Category: Art classes

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Colors of summer, colors of garden

Farden painting, acrylic painting, garden flowers, garden fence

It happens every spring and summer: my students are very interested in painting something great which involves bright colors of garden or wildflowers. Therefore, I get my canvas and demonstrate patiently once more the attractive colors of garden which we see in spring and summer, and numerous plants which we can imagine.

It’s interesting that I have finally many students in private art classes. That’s quite amazing because usually groups were filling first. Certainly, private class is different from group class, and preparation thereof is quite time-consuming. We spend on one drawing 2 to 3 art classes and on a painting at least 3, but very often – 4 classes. That means I can finalize the art within 4 weeks.

I published good, very large drawings in the previous post, and it looks like they didn’t attract too many viewers and I didn’t hear the gasps which follow when somebody looks at the actual drawing.

While there’s often no other way, presenting art on the internet is boring and it never causes the same reaction as when looking at art in reality. I’d say, closeness and experiencing size of art really matter, and – to a huge extent. I usually do identify sizes of paintings online, but what you see on your screen is the size you experience. On the phone, the size becomes tiny. Needless to add that everything is extra bright on the phone and that might not always suit the painting. I do miss the chance to meet people in person, to share the thoughts behind each drawing or painting and steps of its creation.

Garden painting in acrylic, garden flowers, garden fence
Garden painting in acrylic, garden flowers, garden fence

I’ve been still working on putting together our house and starting a new garden almost in a forest, quite literally, and to me, this seems a never-ending task, at least for now. Therefore, I’ve posted hardly anything anywhere. You might think: what’s a big deal about giving a class, but for me it is a time-consuming preparation process and major input of energy into the actual teaching. I take teaching very seriously, just like I take seriously everything that matters to me.

Farden painting, acrylic painting, garden flowers, garden fence

Colors of garden, acrylic painting on canvas, 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm. The size of this painting is 24 x 18 inches or 61 x 46 cm. I always start a painting on pre-painted or color-primed canvas. It’s easier to paint like that for everybody.

I don’t want to disappear completely from the internet space, so I am posting at least one new, just finished painting. I do adjust myself to requirements of the demo, and this particular subject is strong, bright and very present, and so are the colors of garden. Colors of garden in any case can be breathtaking.

I hope you like the pictures scattered around this post, and I’d love nothing more than to sell something from my art collections. It’s been a long time since I had a live show, but one is coming up this fall. It was cancelled due to pandemic.

Colors of garden, garden flowers and garden fence painting

Original watercolor paintings for sale

Shop original acrylic paintings

Art collections by Inese Poga

I hope you have a good time at your place and enjoy the recent painting and other artworks!

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Not sure how to start painting? I have some tips

How to start drawing, drawing by Inese Poga

When it comes to painting, I wish all potential students had: the ability to create value sketches and drawings of whatever subject they intend to paint. That doesn’t apply very directly to abstract artists, yet, even they would benefit from knowing what value, color temperature, contrast, negative space, etc. is. More or less realistic painting features even more components, including direction of light, shadows, aerial or atmospheric perspective, linear perspective, elements of composition and so forth. When creating art, we cannot forget about the quality of materials, artist’s ability to apply them, and there’s also a spiritual and mental factor to creation of art. Confidence, inspiration, focus, being able to observe and memorize visual information are all important aspects of creation when you start painting.

Start drawing, still life drawing from real items

We were using real items for our still life drawing, its size is 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm

When everything comes together: theoretical and practical skills, experience, perfect mood and great materials, we can speak of excellent artwork. Beginners will normally focus on the technical side of creation, and using brush or pencil with confidence and skill, is a huge part of success. However, if we want to see progress, we have to build a base. Value sketch or drawing are the best possible base building blocks which help you start painting. Controlling graphite pencil is much easier than swiftly flowing paint, therefore, one can learn very gradually. Pencil drawing includes all aspects of painting, plus pressure control, minus colors.

Why is it important to know how the shadows are formed? Why is it important to create negative space and apply different values? Because that’s how our drawing gets dimension, depth and interestingness. If you are very familiar with these aspects, you will paint easier and the result will be more satisfying. Painting uses exactly the same visual components. If you are like me who has excellent visual memory, you will create art without thinking about these aspects. If you are just starting out, you will have to learn how everyone of these aspects contributes to successful painting and brings your idea to life.

Still life drawing by artist Inese Poga
Drawing still life
For this still life, we used real items again, size 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm

To be honest, it’s by far not enough to trace the outline and then apply color to create a painting. Painting works when you know why something is there and why it is like that and no other way. Pencil drawing teaches all of the above and provides with good hand movement memory. It doesn’t matter actually what medium we use: if we master the principles and components, only the physical application of medium is different. As we know: the stronger the base, the better we can build upon it. Not sure where to start? Start with drawing.

Start drawing landscape
Landscape sketching
For this spring creek drawing, we used photo which we modified as necessary, size 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm

Drawing big and huge is even better than simply drawing. The aspects and components of painting I mentioned before need space to make them visible. We use most often large size paper: 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm for classes. I use the same size for my value sketches. We don’t have to finish the drawing as finalized artwork, but we can do that, as well. I bring most of my value sketches to condition when they can serve as a reference for watercolor or acrylic painting. Setting up real items or viewing real trees, grasses and plants and anything else allows creating easier. I teach drawing only in private classes because it requires very individual approach. The attached images are created from real things and photos. The weather is great in spring and summer, so start drawing outdoors and turn your sketches into completed artworks.

Good luck! Thanks for reading!

Private art lessons

Art classes, schedule and registration

Original watercolor paintings for sale

Special art offers

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Playing with green color

Green spring landscape, painting in progress

Green is a color which we feel extremely attracted to in spring. I do feel that way, and maybe you do, as well, if you’ve had many months of grey and white view out of your window. I celebrate the return of green color since it uplifts my mood and promises nicer days ahead.

There are numerous concepts and assumptions about using green in art. Many artists avoid it almost completely not be accused mixing their colors properly. Just like with everything else, it’s better to have our own take on that and experiment.

For acrylic painting, there’ s practically no need to buy green paint. Why? Depending on your personal preference, it’s possible to mix up any green shade from other colors, including three primary colors. I don’t like aqua and phthalo too much, and although, they are strong and good for cooler areas, I prefer using the quieter tones.

Green spring landscape
After 5 layers are applied on the textured background

I love black plus yellow plus touch of blue, or blue plus burnt sienna and touch of yellow. Here and there simple blue plus yellow work well. The thing is we can have cold and warm yellow and very cold and warmer blue and that changes the green we are having. Every one of colors we get has some good potential for applying it. Where? It always depends on the project, intention and technique.

Green spring landscape
After 7 layers of paint or so

It is advisable to break up the green spaces with calming tones of purple, red or cool/warm brown. My most favorite set of basic colors for spring is blue, green, grey and some warm brown, burnt sienna or white. It is a calming combination and surely conveys the concept of an artwork well.

Green spring landscape
After adding light color to selected areas

I had a 24 x 20 in or 61 x 51 cm canvas from 2015. Everything is expensive right now, and that is an extremely high-quality canvas. I cannot recall what exactly my idea back then in 2015 was, but I decided to reuse it. This canvas had quite visible textures underneath of a few layers of grey/green/blue colors. I couldn’t change the tree shapes or location dramatically, the same goes for the water patch. Therefore, I adjusted the textured image and after a few layers it started to come to life.

Spring creek landscape painting
Green spring creek
Closer view of top and middle parts of painting

It’s interesting how many starting-out artists believe they’ve got to finish their painting in one sitting. That is the damaging impact of paint nights which are not art classes, but entertainment, and tutorials which use rather tiny canvas or paper. If the size of painting is quite large, it is physically impossible. Every single spot need attention and work. Acrylic paint requires timing the paint application. That means, we cover some areas very quickly and for some – we wait until the previous layers are dry. That way we get our colors to shine and shapes to work well. That translates as painting in small segments and retuning to them layer after layer.

Green spring landscape

I called this painting “The moment before”. That includes everything that happens before the nature explodes in brilliance of blooms and abundance of green in leaves and grasses. The photos are taken with iPhone and the camera of 13 Pro Max is quite disappointing. The actual painting has no real yellow in it, and the green is well-coordinated in cool and warm areas. You might not see it that way, but anyway, that’s how it is.

The moment before, 24 x 20 in or 61 x 51 cm. Enjoy!

And don’t forget to sign up for art classes: Group art classes

And look at other art for sale: Shop original acrylic paintings

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Inese’s Art Studio reopens in Pickering Village

Moving art studio, artist Inese Poga

It’s been an excruciating and exhausting stretch of time. These tough 5 weeks also seemed to last forever. I posted the previous article when I had started to pack, that was more than a month ago. My art studio wasn’t doing anything for quite a while. Now, after about 40 days of packing, moving, unpacking and sorting, I can say my art studio has started getting in shape, and I mean by that – in a great shape. Well, not everything has found its place yet, that is certainly a task for a few more months. The positive aspect of all these immense efforts is being able to set up my living and painting space finally.

Art studio, setting up

I didn’t have internet for quite a while and my work station wasn’t set up either. Just yesterday, I got to my most important art supplies. They are lined up now and ready to use. It is painful not to paint for a long time. It really is. I hope picking up my brushes over the weekend already. That brings me to the issue of selling more art, or rather selling any art. I pretty much know where any particular painting is, therefore I will edit the sale pages.

Art studio

Art classes are about to resume at full pace at my art studio, as well. I would like to keep the ages between 13 and any age adults. The type of instruction I provide with requires some life experience and some knowledge of basic matters. I intend to focus on three main directions in teaching.

Light in studio

The observational and realistic drawing I teach is suitable only for private classes. I’ve written many times how one can learn drawing, and that’s not done by copying or tracing a photo or mimicking a tutorial. Drawing is a very individual skill and it can be developed properly only in individual settings. Private classes can start as soon as April 6.

Private art lessons

Acrylic painting can be taught in groups and individually, but it is always best when the potential student has practiced brushing techniques. That’s the most important thing with any painting, but especially acrylic since it dries fast. Small group acrylic painting classes will start I believe on April 20. Initially all classes will be daytime.

Small group watercolor painting classes will start on April 19. Currently, only daytime also. I intend to stick to large size practice paintings, like 18 x 24 in. Using watercolor is amazing. Every wash creates art on its own, however, size really matters. The larger the watercolor application space, the better results can be achieved painting traditionally: leaving white of paper for white and using practically no masking medium. I personally dislike using it and prefer pure watercolor.

Group art classes

Inese's Art studio

If you ever wanted to purchase a painting of mine or art print, now is the right time. As we all know moving is a costly, and the time spent on moving doesn’t involve any business activities or even website updates. Unfortunately, shipping is what Canada Post charges me. Art on paper and 12 x 12 in paintings are not heavy, therefore, the shipping is mostly for size.

Durham region art classes

I still have lots to do, numerous adjustments and figuring out the best was of making every aspect of art studio easily accessible. Art studio has specific requirements when it comes to space. Thankfully, natural light is very good here, that’s a huge plus, luxury even. My art studio is overloaded with plants at the moment, but many of them go outdoors for spring, summer and fall, and by the next winter, I will know better where and how I can accommodate my plants.

I am so satisfied; the move is over and the worst is past me. Such a relief.

Original watercolor paintings for sale

Shop original acrylic paintings

Art collections by Inese Poga

I hope seeing some of you in my art classes, and I also hope there might be somebody who purchases at least an art print. I’m sorry, I was absent from blogging, but that is changing now. Thanks for reading! Enjoy pics of my not-yet-completely-set-up art studio. You are seeing just one end of it because it’s the mostly organized. Have a blessed spring!

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A little bit of nostalgic beauty: snow and winter paintings

Snow and winter paintings

Snow and winter paintings are a great way to start painting since we can interpret the landscape or view in many ways. We can apply warm or cool glow to the snow and winter paintings, we can use shadows, different colors for sky and use distance or abstract background. We can stick to a photo or do what I’m doing: implement some visual ideas from memory or just look through the window and paint what is there. Out of my studio window, there’s plenty: all kinds of trees, buildings and so forth, including spruce, firs, pine and there’s a big sky, too. Quite enough for my snow and winter paintings.

Snow and winter paintings
Snow and winter paintings
Snow and winter paintings
Snow and winter paintings
Fantastic winter paintings in acrylic, they might be on your wall!

Ontario weather takes care of the rest. Here and there, snow will be deep and bright white, capping every single branch and putting a warming snow scarf on every surface. It will have shadows in clear weather and it will show the branch shapes which puncture the clouds and sky. Altogether: it’s almost a finished landscape view, choose whatever angle suits better. Therefore, and because many of snow and winter paintings take origin as demos, I didn’t need or use any photos. The interpretation of these views is somewhat abstract. I will let the art speak more this time. It only has so many chances.

Snow and winter paintings
Snow landscape, country village
Snow and winter paintings
Enjoy the snow and winter paintings, they make such great mood for Christmas!

The collection of snow and winter paintings has grown quite big over years. It’s also a good selling feature before holidays. To be honest, winter and snow paintings usually sell only around this time and very rarely during other seasons. It’s a brief moment, and I believe I don’t really need more of snow and winter paintings at the moment. Until Christmas, we love snow and white wonderland landscapes. When it gets to February and March, oh my! We are totally tired of grey and white with spots of green which is also not the lively spring green. That certainly depends on the area where one lives. Ontario winter can be long.

Snow and winter paintings
Snow and winter paintings
The very large blue moonlight painting (32 x 26″ or 81.5 x 66 cm) is purely decorative art which looks very good since it has implemented crystals which shine by artificial light.

I hope you’d love to make my Christmas and maybe purchase some art. There’s way more than I can publish just in one post. Enjoy!

Shop original acrylic paintings

Special art offers

Art collections by Inese Poga

Thanks for visiting and reading!