Celebrate in style includes my creations which I will post as frequently as I can taking into account that every painting takes between 6-8 hours a day. I also create decorations for display at store front. Plenty of very attractive three-dimensional paintings and gift paintings are available every holiday season from my art studio.
Winter trees under snow: great subject
Such art can be a great gift or a fantastic decoration. Winter trees are so adorable, and when the first snow is falling getting into the holiday and Christmas spirit is easy. Having this simple, yet beautiful tree on a wall is also a pleasure. I finished painting this tree image set and I could not stop enjoying and looking at it.
Idea and its implementation
The idea comes from the internet. I saw somebody had painted simple outlines and text on the wood, and I really liked the idea of creating such beautiful look. I just had to figure out how to achieve this without wood. I simply did not have any, especially suitable pieces. Well, I usually create what I do not have. The wood textures are painted on a regular canvas panel. This painting has touchable and visible texture, it even feels like wood.
December painting workshops
We will have workshop on December 9th. If you are not that far and reside in Durham region, Ontario, you certainly could take part and paint something similar for your own pleasure. Please apply here: Art classes
Rustic and cozy style
This time, I am featuring a rustic Christmas tree painting that goes well with rustic style. This painting is acrylic and texture medium on 20 x 16 in canvas (or 51 x 41 cm). The background imitates wood, and it is also painted around the edges, so it does not need any frame. Extra textured tree with beautiful snowflakes, I hope you love it!
Let us celebrate in style this year! It is nice to have something original on the wall. It is absolutely ok to create something when we cannot buy it. Enjoy and let me know if I can ship this wonderful rustic tree painting to you!
Art studio is a place to create, recharge, work, relax, nurture big ideas, turn ideas into reality and dream. I like keeping my art studio well-organized, neat and clean. It is because I’m used to that since early childhood: we had to clean all rooms in the house on Saturday, so that we can take a relaxing break in a dust-free and neat home on Sunday and start fresh on Monday. Early childhood habits stay with us for a long time, and I am grateful to my mom who always showed such a fantastic example of how to decorate with self-made things, how to sew something that really makes us stand out and how to use flowers and outdoor finds to make the space extremely cozy, lovely and welcoming. Thanks, mom!
I was a good student.
Organizing everything decently: first rule of success
Therefore, my desk is always tidy and not overloaded; my painting tables are always organized so that everything I need is within reach. People who paint something more complicated than abstracted washes are aware that sometimes every minute we lose in crucial moments later requires working for hours to bring back the effect we had achieved. Timing is everything with water media, either acrylic or watercolor. That’s why I cannot answer phone, as well, if I’m in the middle of painting. Calling somebody is really bad habit unless there’s real urgency. I rarely use phone for calls, except when contacting doctor’s office or similar places. Phone is always at the wrong time. Always. There might be extremely rare exceptions when we are expecting a call, and even that is disturbing.
This is how you never need major cleaning
So, the studio is organized, tools and materials are in their right places, and cleaning never takes too much time. The golden rule is very simple: if you want to never look for something, find a suitable place for every type of items or every particular frequently used thing and always put it back where you got it from. I have no problem finding everything even when the power goes out: I do place everything back where I take it from and I also have a very good visual memory. Photographic memory, I’d say. Extremely good visual memory is the result of drawing and painting. I do not need any lists or written schedules since my head keeps it in the right order and allows recalling exactly when I need it.
Technology and reality
In my case, more technology has killed everything I was doing, and that has led to not that brilliant sequences. Therefore, I do not use and I am not willing to use any technology in my painting process. That means drawing and painting mostly from either real scenes and subjects, or imagination. That works well.
Changes in artistic preferences
When I was studying at the University and even after that, I was really in portrait and figure drawing. Some people later in my life destroyed any desire to draw portraits. I just started to feel that only nature won’t present itself with lies and in a pretentious manner. I found beauty where I had not noticed it before, like in some simple piece of weathered wood, withered leaf, opening bud or branch of half-dry tree with bird sitting on it. I mean that type of things. Classes require painting more robust scenes because my personal preferences do not necessarily suit the vision of somebody else.
Designate a special space for creativity
It is a huge advantage to have a specifically designed place for arts and crafts. I have a specific sewing place upstairs where fabrics, threads, buttons, zippers and all kinds of additional materials are neatly sorted in boxes and on shelves. I definitely need a place where everything is ready and waiting for creative outburst. I do not understand how difficult it must be doing arts or crafts at kitchen table since that can be used only for limited time. That is a bad situation.
Canadian houses do not support creativity
When we were looking for a place, I noticed that Canadian houses are absolutely not suited for creativity: there is a kitchen, dining room, bedroom, one or more bathrooms, but nothing where to create. Basement doesn’t work, in fact, for art because artificial lighting regardless of how good or white it is will always distort the color. Colors are true only by the real daylight and for somebody like me who is extremely sensitive to shift in a shade of color this is crucial. Being in a basement doesn’t do any good for nobody because we need the daylight and, especially, sunlight.
Art studio: inspiration
Art studio: achievements
Art studio: beauty
Art studio: pleasure
Art studio: work
Art studio: inviting and rewarding space
If you do not have a place for your art studio but are very much interested in creativity and recycling things, sewing, crafting and similar activities: fight for it. We do not live only to sleep, eat and entertain ourselves at screens. I assume people who do not have any passion boring and just filling in the space where we could allow our creative spirit to lift us in previously unseen heights.
The many advantages of doing art
Art is helpful: it decreases addictions, helps overcome depression and bad mood, makes us more confident and self-aware, allows feeling not lonely, takes away sadness and despair, opens our eyes to new possibilities, fills us with gratefulness and appreciation and, finally: it is the best way of meditation ever because we have created something enjoyable and usable at the end, too.
Definitely, it’s time your family has an art and craft studio, too: to take a break from screens and to realize that genuine happiness means creation, not only consumption.
Art is even more than meditation. It transfers us to a different place, it happens in a different dimension and it results in a completely different experience. Just like most of us, I need to shut off the world here and there: to recharge, regain energy and clean my internal vision.
Painting takes away from any troubles and transfers us into the work we are creating, into another dimension. It is totally possible to forget to eat, to forget what the weather outdoors is; what day it is and whether there are some urgent chores to be done. The funny thing is that everybody can get into it. I certainly would advise to experience a moment when everything else disappears, but art is all that matters.
“Love veggies” painting is available from studio and this website
Many subjects are available outdoors.
Ash berries or rowan berries, watercolor
Sunflower sketch
I also got better pictures of sunflower sketch and ash berries. I am in the middle of a creative uplifting swing. I hope it takes me somewhere to higher grounds. Thanks for reading!
When you look at art for sale, it can seem sometimes artists are out of touch with reality and ask an unreasonably high price for their art. It seems so. I once asked a lady who had stopped by at my studio: do you know anybody who would work for about a month, every day, 6-8 hours a day and then get for all this work 200 bucks minus cost of materials? It wasn’t that I tried to make her pay more, it is how long it takes me in average to paint something. She was a nice lady, and she honestly said she didn’t know anybody who would work on such terms. I could add to this that I don’t know either, except fellow artists who for different reasons undersell their art.
Who benefits from art and artists A brief list of these who benefit not only from full-time artists, but anybody who creates art and tries to sell their art, are companies which: make pencils, papers, tracing papers, graphite papers, drawing sketching, watercolor and all kinds of art papers, make canvas, canvas panels, canvas boards, stretcher bars and canvas fabric, make paints, pigments, mediums for paints, solvents, varnishes, and all kinds of chemicals that are necessary for putting paint on canvas or paper at different stages or for preserving art, make easels, supports, frame and framing supply manufacturers, including mats, matting paper, glass, Plexiglas and similar materials.
Let’s add website and blog Every artists needs a website or blog, as well as social media presentation, so there are numerous platforms and hosting businesses which sell everything from security certificates to software for managing website, hosting, themes, plugins and many tools in order the website stayed functional. We should add companies which manufacture computers, tablets, laptops, cameras, video cameras and phones since we need to get the art image captured and transferred to online space.
Virtual and real space-related cost Space-related cost involves quite many aspects: any landlord who leases studio or showroom space; any utility provider who sells power, gas and water to the studio; any show, gallery, exhibition, fair, including juried shows, online competitions and online shows which charge a fee for putting the artwork out there; any online art sales or art print sales provider which charges membership fee and commission; money collecting and payment processing companies, banks, etc. also benefit from artists and their work.
More expenses That is not the entire list, mind you, and to some extent it is similar to expenses that are inevitable for any freelance or self-employed person. The creation of art is definitely at the higher end of expenses in regard to costs of materials and time consumption. Artists obviously pay for paints, paper, canvasses, frames and framing, fees for shows and gallery representation and any utilities, as well as monthly payments for studio regardless of whether there is going to be some profit or not. Even when art ends up in the wastebasket, it still involves cost.
Product and demand I know, anybody, who creates a product, must create it first and there is never a guarantee of selling it. However, most products which are 100% unique, handmade and original sell for much more than the materials and labor that goes into them. So, we have arrived at the most important question: who enables the artist to earn living? Who makes it possible for the artist to profit from their talent, work and efforts? That is, you, dear friend who loves art. These are people who collect art.
How does an artist earn income? The artist can only profit from his or her clients, who purchase the work whether as a product with art image on or in it, or as an original painting and drawing. Therefore, all artists are looking out for people, who love and appreciate art. People, who have enough money and are willing to spend it not on food, not on outfit, not on make-up or furniture, but art. Art is not a medication and it won’t cover you as a blanket, but it can feel that way, too. I know people, who can stand for half an hour at some of my paintings, and they feel exactly that: warmth and energy, and healing power.
Think about it I hope when you go to an art show next time and when you look at some painting, you will be aware that along with artist’s efforts, talent, time and soul, a lot of other expenses are included. That constitutes the invisible part of a painting which is quite frequently not covered at all.
Freelancing Being a freelance writer and artist is not easy by any means. There is huge insecurity. I never know when a new work request arrives, I cannot guess with certainty when a painting will sell. I obviously cannot work when I’m not well, and that causes other problems. The domino effect. Why to do this? At the present moment, this is the only option I have, and I just love creating art more than anything else.
A few watercolor paintings in fresh colors
I am presenting for reference a few large watercolor paintings which come as a result of many hours of work.
Peaceful, summer lake watercolor, 20 x 16 in or 51 x 41 cmMirror of spring, spring reflection watercolor painting, 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cmEarly spring along the creek, watercolor is 24 x 20 in or 61 x 51 cm
I am not sure if I will post something else before I fly to Latvia next Monday. I unintentionally have chosen the full solar eclipse day, but who cares. I am happy to go on this trip and see my family.
Illustration or sketch can be simplified in order to get it done outdoors or to complete indoors because sometimes the weather can be quite bothersome and not cooperating with our intentions. I would love to share some observations because they might inspire somebody to just get a pencil, a brush and paper and go ahead.
Do we need rules in art?
It might sound strange, but most people believe there are many strict rules when we draw or paint. Maybe the instruction on some sites makes one feel that if you do not follow these rules you cannot paint or draw. That is not true. While there are lots of tricks, shortcuts and favorite ways to get things done faster and better, one should not try to stick to something which we call strict rules. Not with creativity. Not in art.
Learn freedom from children
That would mean the small kid who does not have an idea of rules and instructions should not be able to draw. But the small kid is able to draw. Every kid is able to draw and paint. As people grow up they find out that life wants us to comply with requirements, regulations, rules and certain instructions. It’s no surprise they want to apply rules to everything what we do. I know artists who would call every step of drawing or painting a rule.
No rules, but observe principles
I would love to encourage these who want to try art, to just go with their intention. I hear quite frequently: I don’t know anything about painting or drawing. Well, you don’t have to. You just have to start trusting your eyes and trying to draw or paint whatever you intend to. We discover all main principles of art along the way. These principles are composition, color theory and mixing, values, contrast, direction of light, shadows and perspective.
What to use for watercolor sketching?
You can use for sketching everything you can afford or like. If you do not know whether you will continue or not, why would you buy watercolor brush at $75? We always use the largest watercolor brush that still allows achieving what we want. It’s pretty much common sense. You could live with just one number 10 synthetic, soft watercolor brush if it has a good fine tip. 20-brush sets from Dollarama won’t do anything, don’t go for these.
Decent watercolor paper
If you are applying wet paint on your sketch, traditional sketching paper won’t allow that. It is too thin. That’s pretty much common sense, as well. It could tolerate dry pencil or some pen, but not washes, especially repeated washes or paint lifting. I would advise to always use watercolor paper for drawing, sketch, illustration, practice, color or flow practice because it is thicker and can be made wet. If you are a beginner, you can use just beginner’s watercolor paint set.
You can do illustration or sketch any way you like
If you are afraid to draw right away with pen, do the initial drawing in pencil and go over with pen afterwards. Keep the best lines and erase everything else, and there you have a nice, clean, attractive drawing. Why to use pen? It is simply easier. Pen makes the outline clearly visible, the entire image looks finished and elaborated even when the drawing is far from perfect, but watercolor washes will bring your artistic attempt to life.
There is no wrong or right way to sketch, to draw or to paint
All artists develop their own style over time. Should you expect the first attempts to be perfect? No, don’t do that. Always tell yourself: let us see what happens. Treat all of your first year’s art as practice, as experiment. Some will be god, some will fly into the wastebasket, and that is absolutely fine.
Artistic mistakes can be interesting
People call everything which did not come out perfect: a mistake. That does not always apply to art either. Some artistic mistakes and flaws can become the foundation of your personal style. Some experiments can set the tone for anything you do in the future. Therefore: experiment, experiment and experiment!
Use any style
Illustration or sketch can be carried out in any style you prefer. Illustration can be done easily. I am advising to use pen just for simplicity and speed. It really helps. I also love the accomplished look of such sketches which can be definitely used as completely finished art on the wall or for any other purpose.
A few steps
Barn illustration, step 1, pen drawing
First we draw with pencil the main lines. We draw lightly without using pressure. After that we repeat the best lines in pen.
Step 2, adding background color
Choose whatever colors you love and would want in your sketch. Activate with water. Test on testing paper how transparent the watered down mix is. Apply small amount of water onto the main image area. You can use spray bottle if it creates mist. Check against light: if the shine is about to disappear, that’s the best time for first washes.
Illustration is ready after adding more washes with less diluted paint
Adjust and correct
If you allow first layers to dry and then make your paper wet again, nothing will happen to the first dry layers. It is safe to go over with water. Don’t rub or scratch with the brush; that will definitely take off some paint. Corrections are done with paper towel when the painting is wet: pressing paper towel onto watercolor paper will take off most of wet paint. When paper is completely dry, apply washes and use damp brush or paper towel to lift color or remove paint. Repeat until you like it.
Large 18 x 24 in or 46 x 61 cm sketch, done in a few minutes for demo
Pen and paper
The thicker the watercolor paper, the more things you can do with it. Cheap watercolor paper is for tests and practice only. It is simply too thin to do something more. You can choose any pen you can afford or like. Your pen can be different color, too. Black simply fits any other color and makes it stand out more.
All watercolor illustrations and sketches look great. If you want them to be better, practice more and don’t expect immediate perfection.
