Sneak Pek

Sneakie Peekie of what I am working on.

Sick yesterday so this week's post will be late.

New Stuff!

Always on the lookout for new still-life items, when I had to go to Peterborough, NH last week I picked up these great ceramic hands at Bowerbird & Friends in Depot Square.   I am not sure how I will use them yet, but I'm sure I eventually will. They are not antiques, which is fine with me - smaller price tag! They were displayed holding place setting names on a set table. I also got a couple of new diner mugs which I am very happy about. If you haven't noticed I have been enjoying getting a little fun or kitsch in my still-lifes lately so these hands go right along! If you are interested in buying a ceramic hand too I found this one online from Urban Outfitters., It is a jewelry stand. http://bit.ly/gkUfK5  & here are similar diner mugs available online. http://bit.ly/f4h0jk They are more expensive than what I paid - but if you have to have it too there they are!

On the same note, the great Design Milk Blog posted some glass straws today, but I was more interested in the glass milk carton she mentions in the post. http://bit.ly/eQSUDn I googled it to see if I could purchase one and to my amazement  (I can).  There were other similar things like a glass ziploc bag! How fun! & don't even talk to me about the food face plate - how fun would that be!? Maybe not for a still-life.... but just for the fun of it! ;-)


Another new thing in my studio  is this cart. I got it last summer but just finally put it in the studio. It is a vintage cart that we picked up from a yard sale for $5! It is in perfect condition, no rust, completely sturdy. Actually it is in such good shape I am afraid to use it! I get upset when I buy something vintage/antique that has made it through the years unscathed only to shorten its life when it gets to my house. Well it was only $5 and is a very good example of why you shouldn't jump right away and buy one of those similar expensive ones made for artists and sold in the art catalogs. I've seen these several times at yard sales so keep a look out for one by you if you like it.

Can't wait to get to my art day on Thursday! See you then!

Nicole

2 Light Sources versus 1 Light Source

This is where I am at after 2 days of work. The plan is  to have just the face and collar area in focus and have everything else a bit out of focus, especially the window and masks on the wall.

I am really happy with the actual figure in this one. I decided to photograph him with the natural light of his home instead of dramatic lighting.  I stood him close to one window with another window across the room. This allowed some strong blue light to hit his face and hair on the right from the close window and filtered, fainter warm light to hit his face from the windows across the room. I like how this lighter airier lighting looks with the young adult, softening him. 

Just to show you the difference lighting can make, below is a portrait I did with my daughter as the model. I darkened the room and used one strong light on her right side. The dark reddish light on the left side is just the reflected light of the one light source bouncing off the other side of the room. It makes for a spooky dramatic effect. Dutch masters like Rembrandt and Vermeer were amazing at using this effect, although maybe they used this lighting because it mimicked their lighting in their homes! Windows or candles! 

I used this dramatic one light source lighting in my Zen series. 

Two Vermeers with very different lighting. Which do you prefer?

check out James Gurney's post on warm and cool light sources and their interaction! http://bit.ly/etxmhu

Beginning of a Portrait

This is a portrait commission I've just started. It is going to be about 18 x 24" and is done with Polychromos on Fisher 400 paper. 

Valentine Kid Craft Idea

It is Thursday & if you are getting to know my schedule you know that means it is a day dedicated to my art. Mon, Tues, Wednesday are teaching days & Thursday and Friday are my art days. Saturday and Sunday as well as evenings are family time. 

Before I start my colored pencil drawing of the week I wanted to share with you a simple Valentine's Day craft I did with my kids at school yesterday as I think it would be a great home craft in time for the holiday.  I did it with preschool - 3rd grade and they all enjoyed it and added their own personal twists to the project. I wish I would have photographed the amazing ones the students did or brought home my example from school, but I didn't think of it in time, so you will have to imagine my quick example below. 

So I know - what is the craft Nicole?!  Now that I hyped it up it won't seem so exciting. 

I often frequent Martha Stewart crafts for inspiration for my little kiddos at school and I came across this lace printing project. http://www.marthastewart.com/article/lace-print-stationery  I was thinking about doing it with preschool (3-4 year olds) and decided:

1) it was a bit too difficult for them and

2) I would have to go out and purchase lace, so the idea had to be tweaked. 

So what we did was make lacey heart stencils out of just plain old copy paper. For the smallest kids I folded their paper and had a line for them to cut on to form the heart, while the older kids made their own. Then they were allowed to use hole punches to make them look doily-like. Again, I wish I had some of their examples because they really went all out on them. This one is just the simplest you can go. They added rows and rows of hole punches, heart punches, flowers, zig zag scissors, etc. We also made separate stencils of rows of small hearts using a small hand held punch, which worked great for creating a frame around the card. 

I really like the kids making their own stencils and have done it with trees for a snowy landscape before. It gives them confidence and allows them to add their creativity.  It also teaches them about symmetry and positive and negative space. 

stencil tools: scissors, hole punch, shape hole punch, zig zag scissors

Next of course is the printing. If there is one thing I've learned as an art teacher of smaller kids, its that you do have to limit the supplies a bit so they don't make a big painty mess. What I did at school was squirted a very small amount of magenta, white, and turquoise paint on paper plates. I showed the kids how to sponge over their stencil using a very small amount of paint on the sponge (in all three colors) in a dabbing or up and down motion. They seem to want to drag the sponge across instead of dab, which quickly tears the cheap stencil and of course makes it go under the edge, so the little ones may need help to do the process right. I found that for the kids that were having a hard time, if either I or a partner held down the stencil with two hands while the child printed slowly, it worked well. 

The best part of this craft is when the child lifts up their stencil and sees the crisp design in all the marbled colors underneath... their eyes light up like its magic! 

Anyway! I hope you try it with your kids or grandkids and make a better one than my quick example up above!

I'll post the colored pencil drawing I am working on tonight or tomorrow. Cheers.