June 23 - Acrylic Collage, for the DVD

This is WAY too much fun! Doing the final footage for the Acrylic DVD, and I'm painting another in the "Aunt Pru" series--acrylic collage gone awry! This is the beginning stage of one such creation, and it is SUCH fun to create by applying objects to canvas/board with acrylics. They are SO right for assemblage creating! This one might be called "Uncle Willie" when I'm done!


And the aikido seminar in Santa Barbara is past now, but I took over 200 photographs of the morning session, and attach one for your enjoyment. The camera worked its magic, having the focal point in focus, but the natural spirals and curves of the "art" of aikido very much in evidence. One of the reasons I find it so pleasing is the black/white/gray and no dominant colors--every color in these places is muted, and the calmness of the practice area is like a salve for the mind. There are no kicks or blocks in aikido--it is the art of blending. Now I'm home and can blend back into my DVD editing, caring for the goats, and giving thanks for living this life. Thanks for listening.
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June 22 - Aikido in Santa Barbara

I'm so happy I brought my watercolors in a quick dash for the camper as we left for Santa Barbara! The seminar with Seventh Dan Donovan Waite was absolutely exhausting in both mind and body! But what an opportunity to study the fluid movements of this master of aikido!

So what could I do but paint the effects of seeing the flow and energy in the training? Here is a watercolor, about 7 x 5 inches, of two partners in motion, one receiving the art and doing a high fall, and the one giving the art in a balanced, centered position.

Tomorrow we go back for another day--I hope I will have the physical stamina to learn and offer good partnerships. Then it will be back home to digital editing on the Acrylic DVD!


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June 21 - Almost Finished, Acrylic DVD Lesson Painting

NoW it is starting to hum! I've spent another 40 minutes of painting (soon to be edited down to the essential delivery mode in the DVD), and adding the lights on the focal areas really helps this painting along. Plus, I've added not only the waterfalls, but the greens of the trees along the shoreline. The painting has a bit too much blue at the top--due to my lights/camera interplay. But you can see that this one is progressing well, with a lot of textural nuance!

Ah, off to Santa Barbara tomorrow, to study with an aikido master, Donovan Waite. I am sure I'll learn a great deal, and nothing beats the ocean in summer and that incredibly romantic Santa Barbara! I will still post a daily painting, just will have a heck of a time figuring out how to do it!
However, you just KNOW my paints are going along with me!


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June 20 - Next Level in the Advanced Acrylic Lesson

Now this is where the painting truly "goes into the Uglies"! Every painting I have ever done goes into this stage before I add what it takes to pull it out the other side. At this stage, the painting is absolutely FULL of texture with the many layers covering that ol' white canvas. I know that these layers will add much to the finished painting, creating subtle variations that will delight the eye.

That the painting is so bland at this point is similar to an empty house, with newly painted and wallpapered walls. This is the backdrop for the furniture (horse, man and mules) that is coming!


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June 19 - Acrylic DVD lesson painting, second pass

This is the second layer of color that I've put on this 16 x 20 canvas, demonstrating the importance of layering in acrylics to build texture and hold to a good design. The areas where the horse/mules and waterfalls will go still has the least amount of paint, but look at all the lucious jewel tones that are in the lower part of the painting! This will be the water pool area.

I'm just about ready to start dab-dab-dabbing with my trusty not-so-dusty sponge to make the texture patterns in the upper area that will eventually transmogrify into trees! Such fun, cameras rolling, editing going on--never a dull moment!. Tomorow, however, I am riding, and going to take my camera in case I come across that coyote again.


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June 18 - The Acrylic DVD Painting LESSON!!

I'm deep into the final editing on the Acrylic DVD, and this painting is the one I'm doing for the Intermediate/Advanced section of the lessons. It is using the Color System, with some explanation, and will incorporate elements of water, horses and landscape. I'm really enjoying this!! The image below is the first pass to "get rid of the white"--sure looks like a mess at this point!

I'll post more images later today (running a tad behind on yesterday's post, but this is so exciting, I just had to make sure the presentation of it was done on a rested mind.



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June 17 - Sketchy Scratchy Kitty

Sometimes cats have "moments'. This is a calico (loosely taken from my own Pesto Kitty) that his having one of those don't-mess-with-me-I'm-busy moments. What is interesting about this smallish 5 x 8 acrylic on watercolor paper, is that it showcases the versatility of this medium, even as we see it handled somewhere between oils and watercolor in this fashion. I did this one for the slide show in the DVD on acrylic painting, so it will go on forever even after it sells.

I went for a ride this evening on Raindance, heading up on a horse trail to the north from our place. Out in the field about 40 feet from me was a coyote--so Rainey and I decided to see where it would go. Keeping about 50 feet behind it, we followed the coyote as it trotted up over some terrain that might lend itself to another trail! We lost it when the going got rough, and the barranca dropoffs were over ten feet. Time to get Vincent out with my tools and go for a hike and start a new trail! ... but first to finish the DVD editing!


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