Last-minute gifts: one of a kind and personalized
Art studio: my reality needs a place to create, dream and live
Art studio: creative sanctuary
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.
How to choose art classes
Many benefits of art classes
Many people who feel attracted to art, sign up for art and painting classes in the fall. Certainly, days are getting shorter and the weather gradually changes from very pleasant to quite nasty, rainy and chilly. I will not list all advantages of joining an art class or painting group this time because I’ve been mentioning them multiple times, and there are so many: from building your confidence and self-esteem and finding a great thing to fill up the long nights to effects similar to meditation which allow one floating away from daily troubles and problems, to mental fitness and rejuvenation of brain cells. The created art becomes just another gain along the way.
Choosing an art class that suits your preferences
When choosing an art class, you should first check out what art instructor does. What are his or her favorite subjects, style, colors, approach? If you generally do not like such art as instructor is doing, you most likely will not enjoy it. For instance, if instructor is insisting on copying photos, you most likely will not be learning how to paint abstracts; or if she or he never do portrait painting, it is unlikely the class will provide with portrait painting skills.
Size matters
Make sure the size of group somewhat works with you. I hear people complaining that they signed up for an art class and never got any attention, therefore, never learned anything. Well, if a weekly art class is 2 hours long and there are 20 or even more students in the classroom, how would you get a lot of attention? You can count on about 5 minutes of individual instruction in the best case because no instructor can run around the class while they are demonstrating technique. It is obvious that you have to choose a small art class if you require much advice or want very individual approach.
Level class is designed for
Find out what level this art class is for. If class is intended for advanced painters, , but you are just starting out, you will not be able to catch up with others. Beginner is somebody, who hasn’t done at least 200 small size paintings or 150 larger paintings.
Realistic expectations
Next thing is: be realistic in expectations. That is probably the most overlooked aspect of any art class or studies of creative things. Learning how to use tools takes time. Although, everybody has seen a painting brush and quite frequently people have tried using it, it does not mean that you know what correct brushstroke is. Any brush (they come in very many sizes, shapes and are made from all kinds of materials) can be used for very specific things and also for very general approaches. That depends also on your personal preferences, medium and subject.
Art supplies
Materials are an extremely important thing for an art class, so, the best results will definitely be achieved using good quality materials straight from the beginning. I have heard this often: I’m just learning, so I will use the cheapest materials for now. Well, that might not work at all because using bad materials can easily become a torture and nuisance. Sometimes students struggle with bad watercolor paper and they think they are doing something wrong, but, in fact, it is the paper which prevents from getting acceptable results.
Your own art supplies
Equally important is also having your own materials. It might seem: what’s the difference? The answer is: there is a huge difference between paints, brushes, canvas, papers, pencils and even erasers, not to mention that is one of the most important aspects of learning. Tools matter, surface matters, paints and brands matter. There is no other way to become familiar with some materials in particular as using them.
Be motivated
The most important part is to sign up for something that you feel interested in. One should also be prepared to learn, practice and memorize things, be spontaneous, courageous, daring and fearless, as well as have enough personal time for not feeling rushed.
Fall nature and still life
I always work harder on pictures than actual paintings.
Colors in context images are much more like in reality.
I loved them, I hope it becomes a source of pleasure for you, too.
This is the updated painting
Clear white apples, available
Art classes, schedule and registration
Enjoy!
Different approach to art class: focus on relaxing and stress-free creativity
Creativity for an art class
As the fall of 2017 is approaching, my new art class focus on stress-free environment and creative techniques. Students can learn, paint and relax letting all concerns and problems go. The key to creativity is being relaxed and not expecting miracles, but creating them: one small miracle at a time. I noticed that some students were taking art classes way too seriously, and being worried does not allow achieving great results.
Forget concerns and technical perfection
I want this to be a welcoming stress-free environment for creation so that purely technical goals become secondary. Traditional art instruction pays too much attention to the technical execution leaving the emotional and mental side neglected. That is why some artists go for big lengths: trace and copy photos, repaint everything which is in digitally adjusted photo. What about creativity? Going for photographic perfection frequently lacks the emotional aspect. I’d like to emphasize: the creative process is the most valuable part of the artistic journey.
Don’t limit yourself
Perfection in art is not the best goal because it simply prevents from unfolding our creative potential and limits the range of tools and techniques we apply. I hear this quite frequently: I’m not touching this painting anymore because I do not want to damage it. Well, leaving work unfinished isn’t good either. Limitless creativity takes us much further. You will learn effortless and, thus, stress-free techniques to avoid leaving work unfinished in my art class.
Live versus online art class
I also wanted to make an art class which is impossible to replicate online. The content of this art class rests on the presence and the interaction between me, group and everybody as an individual. The live art class allows me seeing and noticing why something does not work and why students cannot achieve the result they are looking for.
Artistic experience
I will gear everything towards a great, interesting, amazing and positive experience. That means learning about oneself and art, and learning to be creative without the annoying pressure which some teaching venues want to impose on somebody who is looking for a new skill and ability.
Painted images diary
We will use blocks of paper, so that at the end of this positive painting session everybody will have an image diary and will be able to continue adding creations. Inspiration and immersion in calm, creative environment is what one can find engaging in art.
Emotional satisfaction
I believe, this type of art class where experience and activity flow together creating emotional satisfaction, thus, being stress-free and providing with a new perspective on the bothersome issues in one’s life, will be appreciated. It’s interesting that I was away and did not do any advertising so far, but people were applying already, in fact, a lot of people. That included the new daytime watercolor painting class.
Wash paintings without drawing
I am adding as illustration brushstroke and wash only painting. We use only watercolor paint and water, and we watch what happens and how our thoughts and ideas look on paper. Watercolor paintings without drawing: it is fun, relaxing brushing and interesting flow of pigment:
Choose your own subject
Participants will have a lot of choice: they can draw, they can use pen or they can also do very abstract or semi-abstract art for their image diary. That’s why it’s called: stress relief with color and line. Art classes are for everybody because we will be using only our personal preferences with colors, subjects and the way they look.
Sign up here: Art classes
Find out more: Inese’s blog
Summer flower watercolor paintings
What happened to all good themes on WordPress.org?
I’ve been sitting at computer for too long. As I told before, I don’t have a better theme on my website right now for a very silly reason: I just can’t find a suitable one, it seems almost impossible. All of them look great as demos. Once I start to adapt them to what I need, I end up seeing that one page themes don’t work; themes overloaded with all kinds of fancy stuff don’t work. Also, completely plain and flat themes don’t work, and so on. I tried 8 themes, lost money on one, and here I am: with the same Twenty seventeen.
No change is better than bad change
I decided to leave it as is because while I was doing my theme adjustments, I worked as a slave for two weeks, 14 hours a day. That was affecting my life and everything else I had to do. It’s summer after all, and one is not supposed to spend it at computer. I am going to Latvia soon, but prospects of traveling without cash are not very attractive. I will just have to make some.
Purple variety, delicious apples’ painting
Local sales
Once again, I will try to do something also locally which is very unlikely to be a successful thing because this neighborhood is quite dead in summer. I will try to sell something also over the internet from this same site.
Taking pictures of art
My biggest problem has been inability to capture the painting images. This problem has persisted for many years. I don’t think it’s only mine problem. Camera looks at painting differently, and the color balance depends on colors in painting. Blue, grey and blue green colors look better on pictures. Red, orange and yellow colors are problematic. I have paintings which have a lot of red, and I cannot show them online because there’s shine on it, It is usually impossible to bring back the color balance with editing.
Summer watercolor paintings
Taking pictures of art in context and with background
I have noticed that watercolor artists take pictures of their paintings using contextual background. I started to take such pictures of my art intuitively, some 8 years ago or so. I noticed very soon that everything with background looked fine. I mean, paintings regained their natural colors.
Size is not visible on internet display
That also gives some idea about the size because it is quite annoying to see how my very large art is displayed smaller than my small art on some sites. Just placing something next to painting or having surroundings show behind painting or when art is on the wall results in a photo which has well balanced colors.
Taking pictures of art and displaying online
This particular theme does not allow also displaying everything as I would love to. The featured image becomes too large. I tried to add my own css when doing theme adjustments. I made the blog posts page larger size, but decreasing the widget area resulted in losing the number of followers. I will have to live with this display for a while because too much editing the style caused all content text disappearing completely. I have real fun here!
Nothing compares to real painting
Most art looks better in reality. It can be so annoying at times that after taking about 30 pictures of a painting not even one is good enough to post.
Flowers and fruit: summer compositions
I appreciate your interest
Anyway, have a look at my art and I will also post more exercises for those, who love painting with watercolor and are learning and experimenting with sketching and watercolor. Maybe I should make a specific Facebook page for that? We’ll see how it goes. I believe pictures of paintings look better in context and with background. Some are above and below.
Good luck!
Some of my paintings for sale: Shop art
Art prints and art products on FAA