Durham region art classes Archives

October 20, 2024October 20, 2024

Creek in fall colors and rushing stream

Autumn creek, fall colors watercolor painting

Love challenge

Many years ago, I had done some rough sketch with watercolor pencils on a 24 x 18” Arches paper. Probably in 2009 or 2010. We used to travel a lot back then. The sketch was of a creek with trees in fall colors. While the photo of step 1 is very white and light in value, the actual sketch was not. You might know that it’s not possible to erase watercolor pencil lines. I didn’t like everything in that sketch, but I love challenge. I decided let’s try to make out something of this creek in fall colors.

Using salt on watercolor painting, creating texture on rocks

Applying layers of paint after removing salt, creek painting

Techniques I used

I don’t use masking fluid, but rather prefer painting large and even huge shapes so that it’s possible to paint around whatever I need to. Good, firm and thick cold press watercolor paper allows for lifting and adjustment, as well as layering many times over the basic color. Rocks are great for application of salt. When applying salt, one has to be mindful of timing, there’s fairly narrow window when this technique works. If the rocks are really large and the entire painting is large, we can do numerous extra things.

Steps for watercolor painting of creek in fall colors

Step 2, watercolor painting of creek in fall colors

Changing and correcting watercolor painting

The photos of painting steps of this creek in fall colors might not have the exact colors and contrast, however they give an idea of how one can change and improve watercolor painting even when initial shapes are not correct. I’m reading in Facebook groups how people describe watercolor as difficult and something one cannot correct. That’s wrong! If you paint large and on good paper, you can change and correct everything. The best colors to lift are all blue shades, even Payne’s grey can be lifted to almost white paper.

Use live art classes

I teach all painting techniques in my live art classes. I can see that online class doesn’t give one proper understanding of what and how to use, what timing should be applied, how to use paper towel, lifting and layering and what colors work and what don’t. It was a difficult picture to take photos of because of the distinct cool and very warm colors. Their use is absolutely intentional. That’s also important aspect – color temperature.

Imperfections are fine

Just like always, my photos could better, but I am going ahead and publishing the creek in fall colors. The reason I want to paint somewhat realistic watercolors, even imaginative ones is that abstracts are not challenging enough. I’m not worried also that absolutely everything isn’t perfect. When it comes to painting, I’m all for process and for challenge. If it’s easy, there are no thrills for me.

Black and white painting version of autumn creek painting

For beginners in watercolor painting

If you are a beginner and want to paint with watercolor, go big. You are not going to ever leant painting with tiny brushes on tiny paper. There’s simply no space for any effects. Also, using tutorials and watching somebody else paint isn’t going to help much. Brush and paints are important, but what matters most, is the hand that moves the brush. I would like to remind how important is value sketch in large size. Contrast and values are what make painting appear three-dimensional. To check your values, turn the painting in black and white. If it still shows the subject correctly, values are right, too.

Enjoy the art!

November 11, 2022October 10, 2024

My large sketchbook and ink drawings

Sketchbook as collection of ink and pencil drawings

My sketchbook is large 24 x 18 inches or 61 x 46 cm. It actually feels big and heavy. The tiny pocket-size sketchbooks don’t work for me. Why? If I get a good sketch and it has potential to be turned into watercolor or acrylic painting, I just trace the outline onto the respective surface. The initial sketch serves as a fantastic reference with all shadows, perspective lines and mood, as well. Much better reference than photo. As you might know, color is secondary, and values are primary when it comes to painting. Therefore, my huge sketchbook becomes a great collection of potential large size art. Some of this art is practically a finished artwork.

Advantage of ink and pencil drawing

Drawing is relaxing and it doesn’t require proper timing which is absolutely necessary for watercolor or acrylic painting because correct timing directly affects the result. For example, you squeezed out a lot of paint in order to paint for a few hours. Something happens, and the painting session is cut short. Paint dries and cannot be rescued and you will need to paint over a few areas, but sometimes – the entire surface. With ink or pencil drawing in our sketchbook, nothing dries out, nothing needs doing over, so you just pick up where you left it before. I consider this a big advantage.

Best subjects for drawing

I’ve always loved drawing buildings. And still life. Flowers are fine, as well. My huge sketchbook has numerous drawings of these subjects. For me, it’s important that I don’t need a photo. I rather construct the subject and add whatever needs adding as I go. I call that artistic freedom. I have a complete control over what I want to be on my paper. That is why my subjects often involve only things which I see around and have in the garden or house. Simple, easy and very manageable. Buildings, still life items, landscapes, flowers: they all can be made multidimensional on a flat paper.

We can do well without devices

Since technological advance has been immense, people do manual drawing rarely. They don’t have to manually write either, so the ability to re-create our idea, vision, imagination and reality is declining. The correlation between devices and use of camera is very clear when it comes to manual drawing. The more devices somebody uses to create their art, the less of observational drawing ability they have. I suppose, our brain dismisses everything we don’t engage. Why to stress out if you don’t have to?

Maybe try it

I can make these conclusions because I’ve watched how people go about manual drawing for many decades. What are their strengths and failures, how they tackle dimension, values and shapes. Devices have advanced a lot, but humans? Humans not that much. We delegate anything we cannot do well to devices since there’s a wide choice of them. However, manual observational drawing is an extremely rewarding experience. Large drawings in a big sketchbook can become the best artistic experience.

Large size makes all the difference

It’s the most fantastic feeling. We have the blank sheet of paper. I prefer large one for many reasons. We just play around and implement whatever we feel like. Using soft lines, then moving to stronger values and lines. All of a sudden, the image emerges. Just some shades of black and grey and the white of paper. That’s all it takes. Sometimes it becomes a fantastic drawing where one can literary participate in the scene. If you want to learn drawing, trust me – go big. Use the 24 x 18-inch sketchbook. Want to advance faster, draw large images. I also used Micron archival ink pen.

I hope you enjoyed this article!

March 31, 2022October 17, 2024

Inese’s Art Studio reopens in Pickering Village

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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!

December 22, 2021October 15, 2024

Painting merry Christmas

Painting merry Christmas decreases the dread and fears of pandemic. During the last years, we’ve had everything: surprises and shocks, excitement and anxiety, elevated moods and bad times, fears and hope depending on where we tried to celebrate our merry Christmas. All the ups and downs have left us sometimes in doubt whether it’s worth going for a full-scale celebration. Well, restrictions are part of our life, too. That doesn’t affect my intentions since I am not going anywhere.

I used to paint many winter, snow and holiday-themed artworks. Partially that was because I gave numerous art classes and students wanted to create something specifically for this time. What better way to wish somebody merry Christmas than with a handmade artwork? Since I took new pictures of some watercolor paintings, I thought to post them.

Poinsettia and sunset creek paintings are from 2010, birches, snowman and small winter landscape: from 2017 and January of 2018. The largest creek painting is a huge one: 53.5 x 74 cm or 21.5 x 29 in. The smaller version of Sunset creek painting is 14 x 19 in or 36 x 48 cm . Back then, it usually took me from 2 weeks to about a month to get done one large painting. I didn’t use any masking fluid, therefore, I had to paint around any tiny white spots. I still don’t use masking fluid since I cannot stand the extra hard edges it leaves on cotton paper.

merry Christmas — The big painting is on the right side

merry Christmas art — The big painting is on the right side

The online display has always seemed problematic to me, especially since I can never show the actual size of painting and changes in color affect the look also. My current WordPress theme has lots of limitations, but until the new one in 2022 comes out, I don’t see any other good options. I wish the Shopify buttons looked better, not that tiny or not that large with the full-size view. The horizontal images look unreasonably small with my current theme, and the vertical ones become huge. All of that misleads the viewer, and it’s kind of silly to expect art would make as much impact as it does in real settings.

Merry Christmas art, winter birch painting — Birch trees from 2017

Birch painting, winter light, watercolor — Birch trees from 2017

My studio was doing comparatively great in Whitby up to August 2018, but the frequent moving, relocating to Ajax and years of pandemic are a bit of disaster. Internet environment has changed to a great extent, as well. There are abnormally many places to post art, but none really which can be used effectively. For me, posting on Facebook or similar places has not resulted in extra reach, I’ve got a bit more than 1,000 likes. I’m not on Instagram because I don’t use phone. We can post now from computer also, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it. When I had a giveaway, Facebook wanted me to pay for the post in order somebody would see it. Does that make sense? Not for me.

Red poinsettia watercolor painting — Red poinsettia in rich red tones, snowman was simply fun to paint

Merry Christmas snowman — Red poinsettia in rich red tones, snowman was simply fun to paint

The winter solstice was yesterday, and now, we are very close to our merry Christmas of the second pandemic year. I suppose, many of us simply scale down and still have some good moments. We’ve got a smaller size, but very good-looking tree this year. The numerous room plants, as well my art on all surfaces around us, takes care of festive settings. I didn’t buy any gifts neither last year, nor this. I intend to paint one gift still. It won’t be season-related, but I should get to work.

Maybe you could paint some merry Christmas art, too? The snowman and blue snow landscape were painted just for fun. It makes most sense to create such art for yourself and to your liking. The good thing about art is: it doesn’t expire and it’s always in style as long as you like it. Art is also the most memorable gift we can get or give. Years will pass, but when you look at a particular painting, you’ll always recall when you got it, who gave it to you, or how you created it. Art visualizes our memories and they stay with us for a lifetime.

I’d like to wish merry Christmas to everybody who celebrates it, and a nice holiday season to these, who have other festivities planned! Stay healthy and safe!

Original watercolor paintings for sale

Shop original acrylic paintings

Art collections by Inese Poga

September 7, 2021October 13, 2024

Pure, transparent watercolor – rose geranium

Watercolor painting, pink geranium, floral watercolor

Geranium is a healing plant, my mom told me to have a geranium plant always at my workspace, window ledge or in living room. Its energy is simply uplifting, and it blocks out bad vibrations and cleans air. How can you not love the geranium blooms? I have two kinds of blooming geranium currently: the pink rose geranium and bright orange-red geranium; besides, the red is more present, altogether looking like one of my most favorite colors. Well, pink color is great for painting. It’s also easier to photograph than, for instance yellow or red.

I started this painting not only because I adore the fluffy, colorful blooms and well-shaped leaves of geranium plants, but also because I wanted to create support material for art classes. Most students who’d love to learn painting, cannot really draw. Therefore, they normally trace photos or print-outs. It must be tough, and, thanks to my early devotion to drawing, I can draw anything on the spot. I created outline drawing of a large bloom and added a few leaves. As it appears, the drawing paper (it was actually some kind of newsprint I think, large sheets) was a bit smaller than my watercolor paper.

Geranium painting, watercolor — Here you can see the progress of geranium painting

My painting composition looked fine as outline sketch, but after a few first layers I could see that something is missing, so I got a reference leaf and drew it in the upper right part. I kept adding layers, and the flower which actually consists of numerous small blooms came more and more to life. Around layer 5 I think, I discovered that the bottom part needs something more, so I added half of a leaf and small corner of as if leaf.

Pink geranium, watercolor painting — Detail of the pink geranium watercolor painting

While it is step 1, step 2 and so forth, each step took quite a few hours, and the entire painting – about 8 full days. I hadn’t counted on all parts requiring so many layers. The paper isn’t Arches again, it is Strathmore 400 series which comes in this size I like 24 x 18 inches (61 x 46 cm) and which I had available. You cannot create very attractive washes on this paper, therefore, I intentionally left the background white. Certainly, if you want washes in your painting, you have to use cotton paper. There is no comparison how wash looks on Strathmore paper which is still very thick and firm, and on Arches which is at least 140 lb.

I do most parts of painting with my number 14 brush. I’m so happy it has still the fine tip, but it has started to wear down. Well, I have 3 of the same brushes, and two are useable. Not only it is faster, it is a lot easier, too, to cover an area with paint and add some other color to it. I do not like a few things with watercolor – using masking fluid and using very dark colors. I never use black in watercolor. For that case, there’s Payne’s grey, we can use Sepia, purple, indigo and so on. That allows creating gradual transparent color which looks almost black, but shaded black.

I love the transparency of watercolor, and I do aim for flowing lines, as well as colors which do not hurt, but have a soothing quality. I didn’t have Opera pink color which is extra bright and can be used for such flower paintings, I simply couldn’t find it, therefore, I used what I had, many shades of dark red and Carmine, plus some purple and blue, although, it isn’t well visible on photos.

It’s beauty which always touches me, the elegant shape of leaves, the fragile softness of petals. If you paint, add some heart onto your painting. Don’t worry always about the technical aspects and perfection. Having heart in art is already enough and that feature makes it shine and stand out among others.

Pansies, click on image for article

Garden rose, click on image for article

Group art classes

Thanks for reading! I hope your September has started off on the right foot!

Category: Durham region art classes

Creek in fall colors and rushing stream

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My large sketchbook and ink drawings

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Inese’s Art Studio reopens in Pickering Village

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Painting merry Christmas

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Pure, transparent watercolor – rose geranium

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