"Fountains and Flowers"

(unavailable....in the collection of dee day)


"Fountains and flowers are natural companions for any celebration." Not all Christmas Eve celebrations happen with snow falling. Many happen in tropical climates which can also be very special even without the snow and evergreens. I was drawn to this image in the same context of Christmas because most of my teen years was spent in the Rio Grande Valley. This would have been a typical scene in a hotel or town square. In fact, I was in bermuda shorts on many of those Christmas celebrations. So whether you are enjoying snow or tropical plants, may your Christmas Eve be festive.

This photo was actually taken in a public square in Sedona, Az. I enjoyed zooming in at many different angles to get the best composition. This one happens to be my favorite because of the interesting division of space and the flower contrasted against the neutral color of the fountain.

If you like pointed pen techniques and like to frame a piece with some simple flourishing, one of the things I think about is allowing the flourish to begin from one edge...go off of the edge and reappear from another edge as though it were one continuous line. It is a wonderful way to practice your "press / release" technique and enjoy the process at the same time. I think all of us could learn lettering a lot quicker by just playing with the pen and enjoying the tactile sensations rather than always focusing on forming the letters immediately. Once you understand what the pen will do, it is much easier to learn the letters. It also helps to learn the form of the letter with pencil first because it is very difficult to struggle with the pen, ink, and form at the same time. If you absolutely know what the letter looks like (after much pencil practice and even tracing), it will be so much easier to then deal with the pen and ink (or gouache).

As you can see (or read), I have my "teacher hat" on today. I just have a tremendous desire for those of you who want to do well with your lettering to have success and be encouraged to pick up the pen often....like everyday. It takes courage and you have my full support. I do not despise "small beginnings" because everyone has to start somewhere. Just some more things to try or think about as we quickly approach a new year and new beginnings.

"Star, Bell, and Tree"

($40.00.....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)


"A star, a bell, and a tree converged on the landscape with warm greetings." This beautiful photo was taken in Silverado, Colorado. Enjoy all the beautiful images you see as you move through your day. They are everywhere!

There is a beautiful contrast in this piece between organic and manmade shapes. Both shapes extend from edge to edge vertically, making it a great division of space. They are harmonious in the sense that they're both vertical and have an apex at the top, but they also have extreme contrast in texture, color, line, and shape.

The focus on photography this month has made me even more aware of how much can be learned about composition so quickly. If you have young people in your home or life, it can also be a way to ease them into understanding composition and move into the technical aspects of drawing and painting. (It is useful to carry a small camera in your purse or backpack with a zoom lens for those unexpected things you might see while you're out and about.)

For those of you who are into offhand flourishing, note the placement and direction of the flourish. It leads your eye right to the tree, bell, star, and quote. It's almost like an invitation to come into the piece. Just a few more things to try or think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Poinsettias"

(unavailable....in the permanent collection of dee day)

"Poinsettias say Merry Christmas by their presence alone." This piece could have been dedicated to my mother if she were still alive. On second thought, I think I will go ahead and dedicate it to her anyway. She loved poinsettias at Christmas and they did extremely well in the tropical climate of South Texas. Enjoy looking at these beautiful flowers for a few more days. I am sure you will see some, even at the grocery store.

This piece is a classic example of the two most powerful complementary colors placed in a neutral colored pot. Notice that there is only a small bit of green. In fact, when using direct complements, it is best not to allow each color to take up equal percentages of space. It is much more powerful to let one of the two complements dominant.

Another point about using white lettering if there is no white in the image. In this case, I mixed titanium white (out of the tube) with Liquitex Pouring Medium. Some of the specks of white will stay suspended in the medium which gives you a random placement of white specks to tie in with the lettering. The flourish in the upper right hand corner also unifies the color scheme. The white lettering would not have been nearly as effective if these connections were not established.

Another point, also, about cropping. I originally wanted to include the entire container in my piece. It didn't have the "wow" factor and the insignia on the pot wasn't showcased so the entire problem was resolved by zooming in and cropping the image up close. The "rule of thumb" is to allow the focal point to take up the largest percentage of your design space. Just something to think about.

"Shiny Ornaments"

($40.00....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)


"Shiny ornaments are the bling that dress the house at Christmas." There are so many shiny and reflective surfaces to enjoy at Christmas. It will soon be gone so enjoy the visual delight. It's everywhere!

Contrast is easy to overlook when designing a piece of artwork. Just having a subject or theme that's exciting can take us all on a flight of fancy until the entire piece is done and we realize that something is missing. More often than not, that something is probably contrast. Harmony is a wonderful thing, but too much of it can lead to boredom.

Take for instance the Christmas balls in a bowl. I think they look great in a glass bowl, but then everything is shiny and reflective. So in the case of this photo, I decided to put them in a wooden bowl which is a totally different material and surface texture. It adds a bit more drama and satisfies that need for contrast. Also consider the size of the objects in your still life shot. If all of the Christmas balls are the same size and kind, that too can be boring...and then there is contrast of color and shape. And on it goes. It sounds very easy to do, but I can tell you from experience that the failure to think about these things is easy to do when trying to make all of the other decisions that must be made to create a piece.

Christmas offers up a lot of visuals that provide ample opportunity to study the design principles of harmony and contrast. Just another thing to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Transparency"

($40.00.....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)

"Transparency is an amazing quality that describes some types of glass as well as people with integrity." This is a close up shot of a chandelier in an antique store. The contrast between the iron and glass was stunning and the whole image brought this quote to my mind. It also has a historic look and sparkle of Christmas.

The first layer of this image created the "wow" factor. I did a monoprint on Arches Text Wove, using ink instead of Walnut Ink. It is Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea, diluted with a bit of water and monoprinted on very wet paper. The actual photograph shows the glass as clear with little or no color. It will give you quite the adrenalin rush to experiment with these intense inks so you might want to peruse through your photos and look for some transparent glass. I suppose you could accomplish this look in Photoshop, but you would not have the "random" placement of the blue.

Just in case you may not know how to do a monoprint, let me explain. Pour or mix a bit of color, using any water media, onto a hard surface creating a puddle. Spray a piece of watercolor paper (or leave dry) and lay the paper over the puddle and press over the back with your hand. Lift and there's your monoprint. You can even do it several times until you're satisfied with the print. Dry and print your photo.

There is also a lot of gradation going on in this piece...not only in the image, but in the lettering. Gradation in lettering can happen two ways. You can either change the value of the medium as you write or you can use one value to write with and letter over several different values in the image. Either way will achieve a gradated effect. (Some viewers will hate this if it is more difficult to read, but it does achieve a nice "fading out" effect.) I will say that this quote is very readable if you are holding the original in your hand. Just a few more things to try or think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"The Fir Tree" (unavailable)

(unavailable)

"The fir tree poses like a living statue and throws its fragrance into the air." This is one of those poetic quotes that is designed to stir up special memories of Christmas trees in the home or the undecorated ones still in their original setting. Have fun thinking about and enjoying the trees in or out of the house.

Today is my 280th posting and it causes me to stop and think more deeply about process and how artwork gets created. I have noticed that most people, including myself, get to a certain level of proficiency and then tend to coast. The artists that truly excel are the ones who keep pushing through to the next level, continuing to notice the little "nuances" that will make their work better.

After blogging day after day, I will admit that there are days when weariness sets in and surrounds me like a fog. But because I'm a determined "little 'cuss", I have ploughed through the fatigue and much to my amazement, it is that process of moving forward in spite of obstacles that causes me to dig deeper. So I guess my point is...to never give up and keep honing your observation skills, keep practicing, keep taking classes, and eventually it all comes together in a way that is satisfying to you and others. Just some words of encouragement to think about.

"Time Fades Away"

(unavailable)


"Time fades away and politely bows out for special occasions." If you can remember the times when time seemed suspended because you were enjoying a very special occasion, this quote and image will speak to you on a very deep level. It could be a private moment or a time of socializing with a room full of family or friends. In either case, enjoy the recollections that come to mind.

This picture was taken in Silverado, Colorado. Capturing it again in a piece of art stirs up my own special memories. I hope you are noticing how spencerian script adds a historic feel to old buildings like this or architectural elements. The placement of the offhand flourishing was key in this piece and follows the branches of the tree that are already in the photo. I remember Hazel Dolby's words ringing in my ears about now. She advised our class to always ask the question..."Is it convincing?" Placement of flourishing, lettering, division of space, color choices, techniques, etc......all have to do with the answer to this question. If something is not convincing, the viewer will not be able to look at your work for any length of time.

So have some fun taking special photos while all of the decorations are out. Photographs can be printed on thin watercolor papers and then modified in a number of ways. What I have been doing is only one way. Try adding bits of well placed collage pieces, tea bag stains over the image, additional linework, even a drawing will transform your photograph into a piece of art. Remember that Acrylic Spray Coating will need to be sprayed over your image at some point in time to keep the toner from bleeding. It will be very susceptible to moisture if you don't do this. However, you might not want to spray anything at all. If you have printed your image on very good paper (i.e. Arches Text Wove), you will be able to write on it without spraying. Just a few more things to try or think about.

"Pinnacles of Stability"

"Classical form and tradition are the pinnacles of stability." There are seasons of celebration with family, friends, and as a country. They are important as markers of stability both individually and collectively. Just something to think about during the most celebrated holiday of the year.

This is another image from the Biltmore. The largest home in America has some of the most classical architecture I've ever seen. This is part of a bannister and my favorite form in this historic home. I used the same Pouring Medium techniques, but added a bit of collage to celebrate the Christmas season.

When taking photographs, it is good to be thinking about composition. The way you divide the space in a photographic shot will give you a repertoire of images to use when back in the studio. Generally speaking, I like to divide my design space going edge to edge. Zooming in will also offer a stronger focal point. With all the lights and colorful images this time of year, it is exciting to take many pictures and practice your compositional skills in the process.

The lettering in this piece was not the primary focus. It can be read, but the white on white values cause it to merge quietly into the background. But I can assure you that this image will read quite well from across the room. So the decision to allow the lettering to take a lesser role is sometimes the best choice if the image is dominating the space. These are just some things to observe, try, and think about.


Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Spirit of Grace" (sold)

(sold)

"Prayer is the spirit of grace flowing through us." This image from a cathedral in Santa Fe was the perfect background for this prayer quote. My personal prayer is that it will inspire you to pray and meditate on the grace of God today.

When writing on top of a photographic image, I think it is important to use techniques that will help the image recede into the background. Just writing on top of a photograph can often create a conflict of interest between the photo and the lettering. So if you have been captivated by this technique, refer to the late November or early December postings to review the instructions. It is a process that requires several steps of drying in between and finally drying overnight in order to be able to write on the surface.

The lettering I chose for this piece is a very unusual and compressed Spanish versal from the 1st century. I've always been fond of it because it has an "aged" quality and characteristics that are very charming. It was written with a pointed pen and Winsor Newton Bleedproof White. The little dots were fun to do and carried over into the flourishing. Yet another thing to try or think about.

"The Coast"

(unavailable)


"Even in the snow, the palm tree offers up childhood memories of the coast." This photo was taken last year from my upstairs studio. However, as a child this is what I saw at Christmas minus the snow. Whatever your childhood memory is, it's fun to reflect and cherish particular people and places.

White is an interesting color that can be the main attraction in a piece. I have been using it a lot because of its carrying power even on top of a muted background. There is a tendency to only use white in this way when the background is extremely dark so that it will show up well. But if you want a more subtle look, try using it on muted or "grayed down" colors. The contrast is not as strong as it would be on black or other dark colors, but the viewer can then be surprised as they get closer to the piece. Everything in a piece does not need to be distinguished from across the room. It was also nice to use tube acrylic white with the pouring medium with specks of it still suspended in the medium that look like snow flurries.

Another thing to note is the placement of the flourishes in the trees as though they were an extension of the palm branches. My desire for the month of December is to practice different placements and flourishes where they might not be expected just to show that they can be part of a contemporary piece. We don't all need to do flourished birds and use typical settings reminiscent of the 1800's....although there is nothing wrong about doing that. I still enjoy studying and looking at historical references and even doing "stand alone" flourishes with no hint of contemporary techniques, but it is exciting to push it to the limit. Just something to think about.

"Season of Light'

($40.00.....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)


"The warm glow of the lamp reminds us the season of light has come."  Lights have so much to do with the Christmas celebration.  They can have a deeply spiritual meaning or can be enjoyed as a thing of beauty.  Let's enjoy them together as we think of The One who brought Light to the world.

Choosing imagery is a great part of creating a piece of artwork. Each artist has to ask..."What will I choose first.. the image I am passionate about or the quote (if you're a lettering artist). For about two weeks now, I have totally been choosing the image first with no thought of what the quote will be. It is probably a bit more complicated if you are not writing the quote, but I know that if I choose architectural elements of any kind, especially the ones that have the right colors, I will be able to make it fit into a good quote for the month of December. Such was the case here, only I added the red bow. It is a piece of collage.

You might also note that more flourishing has been included every day of December so far. It definitely makes any image feel more like Christmas and it is good to practice how to include flourishing in unexpected ways. The flourishing doesn't always need to be included directly in the quote, but can come off of a corner or edge of the design space. Ideas for flourishing can be found in Michael Sull's larger volume of Spencerian Script or the Ornamental Penmanship that includes Copperplate Prints from the writing masters primarily during the 1800's. Both of these volumes can be ordered from John Neal Bookseller.

Just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Berries At The Gate"

($40.00.....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)

"Berries at the gate cheer the weary and bid them come in." There are certain combinations of things that serve as a warm invitation to go in and see what's inside. Limestone, wrought iron, and red berries will do it every time. There might be other things that trigger those same kind of feelings, especially this time of year. Enjoy the good feelings that those associations create.

This might be a good time to talk about the difference between using Fluid Acrylics or more heavy bodied acrylics out of a tube. The "haze" on the photography pieces I've been posting, of course has been created by adding acrylic to pouring medium and applying to the sealed photograph with a palette knife.....followed by spraying with water until the degree of "haze" has been reached. Fluid Acrylics are typically the best choice because they are already in a fluid state and mix with the pouring medium with no problems. In this piece, however, I used Titanium White from a tube. No matter how thoroughly I seem to mix the two, there are always a few bits that stay suspended in the pouring medium. It almost looks like snow falling. After this happened the first time I decided I liked the effect for the Christmas type pieces I've been posting. (This goes back to the idea that each and every person who picks up a brush will come up with "accidental" techniques while working. All you need to do is observe and make a note.)

Also, for those of you who write with pointed pen... Spencerian Script such as you see in this piece, is much easier to write on this surface than Copperplate (or Round Hand as some call it). You also need an extremely light touch to glide across this surface or your pen will stick and not want to move at all.

These are just a few things to try or think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.