seeing that all in one place,”
marshlands and clouds stretching include Kirby, Rogers and Horton, as Powell reflects. “It really gets the energy
over a deep blue sky. “It was a great well as John Banovich, Amy Lay, Walter going. People who haven’t seen each
honor and pleasure being chosen as the Matia, Kelly McNeil, Suzie Seerey- other in a year or more. It’s something
2021 Featured Artist. It was beyond Lester, Larry Seymour, Julie Jeppsen, you couldn’t force if you tried to…That
my greatest expectations to have that Bill Farnsworth, Jen Starwalt, Richard reunion factor, you can’t do better.”
happen,” he says. Primarily a landscape Clifton, Stephen Townley Bassett, John The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition
painter, Horton strives “to capture the Tolmay and many others. takes place February 17 to 19, 2023.
atmosphere and mood of a particular For Powell, one of the most Learn more at
moment in time. I use wildlife such emotional aspects of the Southeastern www.sewe.com
Forever Wild 47
Abyss (detail), colored pencil on Bristol board, 28 x 39" (71 x 99 cm)
THE
VOYAGE
A journey of exploration and self-discovery has led colored pencil artist
Jesse Lane into the depths of imaginative realism
ow can imaginative realism benefit you? This of objects and scenes, learning to master glimpses
Hmight depend on where you are on your of life and nature. It’s a thrill to be able to create
journey as an artist. In the beginning, we’re all just an image that is, in a sense, “perfect.” Storytelling
trying not to be defeated by that white, empty slowly crept into my work. At first, it was clumsy
canvas or paper in front of us. So we draw and and heavy-handedly staged. I was telling the viewer
paint, trying our best to get our work to look like exactly what to think. The technique and detail
the thing we’re drawing or painting. And finally we might hold their attention for a moment or two,
do. Now what? but the image itself could be seen, studied and
I’d like to share my answer. dismissed in a few seconds.
For so long, my goal was to create the And then, in one piece, it all came together.
perfect picture through photorealism. I valued It was a simple portrait of a young woman, my
photorealism over everything. I tackled a variety fiancée, just out of the shower. Her eyes were
49
Undercurrents, colored pencil on Bristol board, 26 x 39" (66 x 99 cm)
The Winds of Water, colored pencil on Bristol board, 39 x 26" (99 x 66 cm) Ripple, colored pencil on Bristol board, 30 x 20" (76 x 50 cm)
Oasis, colored pencil on Bristol board, 28 x 18" (71 x 45 cm) Lunar Rhythms, colored pencil on Bristol board, 38 x 28" (96 x 71 cm)
closed, and her hair was matted with So I created a series of portraits—but would look like if we were just there,
water. Water streamed in trails down not the kind you would hang over the with our emotions of love and pain,
her face and off her chin. It was the fireplace or see in a business office. They power and loss. Imaginative realism has
moment before she toweled off. The were faces emerging from darkness with been described as the art of the unseen,
moment before her face became itself subtle emotions combined with layers the sight of things that never existed.
again. There was great intrigue in that of mystery. Eventually though, I had For me, it’s a glimpse into the interior
image, so I leaned into it. I cropped out my “now what?” moment. How could mystery of life. I brought every skill,
most of the background and darkened I go beyond realism? And really, what is every emotion, from my previous work
it, then I shaded her with chiaroscuro “real?” I used to see reality in one way. into this new realm of imaginative
lighting. When I finished, I saw However, as I get older, I’ve seen reality realism. Nothing I learned was ever
emotion and mystery that I couldn’t shift. Situations are the same, yet how wasted. I took reference photos. I
define with one answer. There were we see them affects our reality. put them in Photoshop, moved them
many possible stories that could have For example, when two people fall in around, cut and pasted, flopped them
brought her to this moment. (The final love, their two realities meet. Our reality and changed the lighting. I painted
piece that came out of this experience is is familiar to us, while the other person’s on top of them until I really knew the
Oasis, shown above). That was my real is new and a bit strange. Love allows us image. The more work I did on the
beginning as an artist. My rendering to explore the depths of another person, front end, the easier it became on the
ability became my set of tools, not the and we discover a new “reality.” This back end.
end result. I decided I wanted to use my is the experience I want to capture. I While beautiful, when an image is too
skills to create a mood and tell stories. went underwater, envisioning what it fantasized or too perfect, I have trouble
The Voyage 51
52
www.InternationalArtist.com
Adrenaline, colored pencil on Bristol board, 39 x 27" (99 x 68 cm)
Face Reality, colored pencil on Bristol board, 23 x 40" (58 x 101 cm)
putting myself there. For this reason, I To me, the ocean is a metaphor by its currents. Whether beautiful or
begin each piece with its most human for love and life because it’s the most dangerous, the ocean, love and life are
moment. I then play off that emotion magical place on earth. We become always magical.
with supporting imaginative elements, weightless, seeing things that always Perhaps the greatest joy of imaginative
and that changes the context. There’s a existed, yet we never thought or knew realism is the ability to create your own
part of making art that is a balance of about them. As magical as the ocean world, one full of self-expression and
self-expression and mystery. To boil it is, it deprives us of one of our greatest self-exploration. Imaginative realism
down simply, I think suggesting a story necessities, oxygen. There are many can also take you on a journey of self-
means not drawing people or things, beautiful and dangerous creatures in the discovery. For me, it feels like an endless
but drawing a moment that involves ocean, all of which move faster than us. voyage, one that keeps going so long as I
people or things. When a piece can be When we enter into it, we are under the have a voice with something to say and a
left open to interpretation, the viewer ocean’s control, being pushed around story to tell.
can participate by finding what they
want to see. They can mentally enter
the image, letting their own story and
experience be their guide. ABOUT THE ARTIST
When we were children, we were told Jesse Lane is a professional artist from Houston, Texas,
the world is a certain way, and one day known for stunning hyper realistic portraits and works
we will enter it. What I’ve learned is of imaginative realism. His numerous national and
that we all create our own reality. This international honors include the top award from the
is especially true for life as a professional Colored Pencil Society of America, the CIPPY. Lane loves
artist and a husband. In love, as in teaching through videos and online workshops.
life, there is a certain amount you can Represented by
control, but much that you cannot. The RJD Gallery, Michigan, USA, www.rjdgallery.com
magic in life often lies in the things we Contact at
can’t control. We usually feel vulnerable jesse@jesselaneart.com | www.jesselaneart.com
outside our element, seeking joy and love. Find me on
/jesselaneart @jesselaneart
The Voyage 53
OIL
UNITED KINGDOM
DEMONSTRATION
Vicki Norman
True Colors
Painting in plein air, Vicki Norman carefully assesses the light
conditions to determine proper colors
High Tide with Fog, Sennen, oil on linen, 12 x 10"

(30 x 25 cm)
A difficult day teaching in plein air in the fog
culminated in a very happy painting experience
for me as I wrestled the wind and salt spray onto
the canvas in this energetic study of crashing
waves and atmospheric perspective. The fog
Sisters, oil on linen, 11 x 14" (27 x 35 cm) created a subdued palette of milky turquoise
Two identical boats resting on the shore in St. Ives harbor at low tide created such beautiful fluid rhythmic greens and pinkish grays with hints of yellow. I
shapes that I couldn’t resist painting them together. The boat on the right is cropped hard to place caught the movement of the water with bold,
emphasis on the boat nearer to the center of the composition, as this allows the eye to rest comfortably heavily loaded brushstrokes and lots of gestural
and enjoy the curves of the boat and its ropes and puddles. marks.
A s a plein air painter, my work

is primarily concerned with
capturing a sense of time and place.
visual tool for any artist who wants to
achieve this.
In learning to paint I find it helpful
constancy,” and it enables us to discern
the true “local” color of objects in
varying light conditions. When we study
Each individual location has its own to understand how the human eye a scene that contains multiple objects of
characteristic light and color palette, and mind perceive color and light. For different colors, we observe the shift in
and the best way to evoke a sense of the example, we can tell the difference value and temperature from the lit planes
place is to match that light and how between a blue mug in white light to the shaded planes on each object and
it affects the environment at different and a white mug placed in blue light. use this information to interpret the
times of day. Accurately depicting We achieve this by using the color in intensity and color of the light.
light is crucial in telling the story of a the shadows to figure out the color of Sunny days inspire different types
particular place, and color is a powerful the light. This ability is called “color of artworks from overcast days. A
Mousehole morning, oil on linen, 11 x 14" (27 x 35 cm)
The delightful harbor in Mousehole is filled with characterful little sailing and fishing boats. I selected these three beauties from a busy harbor full of vessels and
decided to simplify their background, leaving out cars, canoes and tourists in order to give myself space to capture the interplay of colors and the timeless nature
of the scene.
strong light source like sunlight will seems as though the value scale has been matched any color perfectly on its own.
create a dramatic light and shadow compressed towards the center, the lit A color can only be deemed “correct”
pattern, which will usually dominate areas are not very light and consequently when it sits comfortably amongst its
the painting. On these days I’ll look the shadows are not very dark. The whole neighboring colors as part of the whole
for an interesting pattern of light and scene is more subtle, and the paintings I family of colors that make up that
dark shapes to make sure I have a strong make on overcast days will often explore particular scene, on that day, at that time.
design. Overcast conditions are more how the local colors and values relate to In order to make an image convincing
likely to allow me to observe the intrinsic each other in a subtle harmony. we must ensure that every element in
local colors of the objects in a scene. In Whatever the light condition I’m the subject appears to be bathed in
flat, gray light I would expect much less working with, the most important light of the same intensity, color and
value contrast between lit and shaded element to capture is the harmonious direction, and the sum total of the
planes. The lit planes will exhibit the relationship between lighter and darker colors used should tell the story of the
influence of the cool light source and values and between warmer and cooler light. I find this challenge one of the
therefore the shadows may appear a little colors. No color can exist in a painting most enjoyable things about painting,
warmer by contrast. In these conditions it by itself; it is impossible to say I have and my fascination with it is endless.
Oil Demonstration 55
My Art in the Making The Old Harbour, Newlyn
T he goal of this painting is to capture the colorful boats basking

in the warm late afternoon sunlight of Newlyn’s historic Old
Harbour. Color temperature offers the key to capturing the mood
here, and I will prioritize the sense of light over everything else in
the scene. As a plein air painter I use the alla prima oil painting
method, which means I make the whole painting in one session
while all of the paint is wet. The paints cannot be layered in glazes
because they do not dry during a single painting session, but whole
sections can be scraped back and reworked and more paint can be
added into areas that have already been worked. It is a very fluid,
forgiving process that allows for a “conversation” with the painting
as it progresses.
Reference Photo
STAGE 1 THREE-VALUE THUMBNAIL STAGE 2 KEY COLORS

Beginning with a three-value thumbnail ensures a good design with a I often premix the key colors on the palette before I begin painting.
dominance of a single value and interesting shapes. Adjustments are always required as I go along, but I usually get more
accurate end results if I start in this way.
WHAT THE ARTIST USED

Michael Harding Oils » Cadmium red light Brushes oil-primed 007 linen mounted
» Cremnitz white » Alizarin claret » Rosemary & Co. Ultimate short on Gatorfoam
» Lead tin yellow lemon » Cobalt violet dark flat, size 10, 8 and 2 Additional Supplies
» Genuine Naples yellow light » Cobalt blue » Ivory rigger, size 1 » Palette knife for mixing colors
» Cadmium lemon yellow » Ultramarine blue Surface » Paper towels
» Indian yellow red shade » Cerulean blue » Linseed stand oil
» 11 x 14" panel of Belle Arti
» Transparent oxide yellow
STAGE 3 VALUE
RELATIONSHIPS
It can be helpful to take a grayscale
photo of my palette at this stage
to check the value relationships
between the colors are correct.
STAGE 4 GRAY
IMPRIMATURA
A cool gray
imprimatura is
sympathetic; it
will accentuate
the warm colors
while allowing the
blues to look fresh.
The composition is
sketched onto the dry
imprimatura using
a small amount of
undiluted oil paint.
Continued
STAGE 5 APPLYING TRANSPARENT DARKS
Applying transparent dark colors onto a dry canvas at the beginning of STAGE 6 BLOCKING IN LIGHT
the process lets the darks look deep and rich and helps me to see the Blocking in light areas immediately after the darks allows me to see
light and dark design of my image from the outset. the full scope of values to be used in the painting, and this helps me to
accurately pitch the key of the more subtle mid values.
STAGE 7
BOATS
After adding the
large areas of blue
sky and water,
I introduce the
colorful boats.
Painting their
surroundings first
allows me to pitch
their bright colors
carefully to suit
their environment.
STAGE 8
ADJUSTING
COLOR
After I paint each boat, I
adjust the color slightly to
make it a little deeper and
draw the brush down the
canvas below each boat to
make a vertical streak for
the reflection.
STAGE 9
ADDITIONAL
SUBJECTS
Adding the warmer colors to
the houses, a few lamp posts
and their reflections in the
water completes the block in.
My Design and Composition Tactics
The balance of light and dark is everything

A strong but simple value design will underpin the whole painting, providing freedom to play
with technique and color. Aiming for an imbalance of values with a dominant value covering
more than half of the painting, I then subdivide the remainder of the picture plane unequally
between the other values. This makes the painting more elegant and interesting to the viewer.
Make sure the design suits the intention for the painting
My Newlyn painting design is dominated by mid gray values which allow me to play with color
and luminosity while providing contrast with the lightest buildings. The brightest colors and
highest value contrast are reserved for the old boats on the shoreline, the windows and roofs
of the houses are lightened and their edges are softened to reduce distraction from the boats.
The majority of the painting surface is covered with softened cobalt blues and violets, which
provide an accentuating complementary contrast to the warm sunlit colors on the shore. Demo painting in grayscale.
STAGE 10 RIPPLES IN THE WATER
Adding the masts, I begin to create some ripples in the reflections by wiggling my brush left and right a tiny bit as I drag it down the canvas.
Now I reassess the color relationships.
STAGE 11
BRINGING
LIT AREAS
TOGETHER
Adding warmer lighter
mixes to the stone on the
harbor wall and houses,
roofs, chimneys and the
middle boat helps to
unify all the lit areas and
makes the sun shine in
the painting.
STAGE 12 FINISHED ARTWORK
The Old Harbour, Newlyn, oil on, 11 x 14" (27 x 35 cm)
The finished painting now has a strong sense of warm sunlight created by using warmer, lighter colors in all the lit areas and contrasting them
with cooler, darker shadows and blues in the water.
ABOUT THE ARTIST

Vicki Norman has exhibited with the Royal offer self-directed study, enabling anyone in
Institute of Oil Painters in London and has the world to build their painting skills at their
received an award from the Oil Painters of own pace. You can also study with her in live
America. Gaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in interactive online workshops and in-person
Fine Art in 2000 and a post-graduate certificate holidays. Her Online Art School can be found
in post-16 education in 2009, Norman values at school.vickinorman.com.
teaching as an integral part of her creative Contact at
practice. Articulating complex concepts vicki@vickinormanstudio.com
and techniques through simple and concise www.vickinormanstudio.com
instruction, Norman is a superb and highly
sought-after teacher. Applying years of in-person Find me on
teaching experience to her new Online Art School /VickiNormanStudio
is proving to be a big success. Her 10 pre-recorded
“Mastering Colour” lessons and other courses @VickiNormanArt
OIL
FRANCE
DEMONSTRATION
Aldo Balding
A Refined View
Condensing and simplifying values allows Aldo Balding
to achieve realistic, painterly effects
A lthough I must have painted

hundreds of portraits and figures,
I realize that it is the light that falls
come to embrace landscape painting,
and I equally love the experience of
plein air painting, but the process is
So, with this in mind, my subject
is light. I realize through taking
workshops and demonstrating I have
on the subjects, and not the subjects more enjoyable than the result. I am cultivated, sometimes unconsciously,
themselves, that inspires me. I have always humbled by it, as one should be. an understanding of how light works.
Amalfi Creek, oil on canvas, 32 x 23½" (81 x 60 cm) Gilda, oil on canvas, 19½ x 15¾" (50 x 40 cm)
Amalfi Creek, as the title suggests, was from a holiday or rather, honeymoon This is my daughter from many years ago, when I was painting in a retro
on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. I only brought watercolors with me and painted theme. I had bought some retro clothes and set up Rebecca as a 1940s
15 to 20 studies. The high perspective and the plunging point of view is what character with the makeup and hairstyle to match. This is from a photoshoot
I loved, and that turquoise water! Inspiration comes from being open to all under natural light, and not painted from life. The title comes from a Rita
possibilities, whether it is seen and photographed, painted or invented. Hayworth film.
Domaine d’Audabiac, oil, 23½ x 19½" (60 x 50 cm)
This was the kitchen in the main house at
Domaine d’Audabiac during a painting workshop
I took in May 2022, near Uzès in Southern France.
It was painted in two sessions of not more than
two hours each. It had to be painted between
and 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. as the light shifts so
quickly. What I saw with a quick glance is what I
painted; I didn’t linger one moment too long on
the subject itself. It was all done from my first
impression, and there is something to be learned
from that.
This is fundamental to painting well.

There is no light without shadow, the
two combine to create our visual world.
To start to paint the appearance of
light, one must start with values, and
they must be observed correctly with
the appropriate edges. Color merely
augments this effect. When I speak
about value, from light to dark, we
have only nine different values. If
you separate them into 10—an easier
number—the differences are too small.
In nature, we have perhaps a hundred
values. So, we can’t paint anywhere
near them all. What I have learnt from
the masters such as Sargent, Munnings
and Stanhope Forbes, is that one also
needs to limit the values one uses.
Sargent used five or less.
This achieves a simplicity of design
and value composition. One needs also mainly primary colors, my indoor time, then look at a white space, we will
to understand that each value marks a interiors are more restricted. Like my see a green square. This is a valuable
different plane in a form like a portrait. values, I look for a limited color theme, insight into how the eye works.
The values in a well-observed landscape using warms and cools in juxtaposition, My process of painting itself is
would show that darks become lighter and I push the chroma in certain areas to start off with some light tone of
when they recede. This is because we to achieve this effect of light. color on the canvas that relates to my
see the distant horizon through a semi- I am, as an artist, the sum of my color theme, and so I can leave parts
transparent atmosphere. We call this experiences, personality and the artists showing through at the end. I never
atmospheric perspective. that have inspired me. I have borrowed draw it out beforehand, but work as
One sees the world in all its details, this pushing of light from Sorolla, the I go and with the brush, preferring
it’s the way the eye focuses. We need economy of brushwork from Sargent to paint the shapes of color that I see
as artists to see less, but at the same and Zorn. and comparing them to each other,
time, the essential. I get around this My recent work explores color rather than line drawing. I paint values,
problem by squinting and looking at more deeply. I look for natural shapes, color and then the drawing—in
my subject in a slightly blurred way. complementaries that exist in nature that order—most of the time. I aim for
Th is gives me the simple structure that and endeavor to bring them out in my a value key that dominates, either light,
I need to build on. paintings. Knowing that when we look medium or dark. A value theme adds
My palette for outdoor work is at a red square for a short amount of mood and ambiance.
My Art in the Making Lily-Orange
STAGE 1 TONING THE CANVAS

I start with toning the canvas with a yellow ochre and cadmium orange diluted with a
little Gamsol. I begin the placement of my subject, a few lines to guide me, then I start to
feel my way in, starting with the head. And a little alizarin and a touch of ultramarine blue
to scrub in the shadow of the face.
Study

Michael Harding Oils
» Titanium white
» Cadmium yellow light
» Cadmium orange
» Yellow ochre
» Cadmium red light
» Alizarin crimson
» Phthalo blue
» Zinc white
» Ultramarine blue
Rosemary & Co. Brushes
» Long-handled flat hog, size 12, 10
» Long handled mongoose, size 8
» Round mongoose, size 6
Additional Materials
» Lefranc bourgeois oil-primed linen
» Linseed oil
» Gamsol
STAGE 2 USING STUDY
PAINTING AS GUIDE
Using my reference painting as a guide, I play
around with some arm positions, blocking
in more color thinly with ochre and orange.
I want to see how this works with this dark
ultramarine, cadmium yellow and alizarin
crimson mixture. I am looking at value and
color harmony.
STAGE 3 BLOCKING IN BLUES

With a large size 12 hog brush, I am blocking in some blues, both
dark and light, that contrast the orange figure. The planes of the face
Continued
are blocked in with color with a touch of medium, starting with the
light and shadow. I start normally, with light and shadow, looking
for early color temperatures in the face. I’m trying a different leg
position that feels natural.
STAGE 4 REFINING
FACE AND BODY
I am looking to place some
orange lilies in this composition
to lead the eye around the
painting; here you can see the
dark marks in the top left. There
is no repetition in nature, so I
want them to be different sizes
and shapes. I’m refining the face
and body, with appropriate color
values and edges. For the hair I
use ultramarine, cadmium red
light and ochre.
STAGE 5 MID VALUES

The figure is looking more natural now.
The values of the arm, body and face are
carefully observed so that I have the feel
of a round arm, and the colors become
cooler and less chromatic on the edges.
The reflected light on the chin is mainly
a change in color temperature and little
difference in value. The warmer light
area on the trapezius contrasts with the
cooler shadow temperature. Most of the
fundamentals are there. The mid value
key is the direction I am taking here. This
means the major part of the surface area
is occupied by a mid value.
STAGE 6
FINISHED ARTWORK
Lily-Orange, oil on canvas, 36 x 28" (92
x 71 cm)
There is only an hour’s work between
stage 5 and stage 6, and it’s mainly
blocking in the vegetation with
greens that are slightly blue/violet in
temperature with a large brush. The
light of the lilies are painted in titanium
white and yellow; ultramarine, alizarin
and orange were used for the stamen.
The edges of these flowers are painted
with a large brush of dark ultramarine/
blue and cadmium yellow and alizarin.
The white wall is also blocked in in a
cool white, leaving traces of the warm
yellow tint showing through. Refining
of the hands face are made with
economy. The orange/blue color theme
dominates.
ABOUT THE ARTIST

Aldo Balding was born and raised in the United takes workshops in France every year, and
Kingdom and currently lives in the South of demonstrates regularly to other students. His
France. He started off his career as an illustrator inspiration is light, and his ideas and subject
in London before moving to France to become a matter can originate from something he has
full-time artist. He is represented by a number of seen—a village road, a man in a café, a woman
galleries around the world, including the United crossing a street, or it can be an idea he has set
Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, France up, with a model. He paints regularly from life.
and South Africa. Galleries include Thompson’s Contact at
Galleries, Anagama Galerie, Galerie en Ré, The aldobalding@yahoo.co.uk
Whitethorn Gallery, Christopher Moller Gallery www.aldobalding.com
and Waterhouse Gallery.
Balding considers himself a tonalist painter Find me on
who paints in an alla prima style, though color /aldobaldingartist
is the tool he employs to influence harmony and
mood. Painting a variety of subject matter, he @aldobalding
OIL
UNITED STATES
DEMONSTRATION
David Barclay
Depth and Radiance
Using thin transparent layers, David Barclay demonstrates the
use of glazing to create depth and vivid reflections
I began painting in 2003 under the

instruction of European-trained art
restorer and artist Vitek Kruta from
realistic style, and oil paint is my
primary medium.
Glazing is the process of applying
color or value of the underpainting.
Paint and glaze both contain paint
pigment, but the difference is that
whom I learned many of the glazing a thin layer of translucent oil paint paint is generally opaque, whereas
techniques I use today. I paint in a on top of another layer to change the glaze is always translucent. Glazes are
Atkins Reservoir, oil, 9 x 12" (22 x 30 cm)
Mountain Stream, oil,
30 x 40" (76 x 101 cm)
created by diluting paint with a medium light? What mood do I want to convey? knives and scratch tools—to achieve
(a binder) until it becomes semi- “painterly” marks that appear random
transparent or by using an oil paint that My Three-Step Process and realistic. I work intensively in two
is transparent. The first step includes sketching the to three-hour blocks and prefer to work
Light travels through the newly overall outline of the painting, toning on a large scale, typically 2-by-3-feet
applied layer and reflects off the base the canvas, and the initial block-in. I (60 x 91 cm) or larger, because I can
layers below, so that the viewer sees a plan each painting working directly add more rich detail. My best results are
mix of the different colors. Glazing can on the canvas and rarely do thumbnail achieved if I periodically set a painting
add depth and luminosity to paintings, sketches. I use a light water-based aside for a few days during the process.
make a painting more vibrant and tone marker that is easy to cover with paint. Often, I take a break, step back and
down overly bold colors. Multiple layers My landscapes are a simplified version critique my work in order to ensure that
of glaze may be applied to the same of scenes as they appear in nature, and the perspectives are correct and that I
area, enhancing the desired effect. I freely move, add and subtract objects am maintaining the overall strength of
Creating depth with glazing only to improve the composition. I avoid the composition.
works on a very smooth surface. toning any portion of the canvas where The third step is the final touch-ups
Coarsely woven canvas breaks up the I need the radiant white of the surface and highlights. I save the brightest
surface’s reflective capability. I prefer to radiate through layers of glazing. highlights until the very end because
to paint on untempered masonite or The second step is where the lion’s it is clearer where they are needed. I
MDF board because they are smooth share of the painting takes shape. I consider the painting finished when I
and stable. When preparing a board for work from light to dark, building up realize that my tweaks no longer make
painting, I apply at least two layers of thin layers of paint and glazes. My a significant difference.
gesso. With canvas, I buy super smooth paintings often have four to six layers The revival of the ancient technique
material primed with five layers of gesso. of glazing (and sometimes more) to of glazing puts another valuable tool
Before starting a painting, I ask achieve the right value, color and in every artist’s toolbox. It gives artists
myself these questions: What is my luminosity. I vary the tools I use— more control over color, value decisions
focal point? What is the direction of the brushes, homemade brushes, palette and the vibrancy of their paintings.
My Art in the Making Brassworks Waterfall
I n this demonstration, I
will take you through
the glazing and layering
techniques used to create
three-dimensional depth
both above and below
the water surface, in the
rocks of the dam wall
and in the tree foliage.
While some paint
can be applied wet-
on-wet, most glazing
layers can only be built
up when the previous Reference Photo
layer is dry. To accelerate
the drying process, I use
Winsor & Newton Liquin Original as a medium to
thin the paint and to ensure that it is dry by the next
day. Transparent water is best achieved through the
application of multiple layers. The first layer of paint
usually has too much contrast and needs subsequent
layers of glazing to tone it down and to add more
texture and detail. In this painting, the rocks above STAGE 1 BLOCK-IN
and below the water surface were created using After making a light sketch of the major shapes, I dilute burnt sienna with
three to six layers of paint and glaze. The vibrant Gamsol and cover the surface, then wipe most of it off with a paper towel
sky color toward the bottom of the painting is or rag. While still damp, I wipe out the highlights with a Q-tip dipped in
created by allowing the “hidden color” of the orange Gamsol. In this demonstration, I purposely used burnt sienna to tone the
underpainting to peek through the blue glaze. canvas because its orange color is the complement of the rich blue of the
sky reflected on the surface. Later, when the blue color is applied as a glaze,
the underpainting that shows through will embolden the blue.
Oils Rosemary & Co. Brushes made)

» Burnt sienna » #3/0 pointed round series Additional Materials
» Burnt umber 401 » Winsor & Newton Liquin
» Cadmium yellow light » #1 rigger series 771 Original
» Cerulean blue » ¼” ivory dagger, synthetic » Gamblin Gamsol
» Kings blue light » #2 fan series 2055 » Primed board or canvas
» Magenta Chungking bristle (stiff ) » 20% cool gray Prismacolor
» Olive green » ¾” extra long comber marker for initial sketch
» Sap green » #2 badger blending brush (easily covered with paint)
» Titanium white series 105 » Q-tips
» Yellow ochre light » Chip brush » Palette knife (optional)
» Ultramarine blue » Chip brush, trimmed
» Cat-whisker brush (artist
STAGE 2 ROCK
TEXTURE
After painting the basic rock
outlines and letting it dry, I start to
create the rock texture by mixing
ultramarine blue and burnt umber
about 50/50 and diluting it with
Gamsol. Using an old toothbrush,
I spatter the rocks with this dark
blue-brown mixture and wipe off
most spatters that fall beyond the
rocks. A paper template helps direct
the paint. The spatter is allowed to
dry before applying the next layer.
At this stage, the spatter is way too
harsh. But before toning it down
with a glaze, I add more irregular
texture marks using a brush and STAGE 3 PAINTING THE WALL
palette knife. These become the I created the dam wall in four steps. I again paint the basic outline and a light base color, then
indentations and cracks in the rocks. spatter the underpainting. Second, I outline individual blocks, adding indentations, cracks, and some
I then add a translucent brown highlights. Next, I begin to add a thin layer of brown glaze to tone down the spatter marks and
glaze, with more ultramarine blue ultramarine blue to simulate the gray-blue cast of granite. Fourth, highlights are added to the top
on the shadow side of the rocks. edges of rocks and the lower edge of cracks and indentations. Concave areas are darkened. The final
highlight is a nearly white accent line where the light bounces off the rock edge. I take advantage of
paint runs and light and dark areas when shaping the rocks.
STAGE 4 WATER SURFACE

AND STREAM BOTTOM
Using paint followed by several layers of glaze, I create
the underwater typography of rocks on the bottom of
the steam. At the same time, I lay in the beginning of the
sky-blue reflection on the surface with a thin blue layer
Continued
of glaze. The blue color is more intense and violet lower in

the painting, but is kept thin so that a hint of the orange
underpainting shows through. The ¾-inch extra long
comber brush is ideal for applying these thin layers of
glaze.
STAGE 5 SKY
REFLECTION AND
ROCK DETAIL
In the final layers, I use
more glaze to darken
the shadows of the rocks
in the mid-section and
create dark violet shadows
toward the bottom of the
painting with a mixture
of ultramarine blue and
magenta where the sky
reflection is the most
vivid.
STAGE 6 TREE FOLIAGE

The tree foliage is created in five layers. But unlike other sections where layers of translucent glaze are used to create a special effect, these highly
realistic leaf clusters are created by applying successive layers of opaque paint in progressively lighter colors. The first layer is a very dark, almost
black, cool green. This is allowed to dry completely. Next, the tree trunks are roughed in, followed by randomly placed leaf clusters using a dark
combination of olive green and sap green. I alternate between using the corner of a stiff fan brush and a #3/0 pointed round to give a more natural
and random look. This is followed by two more layers of leaf clusters, each using an increasingly lighter mixture of sap green and cadmium yellow
light. Finally, it is capped off with a few near-white highlights as shown in the next stage.
STAGE 7 SKY HOLES IN TREE FOLIAGE
Next, sky holes are added among the tree foliage, and finally, silhouetted branches are added in the sky holes with a #3/0 pointed round. I am
careful to place the sky holes randomly and vary their shapes in the tree canopy.
STAGE 8 WATER SURFACE TRANSITIONS

The transition line between the transparent water on the left and
the sky reflection on the right is critical for making the water look
real. I do this by adding crossover ripples between the two areas,
with the sky reflection lapping over into the transparent area and
vice versa. In addition, a light-colored line should be added to
highlight the concave meniscus that occurs where the edge of the
water touches the rocks.
STAGE 9 WATERFALL
My final step is the addition of falling water and the waterfall’s
subtle reflection in the still water, with just a touch of blue sky
reflection where the waterfall curves downward. Grasses are added
along the top of the dam and on the bank of the stream. The short
grasses are made with a chip brush with most of its bristles cut
out, leaving 20 or so strands. These are dipped in paint and applied
by laying the brush against the canvas, rather than applied with a
stroke. The tall grass stems are created using a homemade brush
made from a single cat whisker (dropped naturally).
ABOUT THE ARTIST
David Barclay’s artistic style is realism. His two and his wife Lynn divide their time
principal focuses are landscapes, in which water between Massachusetts and France.
is a major visual element, and classic vehicles. Contact at
Barclay began painting in 2003, and his work davidbarclay100@hotmail.com
has been represented by galleries in California, www.davidbarclayart.com
Connecticut and Vermont. In 2018 and 2019, he
was an artist-in-residence at Chateau Orquevaux Find me on
in France. Barclay studied for a decade under @davidbarclayart
master art restorer and artist Vitek Kruta. Barclay
Brassworks Waterfall, oil on panel, 24 x 36" (60 x 91 cm)
ACRYLIC
AUSTRALIA
DEMONSTRATION
Sarah Abbott
Endless Possibilities
Often taking hundreds of photos, Sarah Abbott experiments
with numerous ideas when planning her compositions
T hrough my paintings I aim to

highlight the beauty I see in the
world around me. I am particularly
palette, color is extremely important to
me, as is the design and composition of
a piece. When these elements work in
the last few months would I say that my
painting process has solidified into a
consistent approach that I more or less
drawn to the interplay of light and perfect harmony, a piece really sings. follow for each painting.
shadow. Light for me transforms a Painting for me is a largely intuitive As I’m a busy mum with a young
scene from something that is ordinary, process. Not having any formal art family, my painting usually happens
to something truly extraordinary. The education, my process has come about between 8 p.m. and midnight most
pursuit of capturing the perfect light through a trial-and-error approach. I’ve nights. For this reason, working from
keeps me endlessly engaged in my work been working as a full-time, practicing photographs is an essential part of my
and practice. artist for a little over two years now. The practice.
While I don’t favor a particular color learning curve has been steep. Only in Compositionally, when I stage
my still life work, I will play around
with lots of different possibilities. I
love using shadows as visual tools,
and the location of a shadow can
play a vital role in painting, and
in creating harmony, balance and
drama. When staging a particular
scene I may take hundreds of photos
of the same subject, testing different
ideas and combinations. I scrutinize
these images until I land on one (or
a combination of two) for my final
reference. The reference largely dictates
the composition, but I may still play
around with the colors and tone to
create a final work I am happy with.
I paint in acrylics for the practicality
and ease of clean up. I find that the
fast-drying property of acrylic is
both the best and worst aspect of the
medium. When layering up the paint
it is hugely beneficial, however, when
trying to achieve a smooth blended
The Golden Hour, acrylic on canvas, 20 x 24" (51 x 61 cm) background, the drying time becomes
This painting marked a real turning point in my abilities. It’s a scene I had painted a year and a half earlier, a major obstacle. I’ve discovered with
and measuring the progress between this work and my original attempt was incredibly eye opening. This time and focus there are workarounds
is one of the first works where I established an effective way of achieving a smooth blended background for everything.
in acrylic paint.
Freesias and Lemons, acrylic on canvas, 19½ x 19½" (50 x 50 cm)
One of my most popular paintings with collectors, Freesias and Lemons came about particularly quickly. It’s a work where I leaned more toward a
pleasing design than a realistic interpretation of the subject. I intended to lay down the pink background tone, and then layer up some timber detail
on top, ending up with a warm timber grain in the final piece. However, the block color just worked, so I stopped myself from adding anything more.
The majority of my effort in painting calls on what elements are working, Every painting teaches me something
is spent perfecting color and tone. As and which aren’t without spending new, and my process and thinking
acrylics are quite thin, even when using too much time on the little details. constantly evolves with these new
professional quality paints, I find it My approach is not as methodical as experiences. I believe there is no
necessary to layer the paint in multiple one might think when looking at the substitute for experience, and nothing
layers to get the depth of color and finished product. I do jump around beats the lessons you can learn from
intensity that I like. I work quickly, when working to whichever area calls consistent and concerted effort. Painting
building up a clear image of the final my attention. As time goes on, I’m is a discipline, and when approached
work with as much speed as possible. learning to trust my instincts more as such, the capacity for learning and
This allows me to make judgment when approaching the painting process. improvement are endless.
Acrylic Demonstration 77
My Art in the Making Sweet Treats
F or this painting I am working from two

main reference images. I loved the light in
one of these images, but preferred the color in
the fabric and the angle of the main platter in the
second image. There were additional images from
this sequence I consulted when working through
some of the details for the flowers and the vase.
STAGE 2
CHARCOAL
DRAWING
Mapping out the
large shapes first,
I complete a rough
underdrawing using
willow charcoal. The
ground color and
STAGE 1
the messy charcoal
TONE THE CANVAS
sketch help take
The ground color changes for each
away any anxiety
work. For this painting I chose
about starting on a
Australian sienna to bring out the warm
clean white canvas.
tones. I mix one part paint to one part
fast-drying medium, giving the canvas
a uniform coat.

Acrylics » Cadmium red light Brushes » Atelier matt varnish (for finishing)
» Golden Fluid Acrylic in » Hansa yellow medium » Large brush, 1½ to 3", depending » Hand-stretched canvas, ultra fine
titanium white (mixing white) » Arylamide yellow light on canvas size 12 oz poly cotton canvas (smooth
A Mix of Matisse Structure Acrylics » Australian sienna » Flat brushes, 18 mm, 9 mm, 6 mm grain)
and Atelier Interactive Acrylics: » Burnt umber » Chisel brushes, 13 mm, 9 mm, 4 mm » Stay Wet Palette
» Magenta » Permanent alizarin » Detail brush, size 1 and 00 » Mixing bowl
» Magenta light » Red black Additional Supplies » Brush cleaning bucket
» Naples yellow reddish » Payne’s gray » Willow charcoal
» Atelier clear painting medium
» Permanent maroon » Phthalo blue » Rags
» Atelier fast fixer medium
» Venetian red » Ultramarine blue
My Design and
Composition Tactics
Establish your big picture items quickly
before getting bogged down in detail.
Detail work can commence once
you’re satisfied the overall composition
and layout are working and shouldn’t
require any major edits.
Don’t be afraid to change things
that aren’t working. Compositional
issues will remain and overshadow the
work, no matter how much they are
dressed up.
Work your colors up in layers. Even
the best quality acrylic paints are thin
and will require multiple applications
to get a good consistency and depth
of color. Accuracy isn’t essential
at the beginning, as each area will
likely need multiple coats for realistic STAGE 3 FIXING LAYER
work. Our perception of color is very I rough in the colors and tones, avoiding unnecessary detail at this stage. This first layer
much affected by what is around it, beds down the charcoal. I work quickly and remain as unfussy as possible at this stage.
so getting a quick base layer down
on everything will help you make
more informed decisions with your
subsequent color mixing. Colored
pencils that use wax as a binder adhere STAGE 4
to the paper much better than pencils SOLIDIFYING
that use oil as a binder. COLOR
Use mediums to your advantage This is where I slow
towards the end of your painting down and perfect
to make minor adjustments in my block in. I start
temperature without repainting large to push and pull
sections. A series of thin glazes at the the colors to reflect
end can create cohesion in the painting a more accurate
and add to color harmony. portrayal of the
subject. I often rely
on complementary
color schemes in my
work.
Continued
STAGE 5
COMPOSITIONAL
CORRECTIONS
The image was lacking balance.
Most of the activity was in the
bottom left corner. I altered the
top left corner to activate this
space. I swap the low set glasses for
champagne flutes to add drama.
STAGE 6 ADDING DETAIL

The composition feels more balanced and interesting. I build up color
and detail with each pass. I spend time perfecting individual areas,
adding the smaller bits of information that build up the painting’s
realism.
STAGE 7 MORE DETAIL AND HIGHLIGHTS

Focusing primarily on the glasses and the flowers, I add in more of the finer details. I also add sprinkles to the right pink macaroon. I lighten some
of the areas that feel too dark.
STAGE 8
FINAL COLOR
ADJUSTMENTS
Sweet Treats, acrylic
on stretched ultra-fine
canvas, 31½ x 31½"
(80 x 80 cm)
I turn my attention
back to the painting
as a whole. I realize
the work is too cold
and needs to be
warmed up. Using
thin glazes of color I
move both my lights
and darks closer to the
middle tonal ranges,
and I make the final
decision to alter the
vase on the top right.
ABOUT THE ARTIST

Sarah Abbott is a West Australian artist that Represented by
works out of her home studio in Fremantle.
» The Toowoomba Gallery, Australia,
Hailing from a background in interior design, it
www.thetoowoombagallery.com
was only in the last few years that Abbott began
» Satch & Co., Australia, 139 Albury St,
painting again after a 15-year hiatus. Dubbed
Holbrook, NSW
“one to watch” by Bluethumb, Australia’s largest
www.satchandco.com.au
online gallery in 2020 after listing her first work
for sale earlier in that year, Abbott has quickly Contact at
established a loyal following of collectors both in www.sarahabbott.art
Australia and abroad. Find me on
Her work has been featured in the popular
Australian interior design magazine Inside Out, /sarahabbottartdesign
and she was a finalist in the Bluethumb art prize @sarahabbottartdesign
in 2021. Her work is available online through her
website, or with gallery partners including The
Toowoomba Gallery in Queensland, and Satch &
Co., in New South Wales.
ACRYLIC
CANADA
DEMONSTRATION
Tatjana Mirkov-Popovicki
Expressive Patterns
Tatjana Mirkov-Popovicki emphasizes bold brushwork and rich
texture and in her vibrant coastal scenes
Ocean’s Gifts, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36" (91 x 91 cm) Coastal Arbutus and Jack Pine, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48" (121 x 121 cm)
This is a scene from the amazing Barkley Sound, British Columbia. The The coastal trees of the Pacific Northwest bask in the richness of the
golden glow of the richly textured sea stack reflecting in the water was rainforest ecosystem while enduring the punishing conditions of winter
what inspired me to paint it. There is a stunning contrast between the storms. Different species coexist and support each other like a family. This
sunlit, rocky areas and the serene blueness of the background. grouping made me think of how humans have a lot to learn from trees.
M y painting practice stemmed from

being uprooted after I emigrated
to Canada in 1994 at age 28. Upon
with the landscape, which gave me a
sense of belonging. I traveled in Canada
for 20 years and created an extensive,
area for a period of time. Coastal
Sentinels is my recent body of work
depicting the quintessential coastline of
arriving in Vancouver I grappled with well-received body of landscape British Columbia. I am grateful for the
issues of belonging, wondering how to paintings. opportunity to travel to these amazing
find an emotional connection with my My visual language utilizes expressive destinations, make plein air studies
new country. Art made this happen marks, rich textures and bright colors on location and generate an enormous
for me. The beautiful paintings by the with acrylic paint on a small and collection of reference photographs that
historical Canadian artists from the large scale. This reflects my awe of I use for my studio work.
Group of Seven triggered a desire to see the landscape and satisfies my need to My process has developed over time
this magnificent scenery with my own decode the physicality of spectacular and keeps evolving. I use acrylic paint
eyes and document the experience. The geological formations. because it allows me to work quickly,
act of painting became a conversation I work in series, focusing on a certain expressively, and change my mind if
Pacific Patterns, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 30" (60 x 76 cm)
This was the first studio painting I made inspired by the Bamfield trip that spurred the entire Coastal Sentinels series. This amazing beach is studded with
sea-stacks that seem to be on the lookout for what the future might bring. The sand is strewn by the goodies washed out by the tides. It was a perfect
subject matter for my expressive approach.
need be. The foremost principle for me is long stick with a pencil affixed on one very end. Most importantly, I find this
to approach every painting as a unique end. In the next step, the application way of painting conducive to generating
visual puzzle. This means that, although of the underpainting is done with ideas that can be tested and abandoned
the process is determined, my excitement bright, lively, transparent colors applied on the fly. I often reach for an
with the subject matter translates into a quickly with a rag dipped into the juicy unconventional tool to scratch in some
specific combination of design elements. paint. The blocking-in is done with a interesting marks or add a patch of
The excitement itself is by far the most large brush and loose, gestural strokes. unexpected, bright color to change the
important ingredient that I keep alive During this exuberantly chaotic stage, mood of a passage. The overall principle
through all of the steps in my creative I work so loosely that the actual image is to employ the expressive approach
process. is unrecognizable because my goal is in order to create a realistic painting.
I haven’t invented these steps myself. to create an expressive and texturally The main reason for this is to keep
They are quite standard, but I tweaked rich base for the painting. Making the me on the edge because I can never
them in a way that keeps them fresh order from chaos comes next. I carve predict how the painting will unfold. I
and engaging. For example, instead of out the shapes and establish forms while am always excited to see the outcome
using grids or other means of mechanical preserving the marks that evoke the of each step, and I have learned not to
transfer, I draw the composition on feeling of being present in the natural dwell on it when things take a strange
the canvas free-hand. To maximize environment I want to capture. turn. It’s all a part of the fascinating and
the fun, I sometimes use a three-foot- This process allows for changes until the ever-changing creative process.
My Art in the Making Coastal Patterns
T his painting was inspired by a visit to the Marine Science Centre in

Bamfield, British Columbia. I was mesmerized by the patterns of
water and land in the glistening light of the rising sun.
Reference Photo
STAGE 1 GESTURAL DRAWING

I sketched the composition by looking at my reference
photograph and thinking about the beautiful, abstract
shapes of interlocking water and rocks. I used a black
china marker which is a waxy, water-resistant crayon.
STAGE 2 SOFT, WHAT THE

MULTI-COLOR ARTIST USED
UNDERPAINTING
I diluted the acrylic Golden Heavy Body Acrylics
paint with medium and » Transparent red oxide
quickly rubbed it onto » Dioxazine purple
» Phthalo green
the canvas with a rag.
» Titanium white
I used transparent red » Yellow ochre
oxide, dioxazine purple » Cerulean blue
and phthalo green (blue Additional Supplies
shade).
» 48 x 48" gallery canvas
» Golden GAC100 acrylic medium
» Artist’s Loft Firenze flat brushes
sizes 16, 12 and 8
» Black and white china marker by
Phano
» Cotton rags
» Disposable paper palette
» Water sprayer
» Vinyl gloves
STAGE 3 DARK VALUES AND EXPRESSIVE STAGE 4 LIGHT VALUES
PATTERNS AND NEGATIVE SHAPES
I suggested the pattern of rocks by adding expressive dark marks with I used a pale mix of titanium white and dioxazine purple to block in the
dioxazine purple as my darkest dark value. I used a #16 flat brush and light areas of the composition, mainly the water and the sky. I wanted
a directional dry-brush technique. to allow for changes down the road so I worked thinly and loosely.
STAGE 5 MIDDLE
VALUES AND
TEXTURE
I expressively blocked in a
pattern of ochre yellow in
the rocks to establish middle
values while continuing
to develop patterns and
textures. I used the same #16
flat brush throughout most of
the steps.
Continued
STAGE 6 COLOR TEMPERATURE
I used a mix of dioxazine purple and titanium white to
add cool colors into the rocks. I will keep adjusting the
color temperature by adding cool and warm grays in
subsequent steps.
STAGE 7 FINALIZING THE COMPOSITION
I used china markers to adjust the final shapes. Some of them were broken up,
others slightly reshaped, and some were marked for removal, in which I paint
over them with opaque acrylic paint.
STAGE 8 VALUE
TRANSITION AND
BLENDING
The water was painted over with
several layers of cerulean blue mixed
with titanium white while blending
and transitioning from the darker
foreground toward the sunlit horizon
line.
STAGE 9
BACKGROUND
AND FINISHING
TOUCHES
Coastal Patterns, acrylic
on canvas, 48 x 48"
(121 x 121 cm)
I added greens into the
trees and rocks, blues
into the distant hills,
grays into the sand
and some sparkly bits
throughout the scene.
The rocks needed to be
adjusted with various
tones of gray.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Tatjana Mirkov-Popovicki is an award- Signature Artist and Honorable Lifetime

winning Canadian landscape painter based Member of the Federation of Canadian
in Port Moody, near Vancouver, British Artists. Her paintings have been
Columbia. She emigrated from Serbia in exhibited, collected and represented by
1994 after graduating with a Bachelor fine art galleries since 2005.
of Science in electrical engineering,
Represented by
and subsequently pursued a high-tech
career while studying and making art » Mirkov-Popovicki Fine Art, Canada,
part time. Her accomplishments include www.mirkov-popovicki.com
awards from national and international » Lando Gallery, Canada, www.
competitions, numerous solo exhibitions landogallery.com
and participation in curated art shows and Contact at
plein air events in Canada and the United tatjanamp@gmail.com
States. www.mirkov-popovicki.com
Mirkov-Popovicki is presently a full-
time painter with a passion for the west Find me on
coast and mountains. She is an appraised
artist with the Canada Council for the /tatjanamirkovpopovicki
Arts, as well as a past president, Senior @tatjanamirkovpo
MEDIA
MIXED
UNITED STATES
DEMONSTRATION
Aneka Ingold
Transient Stories
Collecting imagery from books and magazines as resources,
Aneka Ingold expresses the unique female perspective
I use an intuitive approach to art making and

rely on my instincts to create ambiguous
narratives that explore the female experience.
I examine a collection of both contemporary
and historical images as resource material and
let a story unfold from there. Although the
women I render do not represent any one
person in particular, there is always a part
of me described in each character I create. I
invent women that I hope will teach me about
what it means to be a woman. I intuitively
tell the stories that are not just my own, but
that of my mother, my grandmother and the
women that have permeated my life. These
women are my friends and family members,
but they are also women I identify with from
both history and contemporary society. The
stories I’ve encountered of uniquely female
experiences throughout different time periods
and political, cultural and social milieus
trickle into my allegories.
Through my image making process I
look for ways to show a uniquely female
perspective and imagine what history would
be like if seen through the eyes of women.
My subjects appear to me to be a composite
picture of the female past. I hope to assemble
their experiences into a narrative that
delves into the concerns, fears and hopes
of women across cultures. Making these
images of women is not only a way for me
to understand the woman that I am, but
the woman that I want to become. When I
draw women, what I am most interested in
is cross-examining societal expectations that
try to categorize women and prevent them
from being the complicated and complex
individuals that they are today and always
have been. Fecundity, mixed media on panel, 72 x 48" (182 x 121 cm)
Vesna, mixed media on panel, 30 x 22" (76 x 55 cm)
To begin, I collect my source

material from books and magazines,
and take photographs of the things
around me. I make instinctual choices
regarding what images and symbols
to collect. A visual catalog is built to
inform my work. I compose the objects
impulsively, letting them speak to one Temperance, mixed media on panel, 30 x 22" (76 x 55 cm)
another and gain autonomy. There is
a necessity to spend time with these viewers can communicate freely about with my story. This method allows me
images, combine them in different my art in meaningful ways. to juxtapose contradictory images and
ways and understand them on many My artwork involves both drawing embrace stylistic differences. If I try to
levels. The female protagonist is often and painting techniques. I combine flat control this process too much, it loses
surrounded by animals and inanimate color with areas that are more highly the excitement and mystery for me and
objects that activate the environment rendered to describe the imagery. I I stop learning from it.
she is in. The woman is sometimes in use a wide range of media as well as Through my search for meaning I
a domestic space and other times she mark making techniques to create a feel that I present a coded mystery into
inhabits a landscape. My drawings collage aesthetic. Prismacolor pencil which my viewers can insert themselves,
often contain a vast array of symbols renderings and patterns executed with requiring them to ask questions about
and patterns elaborately layered in paint pens are layered on a ground of their own visual history and identity,
space. Because symbols are transient, brightly colored acrylic paint. With this as well as their understanding of the
there can be numerous interpretations. method I am able to create focal points female experience. The narratives in my
The power that the symbols in my as well as a hierarchy of importance artwork are transient and have multiple
drawings hold is due to their ability within the imagery. It is also a way to meanings for multiple viewers. I believe
to change and transform with both play with perception of the space and a continuous challenge of the notions of
time and analysis, allowing them to draw viewers in. Not being tied down self is what we need to understand who
be related to on many levels. I strive to any one specific way of working or we are and how we fit into this world
to cultivate an open dialog where my a single medium keeps me engaged with each other.
Mixed Media Demonstration 89

My Art in the Making Inception
Resource
Materials

Blickrylic Paints (water-based Sharpie Paint Pens/ » Kneaded eraser » Sand paper
acrylics) Water-based/Fine Point » Pencil sharpener » Tracing paper
» Chrome yellow » White » Palette knife » Paper towel
» Fluor blue » Black » 24" metal ruler » Water cup
» Fire red » Red » FrogTape » Ziploc containers
» Turquoise » Fluorescent blue
» Magenta » Fluorescent pink
» Mars black Brushes
Prismacolor Premier Pencils Princeton Art and Brush Co.
» White (synthetic hair):
» Black » Round, size 2
» Spanish orange » Shader, size 4
» Poppy red » Shader, size 8
» Scarlet lake » Wash, ¾"
» Rose Additional Supplies
» Canary yellow » Rising Stonehenge 90-lb mixed
» Grass green media paper, 30 x 22"
» Spring green » Gesso
» Cobalt turquoise » HB graphite pencil
» Light aqua » Factis BM2 mechanical eraser
» Cool gray
STAGE 1 ARRANGING RESOURCE MATERIALS STAGE 2 LAYING THE FOUNDATION
To begin this piece, I pinned my paper to the wall in my studio and Next, I blocked in areas of acrylic paint and started to create my
prepared it with gray gesso. I then took my chosen resource material foundation to render on. I used tracing paper to lay down a guide for
and arranged it on the substrate as a template. some of the details, such as facial features.
STAGE 3
COLORED PENCILS FOR FACE
I used Prismacolor pencils to render the
face. I often start with a base color as an
undertone to make the skin look more
luminous and vibrant. I usually take creative
liberties and do not make an exact copy of
my photo reference.
Continued

STAGE 4
HANDS AND
FLOWER
I then rendered
more of the
important
storytelling
symbols, such as
the hands and the
flower. You can see
my home studio set-
up in this image.
STAGE 5 RENDERING PROCESS

This photo demonstrates the rendering process. I drew
individual marks with the Prismacolor pencils to create strands
of hair. I used a scrap piece of paper to cover the face so that I
didn’t rest my hand on what I’ve already drawn.
STAGE 6 CRISP EDGES

I used FrogTape to create a nice crisp edge for the background
color. I applied two coats of paint and let it dry completely before
removing the tape.
STAGE 7 ADDITIONAL COAT OF PAINT STAGE 8 BORDER AND HALO AROUND HEAD
Here I am adding another coat of paint to the background and I used a large mixing bowl to trace the halo around the head with a
reusing the FrogTape I had used in an earlier stage of the work. pencil, and then I freehanded the border with a small flat brush, which
I try to conserve my materials. takes a very steady hand.
STAGE 9 CLOTHING
In this stage I have blocked in the woman’s clothing. I have
also added the key necklace and rendered it to make it look
three-dimensional and make it stand out
against the flat color beneath.
Continued

STAGE 10 DETAILS IN CLOTHING STAGE 11 REMOVING THE TAPE
I used fine tip Sharpie paint pens to add more details to the clothing, I painted a red stripe in the background, and then I carefully removed
such as patterns, lace and stitching. Most of these things are the tape to reveal the nice clean lines underneath. I prefer the
improvised and not from resource material. FrogTape to the blue painter’s tape because it’s much higher quality
and creates a better seal.
ABOUT THE ARTIST

Aneka Ingold has two degrees in visual arts. She the 2015 Art Basel, Ingold was the Grand Prize
received her BFA in painting from Grand Valley Winner of the show Vying at Viophilia Gallery in
State University where she was the recipient of Wynwood. Her work has been featured in many
the Alexander Calder Honors Scholarship. She publications including International Artist sister
received her MFA in drawing from Kendall College publication, American Art Collector. Ingold resides
of Art and Design where she was awarded the in Tampa, Florida, where she teaches drawing
Kendall Scholarship of Merit Award. Ingold has and design at Hillsborough Community College.
an award-winning professional art practice and
Represented by
has exhibited her artwork extensively across the
United States. In 2019, she was the inaugural » RJD Gallery, Michigan, USA,
winner of The Bennett Prize for women working www.rjdgallery.com
in figurative realism. Also in 2019, she was one of Contact at
ten finalists for the 9th Annual Manifest Prize-One avanderhill@gmail.com
Award, presented by Manifest Creative Research www.anekaingold.com
and Drawing Center. In 2016, Ingold was awarded
first place at the Valdosta National All-Media Find me on
Juried Competition at Dedo Maranville Fine Arts @anekaingold
Gallery in Valdosta State University, Georgia. Her
work was also selected for the Surreal Salon 8, at
Baton Rouge Center for Contemporary Art. During
Inception, mixed media, 30 x 22" (76 x 55 cm)
Here is the finished piece. I added a few more symbols such as the branches and hoop earrings, and I also drew some extra wisps
of hair around her temples. When a piece is completed, I spray it with Krylon Fixatif and then I usually dry mount or adhere it
with Yes Paste to a Dibond panel for presentation.

PASTEL
AUSTRALIA
DEMONSTRATION
Ellouise Theron
Texture and Form
Using a combination of soft and hard pastels, Ellouise Theron
creates accurate renderings of her wildlife subjects
I t was love at first touch when I was given

a box of Faber-Castell Polychromos
pastels as a child, and since then pastels
have been a part of my life for almost 40
years. I started off with hard pastels, but
today I use a mixture of hard and soft
pastels as well as pastel pencils in my work.
With all my paintings I try to capture
an animal or person at a specific moment
and express it in a new but truthful way
that will hopefully intrigue the viewer
regardless of the subject matter. Building
my paintings up in layers, I see them
as journeys with several stops along the
way. Good reference material is essential,
especially for wildlife paintings. To that
end I developed my photographic skills
and have learned that a good photo is not
necessarily the best reference material. I
look for photos with strong shadows and
light areas. I believe Tolstoy when he said
that “all the beauty of life is made up of
light and shadow.”
Every successful painting I have ever
done had three things in common: good
design, accurate drawing and a strong
value structure. Doing those thumbnail
sketches are worth it! That is where I work
out different compositional options and the
value structure. I also do small color studies
on the same paper on which I intend to do
the final work.
I mainly use Art Spectrum Colourfix
(original) papers. They have a variety of
Kruger Elephant Bull, pastel, 25 x 18½" (63 x 47 cm)
different colors and if chosen carefully the
In this painting I wanted to portray the immense size of an African elephant bull towering above the
color can do a lot of the work for you as well savannah. This one obliged me by posing for quite some time before he crossed the road in front
as contribute to the overall harmony of your of us. Working on Art Spectrum Supertooth paper allowed me to put down more layers as it has
painting, as the same color is technically more tooth than other sanded papers. Working on white however can be challenging as the white is
present in every area of your painting. difficult to cover in the shadow areas.
Once the drawing is finalized, I
check all the proportions by viewing
it in reverse in a mirror. I block in
the dark values with a very dark Art
Spectrum Flinders blue or red violet
soft pastel, blending it into the paper
with my finger, a piece of T-shirt fabric
or a kneadable eraser. At this stage
the pastel load is kept very light to
preserve the tooth of the paper. The
aim is to create an underpainting or
value structure with a strong three-
dimensional feel. Success at this stage
almost guarantees a winner. I only
spray my work with a workable fixative Call of Africa, pastel, 26 x 37¾" (67 x 96 cm)
twice during the entire painting Few sounds define the African Bush like the haunting call of the African Fish Eagle. The contrasting colors
of white and chestnut makes this striking bird one of the most recognisable sights in sub-Saharan Africa.
process, once after the initial drawing
I did this painting on Art Spectrum (original) Terracotta. It is a very vivid color but made painting the red
and again after the underpainting is brown feathers a breeze.
established. This ensures I can find
the drawing again if I lose my way Crimson Joy, pastel, 27
and need to back up and prevents x 19" (69 x 48 cm)
the underpainting from staining Crimson Rosellas
subsequent layers. are frequent visitors
Working back to front and top to to my garden. They
bottom, I block the background in add a vivid splash of
with soft pastel using broad strokes in color throughout the
year. In determining
different directions, carefully blending my colors for the
with my fingers. The idea is to create background, the
interest in the background but not Munsell color Wheel
distraction. I then start with hard led me to pick the
pastel pencils working from the top blue green as a
on the medium and light values in compliment to the
the middle and foreground. Building bright red. It is also
the predominant
up the textures and shapes I pay close
color of the Bluegum
attention to the direction of fur, hair, trees the Rosellas love
feathers and curves as well as cool to frequent.
and warm colors. Keeping the pencils
sharpened to a fine chiseled edge is vital
during this stage. In the final layers I
switch to hard pastels like NuPastel
and finish with soft pastels like
Schmincke for their increased covering
ability.
Throughout the painting process I
will often step back or look at my work
in the mirror to check that I am not
losing accuracy in the drawing.
Pastel Demonstration 97
My Art in the Making Queen of the savannah
STAGE 1 VALUE AND COLOR STUDIES

Working out my design and value structure with a quick graphite sketch, I
proceed to do a thumbnail color study in pastel that will serve as a guide for my
final painting.
Paper Additional Supplies

» Art Spectrum Colourfix Paper (original) » Kneadable eraser
in leaf green dark » Thin cotton T-shirt fabric
Pastels » Paper stump
» Prismacolor Nupastel, Rembrandt, Art » Wolffs Carbon 6B pencil
Spectrum and Schmincke » General’s white charcoal pencil
Pastel Pencils
» Faber-Castell, Bruynzeel and Cretacolor
STAGE 2 DRAWING
Focusing on shapes and lines, I draw the cheetah directly onto Art Spectrum Colourfix (original) paper in leaf green dark with a yellow ochre pastel
pencil. I anchor my paper with strong magnets onto a smooth metal sheet on my easel.
STAGE 4
UNDERPAINTING
Using a piece of soft
T-shirt fabric wrapped
around my finger and
a kneadable eraser, I
soften and blend the dark
pastel pushing it into the
paper creating darker and
lighter values.
STAGE 3 DARK VALUES

Continued
After spraying the drawing with fixative, I use a dark Art

Spectrum Flinders blue violet soft pastel to block in the
darkest values. I keep my eye on the big shapes and not
any real detail.
STAGE 5
BACKGROUND
BLOCK-IN
Satisfied with my underpainting,
I spray it with fixative and start
to block my background in with
soft pastels turned sideways
following my initial color study.
STAGE 6 BLENDING
Alternating between blocking the background in with broad strokes
and blending parts into the paper with my fingers, I bring it right up
to and under the edge of the cheetah underpainting.
STAGE 7 MEDIUM AND LIGHT VALUES
With pastel pencils sharpened to a chiseled edge I put in medium and light values building the shapes and following the direction of the fur.
STAGE 8
ADDITIONAL
LAYERS
Alternating
between cool
and warm colors
and working top
to bottom, I add
more layers with
the pastel pencils,
careful to stay
true to the value
structure and the
drawing.

STAGE 9
HARD AND
SOFT PASTEL
Following the pastel
pencils, I layer hard
and then soft pastel
over some areas
to strengthen the
values and deepen
the colors.
STAGE 10 EYES
I do the eyes with hard pastels and pastel pencils and strengthen black areas with carbon pencil. I blend the carbon with a paper stump to prevent
it from overpowering the painting.
Queen of the savannah, pastel, 18½ x 26" (47 x 67 cm)
Final details in the eyes, nose and mouth areas are picked out with black carbon and white charcoal pencils sharpened to a very fine point. I do the
whiskers in white charcoal using a flicking motion with the wrist.
ABOUT THE ARTIST

Ellouise Theron grew up in South Africa and her drawing and a strong value structure is
art developed from a young age as an expression the key to success in realism. Her preferred
of her passion for the African bush and its animals. medium is soft pastels combined with pastel
She spent a few years in the Middle East, and the pencils.
colors of this harsh region also influenced her art
Represented by
direction. Living and painting in Australia for the
past 11 years, she recently turned her focus to » Aarwun Gallery, Australia,
Australian wildlife. Theron graduated in graphic www.aarwungallery.com
design from the University of Pretoria and is also Contact at
a qualified teacher. She has taught art across the ellouise.theron@gmail.com
spectrum from junior school to adult classes. This www.ellouisetheronart.com
equips her well to teach her approach that design,

WATER
COLOR
UNITED STATES
DEMONSTRATION
Lorraine Watry
Light as a Feather
Painting with transparent watercolors, Lorraine Watry captures
the weightless characteristics of her avian subjects
W hile “professional artist” and

“instructor” are my job titles,
watercolors, reflections and birds are
my passions. The challenges of using
watercolor to create a vibrant, realistic
piece of glass or metal, a bird floating
on a reflective lake or a hummingbird
caught in midair over a spray of water
energize me and keep me coming back
for more.
I have always drawn. Even as a little
girl, I was interested in drawing horses
and wildlife. Drawing is still a big part
of my artwork today. I use very detailed
drawings as the starting point for all
my paintings. I draw the scene on a
separate sheet of paper and include
Lilies and Glass Globes, transparent
marks for the shadows and highlights. I watercolor, 19 x 32" (48 x 81 cm)
use a dashed line in the drawing to note Painting waterlilies is still a favorite
where an edge might be soft or blurry subject of mine, and the glass
in the painting. For some detailed pieces floating in this scene made
reflections, I will use a little dot on a it extra fun! I used a very detailed
shape to note an area as a specific color drawing to give myself a roadmap
in the painting. before starting this painting.
My photos are a starting point, and
they often get adjusted for composition,
color and value. I always have my
DSLR camera with me when hiking
or going somewhere new. I am never
at a loss for subject matter because of
the variety of subjects I like to paint.
In the last 10 years, I have worked
on attracting hummingbirds to my Coral Chorus Line, transparent
watercolor, 26½ x 19½" (67 x 49 cm)
garden. Their personalities and flashy
I took the reference photo for these
feathers make them interesting subjects
coral flamingos at a local zoo. I used
to photograph and paint. I do not soft-focus edges in the foreground
use iridescent watercolor but instead and repetition of the birds’ heads
enjoy the challenge of creating shiny to lead the viewer through the
hummingbird feathers with vibrant painting.
Spa Day, transparent watercolor, 20 x 28" (50 x 71 cm)
This red-crested cardinal has no relation to true cardinals. I softened edges and used layering to create his wet feathers. I used a variety of grays to create the
contrast with the bird’s bright red head.
pigments and strong values. The specific masking tape I use is listed would be the wing of a bird in motion.
I go over my drawing with a black ink on my supplies for the demo painting. Besides the subject matter, what usually
pen. Now the lines are dark enough to Depending on the painting, the area catches my attention about a scene is
transfer to watercolor paper using my around the main subject may be all the light and colors. I like to paint with
light table. I prefer 140-lb, cold-pressed, soft-edged or have a mix of hard and transparent, vibrant colors, and I use
extra white watercolor paper. This is the soft edges. I find painting in some of neutrals as complements where needed.
paper I learned to watercolor on, and I the larger secondary shapes a good way In the last 14 years, I have taught
know how it performs with the water to take away some of the “scary” white my watercolor process in-person and
and techniques I use. After my drawing areas of the paper. I usually take my online, in classes and workshops,
is transferred to the watercolor paper, backgrounds almost to a finish before in private lessons and on YouTube.
I stretch it. I have a video on my removing the masking on the main Teaching my students about watercolor
YouTube channel explaining my subjects. also fills me up, and I feel jazzed when
stretching process. Then comes the fun part; I get a student picks up a new technique
I tend to start most paintings in the to work on my main subject! After or finds a way to express their own
background. I often protect my main removing the mask, I clean up any of creativity. I am inspired by birds, nature
subjects with masking tape and use the unmasked edges if they are rough and the play of vibrant colors in glass,
masking fluid on the smaller, more or not the right shape. If I want some metal or water. I enjoy painting the
intricate shapes. I prefer masking tape parts of my main subject to have a beauty of the world around us and the
because it gives me a cleaner edge blurry edge, I will soften the edge magic of creating a realistic subject on a
compared to masking fluid or frisket. prior to painting it. An example of this two-dimensional surface.
Watercolor Demonstration 105

My Art in the Making Flight of Fancy
Reference Photo
The reference photograph for this demonstration
was taken in my backyard garden. I use my DSLR
camera and a 300mm lens with a fast shutter speed
to capture these marvelous birds in motion. This
photo stood out from the others I had taken that
day due to the light on the Rufous hummingbird
STAGE 1 DETAILED DRAWING and his pose in midair. The beautiful colors of the
I do a detailed drawing for all of my paintings. I note the main lines of flowers in the soft-focus background are a great
the subject, and I include the shapes of the shadows and highlights. I contrast to the rusts and oranges of the bird and
ink my drawing with a black pen and transfer it to my watercolor paper Cuphea flowers in the foreground.
using a light table. In this case, I also used a green pen so the soft-focus
background shapes would stand out from the foreground bird and flowers.
STAGE 3
LET FIRST
LAYER DRY
I let the first layer
dry completely.
This helps set
the color. Then I
STAGE 2 INITIAL COLOR re-wet the paper
I mask the bird and foreground flowers. Then I start the wet-on- and apply the
wet background by painting the pink shapes, followed by the dark areas in
purple and then the green. I test the moisture level of the paper, the background.
and if the color moves too much, then I pause and let some of the Once I have color in the background, I will take time to review it before
shine reduce before continuing. I look for a variety of shapes, colors moving on. If I need to adjust some of the values or shapes, I will
and values with soft edges. re-wet all or a portion of the background to keep the edges soft.
STAGE 4 FEATHERS ON HEAD
When I am happy with the background, I will then remove
the mask on the main subjects and begin painting them. I STAGE 5 BUILDING UP LAYERS
often start birds by painting the feathers on the head and As I build the layers on the hummingbird’s feathers, I continue to adjust the
the eyes. This male Rufous hummingbird has vibrant rusty values to create the feeling of light hitting the bird. I use the white of the paper
orange feathers, and quinacridone sienna is my choice for for my whites. I use vibrant colors in the sunlit areas and more muted colors on
them. I start slowly and build the colors, shapes and values the shadow side. I use a small flat brush with water to soften the edges of the
with layers. wings before painting them. I lift a little color in the background to give the wings
movement.
STAGE 6 WASHES
OF COLOR
I continue to build the layers
of the feathers and adjust
with washes of color to
darken parts of the bird. As
a finishing touch, I paint
little marks to suggest small
feathers on his side and belly.
Continued

Watercolors » Transparent pyrrol orange » 3" flat wash brush » Masking Fluid
» Ultramarine blue » Perinone orange » Flat brush for lifting color, size 2 » Scotch brand masking tape
» Cobalt » Hansa light » Flat brush with stiff bristles for » Stapler
» Phthalo blue » New bamboge scrubbing, size 2 » Water containers
» Quinacridone sienna » Sap green Additional Supplies » Snap-off blade to cut masking
» Burnt sienna » Green gold » 140-lb Fabriano, cold-pressed, tape
» Quinacridone rose Brushes extra white watercolor paper » Mechanical pencil with HB 0.5
» Permanent alizarin crimson » Round brushes, sizes 20, 12 » Gator Board support mm lead
» Pyrrol scarlet and 6 » Winsor & Newton Colorless

STAGE 7
FINISHING
THE BIRD
I finish the bird by painting in
his tiny feet and begin work
on the Cuphea flowers. The
first layer of the flowers are
light washes of corals and
oranges, and I paint around
the white highlights.
STAGE 8
LEAVES AND
GREENERY
I then begin to add
some of the leaves
with a variety
of greens. As I
place paint on the
flowers and leaves,
I continue to judge
the values and
add layers where
needed.
STAGE
10 FINAL
REVIEW
STAGE 9 I review my
SHADOWS paintings when I
I paint on darker approach the end.
orange shadows If I see something, I
to give form to the usually wait a day or
flowers. I finish up two before making
the flowers with a change. For this
darker greens and painting, I decided
shadows on the the dark shape in the
leaves. background was too
large and chose to
lift some color and add another blurry purple flower stem.
Flight of Fancy, transparent watercolor, 12 x 12" (30 x 30 cm)
ABOUT THE ARTIST

Colorado native Lorraine Watry is a contemporary followers. She is published in Splash: The
artist influenced by bright light and beautiful Best of Watercolor series: Splash 14, Splash
views. She is an award-winning artist focusing 20 and Splash 23.
on waterscapes, wildlife and reflective objects. Contact at
Watry is a Signature Member of the National www.lorrainewatrystudio.com
Watercolor Society, among other organizations.
Her paintings have been juried into national and Find me on
international exhibitions, including NWS, AWS, /watrywatercolors
TWSA, FabrianoinAcquerello, AWA and Birds in Art.
Watry teaches in-person and online workshops, Lorraine Watry
is a “Master Artist” mentor for Mastrius, and @lorrainewatry_watercolor
her watercolor YouTube channel has over 27,000

WATER
COLOR
AUSTRALIA
WORKSHOP
John Lovett
Tricks with Masking Tape
John Lovett tackles how a simple household item like masking
tape can enhance your art
A roll of masking tape is not the

most exciting piece of painting
equipment. In fact, it is probably
down towards the bottom of the list
compared to the myriad of colored
tubes and pans, exotic brushes, fancy
palettes and easels. In this article, we
will explore just what can be done with
a simple roll of masking tape.
Creating Hard-edged Whites

One of the handiest assets of masking
tape is that it allows you to regain
crisp, hard-edged areas of lost white.
In this example, I am using a piece of
“Paint Erase” rejuvenating sponge, but
as you will see later, gesso can also be
used to reinstate lost whites. I wanted
more contrast in the focal area of this
painting so decided the dinghy on the
cabin of the main boat should be made
lighter. Carefully applying masking tape
around the perimeter of the dinghy
allowed me to scrub back the pigment
with the damp sponge. Peeling the tape
off reveals a hard-edged almost white
shape. A little shadow with a cool gray
and repainting where the marker flags
cross the dinghy gives more impact
to the focal area due to the increased
contrast.
Background Continuity
This painting of birch trees
needs a continuous background
that appears to flow behind the
trees. It is possible to paint this
and simply avoid the trees, but
a more convincing and dynamic
background can be made by
masking out the main trees with
masking tape. This allows some
vigorous brushstrokes to be
scrubbed in behind the trees.
The
tape is
cut to take
away the ruler’s
straight edge and to
get some variation into
the width of the trees.
Once the strips of tape are applied, the background After the background has dried and the tape removed, the painting can be worked over with ink, rigger
can be vigorously washed in and allowed to dry. lines and some tinted ultramarine gouache to bring out the character of the trunks.
Watercolor Workshop 111

Layering adjusted with washes of watercolor to masking tape and paper towels. This
This painting was built up in layers, build up shadows and depth. left just the bank exposed. By gripping
gradually getting darker and darker. a loaded ½-inch bristle brush right
The background leaves and twigs Texture Control down near the end of the bristles, it is
were made by cutting into the layer This painting had a number of smooth, possible to spray fine splatters over the
below with progressively darker layers. flat and graded washes. To add variety I surface.
The final uppermost leaves were decided to splatter some texture into the Before the splatters dry the tape and
made using masking tape and gesso. left hand bank of the river. paper towels are removed, and the
This produced a stark, hard-edged Shown in the examples here, the intensity of the splatters are adjusted
shape that, once thoroughly dry, was bank was carefully surrounded with with a clean damp brush.
Bricks
Painting tiny bricks is fiddly and time-
consuming. To speed up the process,
masking tape can be used to cover the
ends of a section of bricks. This saves
having to paint tiny half bricks at the
end of each row.
White Borders
There is great satisfaction in
peeling masking tape from
around the border of a painting
once it is finished. Suddenly
everything looks clean, tidy and
finalized. Not really necessary, but
gratifying after all that work.
Tip!
Masking tape can vary in quality. off the length you need and stick it the name down so you will know
Some types are just not sticky enough to your clothing before you use it. which one to get next time.
and some want to tear your paper This reduces the tackiness while still
Contact at
when you remove it. Experiment allowing it to do its job. When you
www.johnlovett.com
first—if the tape is too sticky, tear find a brand that is just right, write
Watercolor Workshop 113

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ON Location
Explore the studios or plein air setups of some of the world’s best artists.
TRACI WRIGHT MARTIN

1. My studio has great daylight, but at the 3. My favorite drawing easel that I use the most paints and an ongoing collection of erasers
drawing table, I need a combination of warm is the old drafting table that belonged to my and blending tools, from the standard art
and cold light to get the right look while I dad. He designed and drew many house plans supply versions to the less traditional makeup
work. I have my separate lamps set up for here, including several for the homes I grew brushes and sponges. Anytime I discover
each so I can alternate and adjust my light up in. When he retired from building, he gave a new tool for mark-making and texture
sources as needed. With all the mixed media me the table, and I love the height and the exploration, it winds up on the cart.
combinations I use in my artwork, this is a surface for creating my small and medium-
5. I’m a very sentimental person, and I keep
crucial tool for me. sized works.
a beloved piece of framed artwork by my
2. My wireless headphones are a must-have. I 4. I couldn’t begin to choose a favorite drawing niece, Bonnie, nearby. She drew my favorite
love the freedom to move about my studio or painting tool, so I would have to say that cinnabar moth for me, and it is a permanent,
while continuously listening to my favorite the whole, movable cart set-up is a favorite. inspirational fixture in my studio.
podcasts and music. I have so many types of charcoal, pastels,
See more from the artist: www.traciwrightmartin.com
117
OIL
NEW ZEALAND
WORKSHOP
Richard Robinson
In every issue of International Artist we feature a Painting Workshop
from Richard Robinson, one of New Zealand’s best artists.
Painting Sunset Beach

O h that glowing light! It’s a favorite
of every painter and non-painting
civilian alike, the majestic sunset. We each
only get handed so many of them, and
they don’t hang around so it sure is nice to
capture one in a painting and make it last a
little longer.
Painting the effect of a glowing light
source is in essence the same as painting the
recession caused by the atmosphere, called
atmospheric perspective. In atmospheric
perspective, everything gets more like
the color of the atmosphere as it recedes
Reference Photo: Ocean Beach, New Zealand.
from us. If it’s a clear blue sky everything
gets bluer as it recedes. If it’s a gray sky
everything gets grayer as it recedes.
The difference between that and a
glowing light or sunset effect is that
everything gets warmer as it gets closer
to the sun, and that happens in a radial
fashion around the sun. What’s the same is
that everything loses contrast as it recedes,
which means in effect that the highlights
stay the same value but the darks get lighter
and lighter in the distance.
The tricky thing about painting a
sunset landscape is that you have both
effects happening at once—atmospheric
perspective and a glowing light source, so
you’ve usually got a radial warmth and a
linear cooling effect. How well you observe
and paint that big transition from cool to
warm is the great test of the sunset painting.
I’ve found it’s made much easier if you
start out by painting a big soft gradation
of cool to warm as the first layer of your Richard Robinson
painting, then work into that, either wet Sunset Beach, oil on canvas, 15½ x 20" (39 x 50 cm)
or dry.
STUDENT CRITIQUES
1 Karen Woodhouse
Great job, Karen! This is a tricky one for
acrylics because of all the soft gradations
of color but you’ve managed that well.
Your brushwork is gestural and well
considered. I’d like to see a little gradation
of warmth on the beach close to the sun, as
the cool gray there is spoiling the glowing
light effect currently.
Also, as the yellow light reaches the base
of the mid-ground hill it is darkening
abruptly at the moment into a red-brown,
disturbing the light effect. A soft transition
there would be more convincing. The gulls 1
are a nice addition.
2 Evelyn
Tuhi-Herewini
Really nice work here, Evelyn. Beautiful,
lyrical brushwork and good drawing. The
only thing I’d bring your attention to is the
dark brown outline you’ve created around
the grasses in the left foreground. Outlines
tend to flatten depth in a painting, and this
painting is all about depth, so it’ll pay to fix
this. You can remedy it simply by painting
the top outline shape a touch lighter.
(about 10 percent lighter.)
If you look at my painting and the
photograph you’ll see that that section
is actually the hill behind the foreground
grasses, and goes down to the beach, so it
should be a little lighter than the darks in
the foreground. When you do that you’ll
see that the rocks on the beach would look
a little lighter as well to separate them
from the foreground. In the daytime you’ll
2 observe that the lights stay relatively the
same value as they recede in the distance,
but the darks get progressively lighter.
That’s atmospheric perspective in action.
Oil Workshop 119

STUDENT CRITIQUES
3 Barbara Magor 3
Sunlit beach at Perranporth
Hi Barbara, thanks for your painting. Looks
to me like a great start, and with some
more study of the demo painting this could
be improved. Don’t you hate it when the
teacher says “great start”?
The first thing, and the biggest, is the
big hill on the right. You weren’t quite
sure what to do with that, possibly
because that’s how the hill looked in
your photograph, like a big area of flat
color with barely any detail. Well you’ve
achieved that, but now you could add
some interest by introducing a big, soft
radial transition gradually getting lighter
and more orange towards the sun. Then
you could reshape the base of that hill,
turning it up to the left a little, and
darkening the beach with a darker gray
where the hill would cast a shadow upon
the sand. You could also add a few little
bumps and bushes to the edge of the hill to
give it more interest.
Next, you could add a similar soft orange
glow in the distant hills on the right, close
to the sun. To finish, add a few soft darker
shadow clumps in the foreground grasses.
Then sign it, put your feet up, and enjoy 4
with a good coffee.
4 Darla Calhoon
Hi Darla, wow, this has got a real blaze
of warmth blasting out from the sun.
Nice recession back there, if a little
bereft of detail. You’ve added yellow to
all your highlights too which has added
beautifully to the lighting effect. Just one
point: see the big S-curve of the edge of
the foreground sand dunes? You’ve over
simplified it, making it very smooth and
manicured, which, yes, is more peaceful,
but removes variety and interest from
the painting. Think about variety when
making the shapes in your paintings, both
big and small.
5 Mérie Botes
Hi Mérie, that’s a lovely painting you’ve
made with a convincing glowing light
effect from warms to cools. Exciting
brushwork and some beautiful shapes
in there too.
I’m just thinking that the details in the
foreground seem a little unfinished.
Being so close to the bottom of the
canvas I’d like to see all the edges
in that bottom inch softened and
made more suggestive rather than
descriptive. Its harshness is interrupting
the otherwise soft feel of the painting
for me. Beautiful work!
5
6 Peter Eckel
Great work, Peter. Nice color, brushwork
and attention to detail. Really nice work
in the foreground sand and grasses.
I’d just caution you about repeating
shapes in the rocks on the beach—see
how they’re clumped randomly, which
is great, but the individual rocks are
mostly the same size and shape, and
there’s a diagonal string of four of them
leading up and off to the right like good
little soldiers with all the same spacing.
It’s so easy to make this mistake
because our brains adore a good
pattern, so you need to consciously
work against it with every shape and
brushstroke in your painting.
6
ABOUT YOUR TUTOR

“Thanks to everyone who was part Richard Robinson is one of New Zealand’s
of the monthly workshop!” premier outdoor painters. You can view
his extensive online lessons at
www.mypaintingclub.com.
Oil Workshop 121

IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES OF ART
Harley Brown’s fascinating things no one else will tell you
YOU ARE NO ONE ELSE
I will continue to mention that I’ve
learned to not overly correct my
personal approach. I think in the arts,
Surviving in Art
Back in the 1960s, I continued
surviving in my art career and of
it’s always a 180-degree turn. My inner
mind connected and got the outer
mind rolling. I continue to thank my
whether writing, acting or painting, course, needed money just to live inner mind. And I’ll keep passing this
each of us must reveal our subjects (food and rent). A dealer offered me message on.
as interpreted by our uniqueness— a thousand dollars if I would do 100
freely flowing personal boldness and pastels for him. Ten dollars apiece. I What’s Age?
intricacies. happily said, “Yes!” He handed me I’m now decades older than my art
It’s what we’ve personally brought to the check, which at that time was a instructors were through my years
its moment of completion. The lights fortune. And over a good number of of learning, yet in my mind, they
the shadows, the cool and warm hues, months, I got him the hundred pastels. continue being my elder mentors. Like
the overall design. Careful foundation, At that time, I was doing pastels on my parents will always be my older,
getting those early basic strokes right velour. Yes, artists can survive. wiser and loving parents.
from the start. And what also counts
are those “finishing touches” where Drawing for Ourselves Our Remarkable Minds
there’s very little “correcting.” Like It’s necessary to state that feeling What we have within our minds is
singing a well-known song with a low pops up once in a while, as if it’s powerful beyond words. I recently
distinct interpretation carrying it a lesson not learned from last time got together with my graduating class
through. Listen to Willie Nelson’s “Blue it happened. I’ll describe it from a that I had not seen since 1957, and
Eyes Crying in The Rain.” The melody personal point: I recognized every face. Also, I’ve
is there and, oh yes, Willie is there. Feeling low after a few days without been watching films I haven’t seen
Classic. While we’re talking music, I’ll creating art. Flat. Empty. for over half a century. I remember
mention a major inspiration: Kate Bush. Knowing that nothing will bring me most scenes plus the heartening
out of this doldrum. Nothing! music scores. These are mere specks
Art Style Okay, so finally taking myself to my of what treasures are stacked within
I’ve been influenced by the masters studio and setting up to draw. our minds, ready to be reawakened.
yet never attempted to paint like any All set up, and I grab a conte. Strokes and colors in our artwork
of them. Their styles were obvious I begin to draw. today come from subjects now
and personal: Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Then within the first moment of observed and approached with the
Cassatt, Degas, Serov. Bits and creating something on paper, I’m alive! talents and skills developed in our
pieces of many artists go into our I’m flying! I don’t want to stop for brain cells over the years. All these
subconscious and come out into anything. cells somehow merging with our
our paintings, twisted by our own The sadness is gone. “Like it never lifelong memory vaults. To a great
personal interpretations. Like learning happened!” degree, we all have this happening
a language and speaking our minds. What I’ve described came about within our brains. Could it be that
Understanding a way of life in the early periodically over the years. A few days our minds are limitless in seeing and
years, with family and friends; then not drawing and my mind empties: hearing and intuitively interpreting?
comes the gradual, wondrous strength what’s going to get me out of this Emerging from past, present and
of individuality. feeling? Always, eventually, my inner perceived future. I say yes.
mind tells me, “draw.” And when I do,
STILL LIFE
WITH PIG
This work might be familiar to some of you. Here’s
the inside story about this painting:
It was done on the back patio when living in
Tucson, Arizona. I quickly grabbed those objects
from the house and placed them randomly on
the patio in front of me. No thought was given
to elements like center of interest or design,
even though I know center of interest and design
are important. This piece was purely the joy of
pastel strokes bringing things to life on paper. I
put my easel up and pastels on a small table. No
hesitation as my hand grabbed colors and began
laying on strokes motivated by those variable
objects plopped in front of me. Building accurate
shapes and values, working lost and found
edges. Detail areas, casual areas. You see that
plaster cast of the young girl? I purposely placed
her above it all. She seems rather happy how
things turned out. She’s right, it flows naturally
with those light and dark areas. Visual flourish
of basket with flowers. Large quiet vase. Little
pig peeking out from shadow. The colors work
well. I felt the greatest joy as my inspired inner
mind steadily pulled this whole work together.
Finished—now for a coffee.
A Life Lived needed all my life, a very comfortable I’m also devoted being with family
Most artists spend a lot of their time area where I can joyfully make art. and friends; art gatherings and
alone in their studios. Art can be a Keeping it relatively tidy is important. shows. Oh, those times we artists and
singular, self-absorbed world. I’ve A mess can “mess” the mind. Also, art families traveled together, experiencing
always been comfortable sitting or things in their proper place make those everything along with our art.
standing in front of the easel with the things less frustrating to find. Lighting Describing those journeys would fill
radio playing music. Maybe a dog or and its angle on the work is extremely several very interesting books. They
cat asleep in the corner. Over the years, important. I also know some artists were heartening, high-spirited times
I discovered that I was good company turn their phones off during studio way beyond normal description. For a
for me. I’ve never bored myself. time. moment here, I have to stop writing.
Here’s a side issue but nevertheless I like to leave the studio after the day So pardon me, I’m now setting up
of some importance. First, my “office” with any major problem resolved in the easel. My long-time music friend
(studio) is a very short distance from the painting or at least being revived. Beethoven will be joining me. And
my bed. It takes me 20 seconds to This is so next day, the work has a soon, Bob the cat will saunter into the
get there and settle down at the easel. positive feel. I say this because early in corner.
Who cares if I’m in my underwear? No my career, it took me a while to figure
dress code. My studio is a place of pure this out and what a major difference Life Will Show Us
euphoria. it made. Like leaving relatives with a When I started personal portraits, they
A good part of my existence is good feeling and excited to see them were all done from life. I did them
content in that place I wanted and again! Living in art is living with life. in saloons, restaurants, fairgrounds,
Important Principles of Art 123

BERNIE
This is Bernie Kosar in the middle of a football
play. This pastel visually explains a few things
about light, dark and design. We see his
fingers and face “lost and found” in light and
shadow. His white sleeve’s edge is “lost” into
the white background. His left shoulder into
dark background. The bright red helmet is
perfect against the general cool. Those lights
and darks all over make an imposing design.
Stroke by stroke you sense the spirit of this
portrayal. Thank you, Bernie.
door to door sales, and in time, major

commissions. This continued for
years. Eventually I started to work
both from life and using “reference”
photographs. When doing celebrities
for magazine covers, I would include
numerous photos of them to develop
the painting.
I don’t think I’d be able to do
portraits today, using photos, without
having all those past years working
mostly from life. Those times gave me
an understanding of what and who
I was interpreting in the real world.
People, animals, various subjects;
mixing reality with reference material.
It certainly worked for me. Like living
a full and spirited life while writing a
novel or directing a film.
Individual Minds
I often discuss about a major area of
art that I don’t comprehend. There was educate many of us who they feel need and subjects.
a time, I thought I did. As years went aesthetic help. These comparisons are not meant
by, there have been many things in Let’s now leap over to Joaquín to make one artist more important
life where I have had some second and Sorolla, a Spanish artist who painted than another. We each decide where
third thoughts. Much has to do with absolutely everything surrounding to gravitate. Bless the total freedom
this vast universe of art. his life. I understand his art. You’ve of thought in our wide open art
There are many famous artists that heard the expression, “he speaks my communities. This is so important.
I don’t “get.” For instance, with many language.” Sorolla paints with a unique,
post-impressionists and cubists, I can genius mastery that I totally admire. Ends with Odds
visually reach into their works but I was born and raised and studied In that moment I don’t comprehend, I
only so far. Certainly, I observe colors and approached my art in a world that utilize more of what I’m able to do. A
laid on, pushing and pulling shapes embraces artists such as Sorolla. He few thoughts in bullet form:
and forms; I just don’t see beyond is one of the great artists of history, • Because something we see is
that. There are those who are sure they rising to grand levels of originality, memorable, doesn’t necessarily mean
understand this art and obliged to with knowledge and love of nature it’s worthy.
• So much needs our attention. and art studios. When I was bullies in the art world. Doing
Awareness should have no limits. starting out, the bathroom was also their superior, noxious routines.
• As an artist, I can be an acquired my “studio.” The mirror was my Tiresome. Forgetful.
taste. Even then, I can go down the “easel.” The sink caught the pastel • Three good points in art:
wrong way. “dust.” comfortable, confident, challenges.
• What is red? No one can really say. • So many important art books, • I don’t mind being a bore; I no
Only see. Yellow? Purple? Blue? magazines; inspiring texts and longer go out of my way to try and
• How hard is it to pick up a sketch images. be interesting. My art speaks to me,
pad and pencil? I bought three • If you are a human, (or an elephant) with me and for me.
sketch pads today, pencils and you can make a career as an artist. This weekend, try listening to the
kneaded erasers. And had a smile. So many of my friends and I are music of Edward Elgar and Ralph
• Art supplies are abundant and are solid proof of this. We all wanted Vaughn Williams. Then let your mind
so much better today. and needed to be artists. wander into a blissful dreamworld.
• Artists’ homes: bathrooms, • It’s official, all bullies are total
kitchens, family rooms, bedrooms cowards; including arrogant
BA L I NOF S K I
THAT VERY MOMENT
This is a portrait of Harley that I did well over half
a century ago. He was 25 years old. My purpose was
to “immortalize” him at that very moment of his life.
Harley had eccentricities beyond description; in those
days, we couldn’t keep up with where his mind was
going. Here we see Harley with a certain determination.
Much different than later at an art party.
We see my brush wildly throwing on oil colors, yet
with close accuracy and very few corrections. I was after
that intense look while it lasted. Most importantly, I
wanted the shapes and strokes in background to work
with those shapes and shadows portraying Harley, all
combining as a total “real life” abstract painting.
I look back at that afternoon and remember the
brushwork put on with full charged spirit. Some parts
are crude but don’t bother me; it’s what was behind each
brush movement. It was like I was skiing with rocks
and turns in front of me, knowing what to do at every
instant. Dear reader, join me and “look between the
lines” with this painting. I do remember the last stroke
was that angled red on the upper left. Seconds after
finishing, Harley had a slight smile. Never the end.
Important Principles of Art 125

Spark. Creative
F
or artists, inspiration can strike anywhere at see it, or take elements of it to create something entirely
any time. In this section, we’ll present a new original. Submissions can be fully completed artwork or
photo prompt in each issue for artists to use as rough sketches. Every approach is the right approach.
inspiration for their next piece. Rather than a reference, In the following issue of International Artist, we’ll
this photo is meant to be interpretive. It’s a jumping highlight several of our favorite works (including your
off point—a means to spark creativity and get the social media information), along with the next photo
imagination going. Capture the image exactly as you prompt. Happy painting/drawing/sketching!
. For this inaugural edition of Creative Spark, all submissions will receive a free six-month digital subscription!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE : Follow @internationalartistmagazine and post your artwork on your Instagram timeline by
February 16. Tag us and include the hashtag #iacreativespark to be considered for publication. By submitting your art, you agree
to allow us to publish your work in International Artist if chosen.
Be sure to check out submissions by our talented readers. Search the hashtag #iacreativespark
Index Feb/Mar 2023
MISSING
ARTISTS IN THIS ISSUE
AN ISSUE?
Abbott, Sarah 76 Lane, Jesse 48

Balding, Aldo 62 Lovett, John 110
Banovich, John 43 Marrucchi, Alessandra 36
Barclay, David 68 Medici, Dominique 34
Boatwright, Phil 37 Meis, Rosemarie 14
Boedges, Mark 24 Mirkov-Popovicki, Tatjana 82
Brown, Harley 122 Neal, Michael Shane 32
Bullock, Dan 37 Norman, Vicki 54
Burdick, Scott 38 Page, Ginny 6
Donovan, Tim 42 Rinaldi, Adriana 11
Douglas, Georg 9 Robinson, Richardson 118
Ellis, Ciel 15 Rogers, Julia 46
Gamradt, Ray 44 Starkweather, Teri 8
Garip, Rukiye 10 Starwalt, Jen 46
Ginsburg, Max 35 Tako, Jason 44
Goggans, Thomas Caleb 35 Theron, Ellouise 96
Gurney, James 26 Thomson, Stephanie Paige 34
Horton, Mark Kelvin 45 Watry, Lorraine 104
Ingold, Aneka 88 Whyte, Mary 33
Jeppsen, Julie 42 Zambrano, Jeannine 12
Kirby, Ryan 40 Zhai, Yanqi 36
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INSIDE THE STUDIOS OF THE

Mission Bloom by Camille Przewodek

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Letter from the Editor 3

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17 Call for Entries

Columns & Features

22 Art Industry Insider with

Demonstrations, Workshops & Master Painters of the World

62 France 82 Canada WATERCOLOR

Fleeting Moments In terms of style, Page is continuously fragile, so I needed

shadows. my painting to start. I build up the detail,

color and luminosity using white and a

My Inspiration My Design Strategy My Working Process

Rosemarie Meis California, USA, Danica, oil, 30 x 24" (76 x 60 cm)

My Design Strategy cropped and composed for interest, » Website: www.cielellis.com

T he 31st Annual Colored Pencil

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SCOTTSDALE ARTISTS’ SCHOOL: Is it

Beyond the Palette with Scottsdale Artists’ School 25

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ABOUT THE ARTIST Find me on

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which we believe will give us the necessary

The Portrait Society of America 31

T his year, the Portrait Society is thrilled to

Michael Shane Neal, Dr. Nancy Brown, oil on

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