Student Success Story: Jamie's Maui Painting

Triplets
See that gal? The first one on the left with the long blonde hair? Well that's our Jamie.

And why is she standing with three other people - each holding the same painting?

That painting is of Napili Kai beach resort on Maui, a very special place to Jamie and her family. In the 1960's Jamie's grandparents began visiting every year. Now 4 generations of her family have made Napili Kai a summer family vacation tradition. The resort holds many joyful memories for her and her family.

Last fall Jamie began creating her own original painting of this bay from images and her memory. She came to class several times every week, put in hours on her own at home and incorporated a number of private lessons in order to complete the piece before the Christmas holidays.

It was a lot of work but she made it with about a week to spare and had the painting imaged, printed and framed. And you can see the happy smiles as her family received them for Christmas.

Transformation
Although she intended this as a gift for her family, Jamie's greatest gift actually became a gift of inner growth. All her hard work and time has resulted in an exceptional mastery in oil painting.

I watch her in my classes deftly executing painting after painting with superb skill and speed. She put in a lot of hours last year - and now it's totally paying off.

A few months worth of investment has created Jamie into a first-rate artist. You go girl!

Artists: Expand Your Creative Observation in Just One Week

Increase your powers of Creative Observation with this simple daily exercise and you'll notice the difference in just one week!

DAY 1
Choose an everyday object and observe it using all of your senses:

• Study it, observe it's color, texture, patterns, shape and edges.
• Pick it up and feel it's textures and the weight of it
• Close your eyes - what does it smell like?
• Tap it with your fingers, how does that sound? Does it make a 'thunk', 'rustle' or a 'ping'? Run your fingers across it, can you feel a change in texture?
• Is this something that would have a taste? Is so, what would it taste like? Compare it other things.

Now put the object away - out of sight. Pick up your drawing pad and draw the object from memory. Include as much detail as you can and also aim at creating impressions of sound, smell and taste.

DAY 2
Again pick up the object and focus on it with all your senses, just as you did on day One. Again put the object aside and without looking at your previous drawing, draw the object once more. You don't have to draw the object from the same angle or position as you did on day One. In fact, it's best if you draw today using your new insights.

DAYS 3, 4, 5, & 6
Each day do the same things: observe, put aside and then draw the same object from a different perspective. Make sure that you DO NOT look back at any of your previous drawings.

DAY 7
On this final day SKIP observing the object - just draw it using all of your previous memories and senses. When you are finished with your final drawing, go back through all of your drawings and compare them. What changes do you see? How much has your observation of the object improved?

9 Ways to Improve Your Art Without LIfting a Finger

"Beach Path" ©Froshay

Practice Seeing
As you go about your day, practice seeing.

You practice seeing when you draw and paint anyway, now do it all the time and with purpose. 

1. Observe the movement of nature, of people and animals.
2. Study how the changing light affects and defines the objects around you.
3. Trace the outline shapes of different types of trees with your eyes.
4. Squint to simplify shapes and to limit the values that you see.
5. Notice the many subtle differences of color within just one leaf, a worn shoe, a shadow or that 'white' cloud overhead.
6. Let your eyes follow the contours of a pile of fabric, the face of a child or the car stopped in front of you at the light.
7. Close your eyes and become aware of the fragrances, aromas and scents around you. Describe them in your mind using only color and shape.
8. Listen. To wind chimes, a cat's purr, the breeze rustling through leaves and ask yourself, "How would I create that sound into a work of art?"
9. Touch textures and really FEEL them. Notice the difference between the bark of a tree and the soft fur of the cat. How can you recreate that feeling?

The more that you do this, the better your art skills will become, honest ... and all without lifting a finger - okay well, maybe you'll have to pet the cat!

Side Effects include a calming feeling, a closeness to nature and often, a gentle successful euphoria!

Drawing Tips: Solution for Broken Rubber Band

Question of the Week:
"Hi Wendy, The large rubber band on my big drawing clipboard (for the sketchpad) snapped and I was wondering if you knew where (either in person or online) I could purchase a replacement?
Thanks, Victoria".

Well Victoria, these bands use to last for years, but this is no longer the case. You can sometimes go back to your local art store or go online and order replacement bands. It's best to order several though, because they are just going to keep on breaking.

10 Shot Bands

I once purchase about 10 of these large drawing boards to have on hand for new students. I had them stacked in a corner of my studio and one morning I found that almost every band had snapped and shot across the room. It was just a matter of days before the last couple joined the carnage. It seems that now days most bands give way within a few months and if you just purchased your board (as Victoria had), but it's been sitting in the art store for awhile . . .



A Better Solution
So Victoria, I have an even better idea.

Head over to your local hardware store and pick up a short bungee cord.

You can snap it across your pad when you are ready to carry it and pop it off easier than you could the rubber band.

Don't get one that goes all the way around, just one long enough to go from one side to the other.

Easier, simpler and will last for years.

Or better yet, order one from Amazon: