In December 2021 I was diagnosed with Covid-19. Though, thankfully, my symptoms were mild, they progressed into something more devious - Long Covid (also known as Long Haulers or Post Covid Syndrome). Here is my visual journal of my experience so far, drawn in ink on hot pressed watercolor paper in a beautifully bound sketchbook. Click on any image to see it larger, and a video with VoiceOver of the Depression pages at the end:
My LONG COVID JOURNAL
Simple Colour Mixes
Starting with a basic, limited palette, this blog post walks you through my simple tips for creating harmony in your paintings and ends with a video showing how I use paint to create the effect of golden glows, basic skin tones, greens in nature, and sky colours.
Read MoreFinding the Value of your Colour
One of the most "valuable" parts of the painting process is learning to find the right value of each colour you want to paint. In almost every painting I make, I'm working on getting my values right and checking them after I'm done with the painting by stepping back and viewing the piece as a whole. No matter whether you work in colour or B&W, watercolour or oil; values are where it's at!
Read MoreArranging a Still Life Painting
Creating an effective still life requires three main elements of planning. If you’d like to learn more about my process and see a few photo examples from my sketchbook and scenes I played with before deciding on the one I wanted to paint, this is the blog post for you :)
Read MorePalette Knife vs. Brush for Colour Mixing
Colour mixing is one of the most challenging aspects of painting, and using a brush to mix your paints can decrease its life and cause issues with drying out during long painting sessions or when using acrylic paint. Read on to find out why I prefer to use a palette knife to make my colour mixes as I work.
Read MoreWebinar-style Online Painting Demo: Teacups and Florals in Acrylics
Join me for my first ever webinar-style demonstration held with Terracotta on July 30, 2021 at 12 PM PST! In this 2-hour demo, students may follow along as I paint a teacup, from concept to
completion.
Read MoreEditor's Choice in Southwest Art Magazine!
This post is completely gratuitous - this week I was surprised when a friend on Facebook congratulated me for being part of the Editor’s Choice article in May 2020’s Southwest Art Magazine… see more of the article here!
Read MorePREVIEW OF ONE-PERSON SHOW IN ATLANTA, Oct 2018
I'm honoured to be one of a two-person show at Lagerquist Gallery in Atlanta, GA next month, and just finished up the last of the series I'll be shipping off later this month! You can get more details about the show, here
Read MoreCustom Printing on Canvas for Fine Artists!
Nothing is ever going to be as good as the original, but I've just discovered a new resource for printing paintings on canvas that gives me the all options I need at the quality I've been looking for. Tall, skinny print needed? Want to customize the finish or detail it with some text? Check out this blog post for more…
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Time-Lapse Video: Sweet Tea
Time-lapse video and details about my planning process for "Sweet Tea", acrylic.
Read MoreTime-lapse Video: Tea Cup with Roses
Watch a time-lapse video of the creation of the painting, "A Cup of Comfort". Feb 2018
Read MoreHow to Prep a Canvas with Light Molding Paste
This is a short tutorial video showing how I add Golden Acrylic Medium Light Molding Paste to my canvas before painting. Leaving it to dry overnight after I apply it, once it's done I paint on my gesso (I prefer a combination of Liquitex Clear Gesso for its wonderful tooth, and Golden Fluid Acrylic in the color of my choice to tint the support).
Read MoreA Glossary of Art Terms (of sorts)
After a while, artists start throwing terms around and forget that folks may not know what those terms mean. Well, here is a small start to a list of some of the terms I use regularly. I hope this helps a bit - and let me know if you have any others to add to the list!
Read MoreChoosing your Color Palette
Choosing a color palette for you painting can be as simple as first playing with color in a sketchbook!
Read MoreHow to Take Photos of your Work
If you're looking to save money, here are some tips to shooting your own photos of your artwork:
Read MoreHow to Clean your Brushes
Proper brush care is important, as those brushes are not cheap and keeping them in good condition is the best way to make them last. This video shows how I do it in my studio after each session.
Read MoreCanvas Prints at Costco? Amazing!
Can you believe this quality? I uploaded my high resolution photographs (I usually shoot my own paintings with a digital SDLR camera that I purchased at Costco five years ago) and for less than the cost of an 8x10-inch print at their competitor's website, I got an amazing 30x20-inch canvas print!
Read MoreValues Study in Transparent Media
Follow along as I show you a demo using transparent media to create a value study in darks and lights. Transparent media is worked light to dark, with your darkest values going in last. Opaque media usually starts with the dark values, ending up with thick light values at the end.
Read MoreA Proposal of Epic Proportions
One of my very favourite artists, Michele Usibelli, recently did paid me a great compliment when she recommended me to a client for a commission that she was unable to work into her schedule. The client, Kevin, wanted to propose to his girlfriend at the Seattle Art Museum (within a month or so) and he wanted to have it set up as a "Special Event" that would feature a painting of him proposing to his girlfriend in the space where the painting was sitting. Read on for more...
Read MoreTexture: Tactile or Visual
There are many different ways to add texture to your work. You can add it with your support choice, as a process on the base layer, throughout the process, or during the final steps.
Here are a few examples of how you can create texture before, and during the process. At the end of these samples, you'll see how you can add some texture to the final stage.
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