Personal Art Blog

Sharing the lessons I teach at the Artist Guild and the personal discoveries in my art.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Avian Architecture - Demo at Gallery



















Mockingbird Nest with Five Eggs

11x14 oil on canvas panel  $650.. (unframed) SOLD

This is one of my favorite nests. I love the long twigs mixed in with
the inner lining of fine grasses and other bits of fillers from the earth.

Artist Note.
I did this demonstration piece at the gallery last Saturday. I finished it today.
I am always nervous doing a demo, but I had a group of supportive artists
mixed in with the crowd and I settled down pretty quickly.
The images are blurry for which I apologize.
.
I started with broad washes of Transparent Oxide Brown, Red and Yellow.
Following up with some  Ultramarine Blue

Below you can see where I start to form the shape of the nest by
lifting off areas and placing some opaque light shapes using opposing strokes
with a half inch angle brush. I am careful to keep my really dark areas
transparent, and finally placing the eggs in the general area I want them.


















BRUSHWORK
When painting something with as many twigs as this I use a
long script or liner brush. Different marks can be made
with the different positions shown below.

















Holding the brush at the end and more parallel to the canvas.
I can go right to left as well as left to right, with short strokes.
The brush fans out a bit and creates a slightly uneven line
which is perfect for what I want. Next one is for a thick or thin mark.

Holding the brush lightly at the very end of the handle
I can do fast downward curves as well as straight lines.
I use the tip to middle of brush at first ( lightly) then add  more
pressure to thicken the mark. This prevents the too perfect line

This is the control position. Holding the brush closer the front
I can do the calligraphy I want. I have my paint soupy,
but not runny.

















Fortunately this image is a bit clearer. I have lifted out the
white lines with a pointed shaper and the twigs are in
different grays and darks. Below shows texture in the
background done with some Fracturing with handy tool and knife.
I am painting the eggs so am holding the brush in the control position.
















Nest is gradually
building up and
look-see...the beauty of a real nest!

















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39 comments:

  1. What a busy lady! This is a very informative demo...fun to see. I love the beautiful glow behind the nest. Love how the lights and darks move through the painting. thanks, again.

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  2. Busy is putting it mildly. I have several commissions (from my show) I have to get finished as well as classes etc. Grateful you like the demo painting. Thanks, Helen.
    Love your pears... great color!

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  3. Can't believe this one is a demo. It is wonderful. How long time do you put into a demo? Thank you for sharing your process. As always you're a great inspiration and teacher. PS! Think I post the one that I mentioned to you, the one that didn't take the direction I thought of and was almost not finished. But I did thanks to my love, and now I think it is among the best one I have done.

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    1. Thanks Roger. The demo took well over an hour and then I showed some fun techniques with painting a nest with a fan brush and bright colors. A whole different approach. I worked on the demo for another hour adding and subtracting...tweaking to a finished painting.
      I visited and saw the piece "your love" liked so much and I agree... FABULOUS!

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  4. Love to see your brush holding techniques, Julie. The painting is just gorgeous, of course. You know, that pear painting (since you mentioned them) on the upper right side of your blog is so stunning.

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    1. Hi Sherry, thanks so much. IThe pear painting you like is the end result of the demo tutorial I made. It keeps on selling which surprises and pleases me.
      Looking forward to seeing your grapes completed. maybe over the long weekend?

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  5. Love when you do a demo... thanks for sharing. This is a beautiful painting. The background fracturing works so well with the nest. :)

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    1. I also like the fracturing with the nest. Texture is what the nests are all about and it seems to emphasize that part very well.
      Your raddish photo was lovely and made me want to buy some and paint them.

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  6. Lovely, lovely painting!,,Thanks for sharing your process photos!

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    1. I feel the same way about your lovely bird. I should paint him with a nest!

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  7. That is a good demo and I have a better idea of how holding the brush could make different strokes. Seems obvious but seeing you do it was helpful.

    I see you are plugging along nicely:)

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    1. Hi Libby. Thanks - glad you think it is good.
      I used to hold the brush pretty much the same way all through a painting - what a difference when I starting holding it in different ways for different effects.
      Congrats on winning not one, but two ribbons!

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  8. This demo is SO impressive, Julie!! and the painting is outstanding..as always, full of color and that perfect texture!!!
    I love it!!

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    1. Thanks Hilda. Nice of you to say so. I love what you do too.

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  9. Beautiful painting. A wonderful mix of loose and tight. Colors are so nice as well.
    Thanks for taking the time to share the pictures of the demo. Good luck with your busy schedule!!

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    1. Thanks Carol. Busy - too busy.
      Love your painting of the three bathers. Fun painting done extremely well.

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  10. The eggs are the most perfect blue. You always look painting look easy which is a gift as a teacher.

    The challenge you are doing looks fun. The painting Of Mice and Lego Men made me chuckle. My boys loved Legos growing up.

    Thanks for your last comment Julie. Our storm could have been bad. The tornado went back up. We were the lucky ones. My heart is broken for Oklahoma.

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    1. Hi Lisa - lovely comment and I thank you.
      Yes - the Botkin Challenge will be fun when I am more in the groove. I loved what the other artists did too.

      Oklahoma - helpless but we can send prayers.

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  11. outstanding! It is a fantastic painting and its fun to see the progress steps. Yes, you were born to paint AND teach. Just beauuutiful!

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    1. Thanks so much Celeste. I love your beautiful landscape today. I am so envious of you taking Ned workshop. How smart of you.

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  12. Your work has magnetism! Aww w just love it and your willingness to share. Makes me want to paint right this minute!

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    1. You are so sweet - thank you Kaethe.
      The orchid you painted is perfect in every way. I love and admire your perfect color sense.

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  13. i have to find more adjectives...i'm running out. i'm so drawn to your work...there's so much about it that hits that sweet spot of perfection! WOW!!

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    1. I appreciate it. I love and admire your work and you personally. So proud to be on the Challenge with you.

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  14. How nice to see how you GET there , final result is fantastic , you make it look so easy !

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    1. Thanks, Jane, but I am sure you agree - nothing about painting is easy. In fact the more you know the harder it gets.
      I love the painting AND title of your painting, "Forest of Bottles."

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  15. Seeing you,dear Julie, at work is thrilling!
    And 'as if everything is already in your mind and everything is made up, step by step until you reach the materialization. The colors seem to shine with their own light and your gestures like those of a conductor his musicians ...
    This is the great result of a life of constant commitment and love for Art.
    Your vocation as a teacher, allows us to watch this wonderful demo.

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    1. Rita, your words warm my heart. You write so eloquently. If you wrote a book I would buy it.
      Love the painting, but also the story of the sea shells shared after my comment..

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  16. This one is absolutely amazing, Julie! One of your very best in my opinion!! :)

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    1. Oooh... I like your opinion, thank you Dean.
      That is a beautiful dog portrait on your blog. A master class in how to paint the eyes.

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  17. Very sensitive rendering Julie along with an instructive demo. What more could we ask for? Beautiful work, as always!

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    1. Hi carol - thanks for the support. Really nice comment and appreciated.
      Your African violets are really lovely but I find your abstract to be quite stunning..

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  18. Beautiful painting and with a demo ! you really look after us.
    I had stop receiving your mail for a while thinking I did not want one everyday but I am so glad I rejoined at he right time to see one of your best work. Moniqueshaw-artblog

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    1. Thank you Monique. I am glad you did too.
      I love your red chair and the way it is painted. Full of air and mystery. Your fruit still life is lovely and I wonder it you will do one in the same technique you did the chair in?

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  19. What a lovely painting! Love seeing your process. Beautifully done.

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    1. Glad you like it. I like your Poblano very much. Colors and texture are wonderful

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  20. Thanks for the excellent demo and painting here! No surprise that it's sold!

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  21. great demonstration and lovely painting :)

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I love that you are taking the time to comment and thank you for it. I am sure other readers will enjoy them too. If you cannot comment through this format then email me at juliefordoliver@gmail.com
Cheers,
Julie