Kathleen’s Art Blog
As an experienced instructor, Kathleen shares tips, techniques, and tutorials for acrylics, oils, watercolor, and sketching. She also gives insights into her artistic adventures to encourage beginners to start, and the more experienced to continue, their artistic journies.
The Process of Painting
I always start a new quarter by explaining to my students how important it is that we develop a practice of simplification and analysis before beginning a drawing or painting. I have them do an exercise to find large simple shapes based on value within a reference image. This helps tremendously!
Composition
We look around us and see a beautiful arrangement of forms. The scene, whether it is in nature, a grouping of objects, such as a still-life, or a figure, catches our eye. We decide to draw or paint what we see.
Beginnings
I began a new painting today. The images inspiring this painting have been floating in my head for a couple of weeks, since I made a trip out to Dungeness Spit on the Olympic Peninsula. Standing on the shore facing the Strait
Get Synesthetic!
Put on a disk of Miles Davis or Weather Report, sit on the floor with a large sketchbook & markers and start drawing!
Immerse yourself in the abstract sounds of jazz. Feel the ups, downs and circular motions of the music. Notice the traveling quality of the beat. What color is the trumpet sound? Is the bass cool or
Plein Air in Green Lake Park
A favorite of many in the Seattle area, Green Lake Park has much to offer for the plein air artist.
Plein Air in Seward Park
Because the view from Seward Park is wide and open you often see some nice cloud formations rolling along and – if you are fortunate – you will get a fabulous view of Mt Rainier hovering over Renton.
30 Paintings in 30 Days - oh my!
I realized that I have exactly 30 days before the Art Sale at Drawing Jam - the Gage Academy of Art annual all-day drawing extravaganza!
On my easel this week...
I'm working on a painting that has been sitting in my studio for months - waiting for me to come back to. Sometimes there is an initial inspiration that somehow
PASTEL PAINTING:Fall Color 10/6/2015 - 11/10/2015
Be inspired by the cool air, changing light and shift in colors of the fall season!
Pastel is a wonderfully expressive medium - perfect for creating vibrant paintings of fall color! Practice handling soft pastel while working with composition, hue, value, chroma, light and form.
